Tours

Night Sky Tours primarily provides group or individual customized sky tours, under the stars, from a dark-sky site. Located just east of Oshawa, Ontario (about 45 minutes drive from downtown Toronto), we try to locate in an area not too far from you, but at the same time it must be dark enough to show you the wonders of the Cosmos. Many of us live in non-rural areas, awash with light pollution, which hinders the ability to see the wonders of the night sky. Our growing amateur astronomer base of guides will bring the wonders of our solar system and beyond, down to a level anyone can understand. We can provide tours for the following occasions:

• That special Birthday gift for the hard-to-please person
  When available, we provide a "Companion Star Certificate". In other words, if the person is turning 8, they will receive a Companion Star certificate for a star that is 8 light years away (see sample). The idea is that light has made the long journey; having left a star in the year the person was born and is reaching their eye on the night of their session with us, under the stars.
  
  NOTE: We do not sell stars (see the I.A.U. with regards to star naming and "ownership"). This is merely an educational item that will allow the Birthday person to actually see and enjoy a star, and know where to find it in the night sky. Of course, each year, a new star will need to be selected and viewed, as the person ages, so does the distance light must travel from their date of birth. ☺
  
  
• For a group of students working on an Astronomy-related project, and you want to put that special "spin" on your project (Night Sky Tours can also help you source FREE images of those hard-to-find objects)
  
  
• Youth groups such as Cubs, Girl Guides and Boy Scouts
  
  
• Home schooling parents as well as private and public schools, looking to have solar observing opportunity or a special night out under the stars. We bring the scope to you and can set-up on a dark soccer field or ball diamond/playground.
  
  
• Couples, looking for something different to do on that special occasion
  
  
• Private sessions under the stars, for those thinking of investing seriously in the hobby
  
  
• Educational talks and presentations on the topic of Astronomy
  
  
• Or, you just want to find out "what's up there" and you've decided now's the time
  

Night Sky Tours can make our services available for Corporate picnics, community events, fund-raising, family picnics, cottage country star-gazing parties, team challenge events, weekend celebrations, resorts and more. Contact us for a quote. We offer daytime solar observing sessions as well as cosmic views of the night sky.

Our General Tour Brochure	Our Educational Brochure

Assistance When You Need It

Were the instructions for your telescope's set-up, alignment, or operation written in a language you can't understand? Did they "miss the mark" on the English translation. Was the next customer in line more important to the salesman; where you purchased your scope; rather than completing the sale properly with you? Night Sky Tours can help you become familiar with the operation of your telescope, sky charts, software, or whatever else may be preventing you from enjoying your new (but highly technical) hobby. We have special instruction rates and it can all take place at our dark-sky site, your residence or your cottage. Contact us.

Experience Matters

Your one-and-a-half hour standard session will be conducted by an astronomer who has logged many hours, under the stars. All future Night Sky Tour astronomers, who provide our customers with tours, will have already spent many hours performing public tours and will posses the experience to make your event enjoyable.

We Aim to Please

Customer satisfaction is our goal. While it's impossible for anyone to control the weather, we want to make sure that your session is both fun and educational. Should poor weather disturb your outing within the first hour, you will be offered another tour at a future date, absolutely FREE (the 1-hour guarantee does not include the time for set-up - we want you to have at least one-hour of unencumbered observing)!

When the drive is simply too far to our site, or you want to relax and view from the cottage, Night Sky Tours can come to you. Additional charges for fuel apply, when the tour is not conducted at our regular dark-sky location. Some Greater Toronto Areas are excluded due to light pollution conditions (Toronto, Mississauga, Scarborough, Newmarket, some parts of Aurora; Richmond Hill; and Markham, etc.).

Our Fee Structure

Goods and services provided by Night Sky Tours.
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