Manitoba
Into the Arctic Skies: Aurora and Astronomy in Churchill
Program No. 7931RJ
Come for the chance to fulfill a dream and witness the northern lights beneath the brilliant skies of Churchill, Manitoba.
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Protecting the Environment
We offset a portion of the emissions created by your travel. Learn more
9 days
8 nights
22 meals
8B 7L 7D
1
Check-in, Welcome Dinner, Orientation
Winnipeg, MB
2
Manitoba Museum, Planetarium, Human Rights Museum
Winnipeg, MB
3
Fly to Churchill, Safety Briefing & Orientation
Churchill, MB
4
Current Research, Film Screening, Sky Watching
Churchill, MB
5
Snow Ecology, Snowmobile Trip, Snowshoeing
Churchill, MB
6
Research Rocket Range, Dogsledding, Sky Watching
Churchill, MB
7
Itsanitaq Museum, Parks Canada Center, Sky Watching
Churchill, MB
8
Fly to Winnipeg
Winnipeg, MB
9
Program Concludes
Winnipeg, MB
At a Glance
The clear skies of Churchill’s winter will thrill and challenge any sky watcher. With over 300 nights of auroral activity, Churchill is the best spot on the planet to view the northern lights. Our instructor will lead you through the fascinating world of comets, deep sky objects, meteors and northern lights. Visit the Manitoba Museum in Winnipeg for an in-depth study of the region’s natural history and an introduction to the vast subarctic region of Northern Manitoba.
Activity Level
On Your Feet
Activities may include dog sledding, snowmobiling, and walking on snowy or ice-covered terrain. Extent of walking can vary dependent on weather conditions.
Small Group
Love to learn and explore in a small-group setting? These adventures offer small, personal experiences with groups of 13 to 24 participants.
Best of all, you’ll…
- Discover the world of comets, deep sky objects, meteors and northern lights in the planet’s top viewing spot.
- Spend an afternoon dog sledding in the boreal forest.
- Take an exhilarating ride by snowmobile into the boreal forest and experience snowshoeing.
General Notes
The amount of walking in this program is dependent on the weather, temperature can be quite cold, getting as low as -18 F. This program stays in unique accommodations. Be sure to review the lodging description for the Churchill Northern Studies Centre. If you enroll in a Single room, it is only available for the two hotels in Winnipeg but not in Churchill.
Featured Expert
All trip experts
David Hems
David Hems has had a career centered on the management of cultural heritage sites with a strong focus on interpretation and presentation. After earning a degree in anthropology, he spent nine years working for the Manitoba Historic Resources Branch and 20 years with Parks Canada as an archaeologist and a heritage resource adviser throughout Western and Northern Canada. David was able to follow his passions travel and the sport of ice hockey. He played semi-professional hockey in Germany and another coaching in Northern Italy!
Please note: This expert may not be available for every date of this program.
David Hems
View biography
David Hems has had a career centered on the management of cultural heritage sites with a strong focus on interpretation and presentation. After earning a degree in anthropology, he spent nine years working for the Manitoba Historic Resources Branch and 20 years with Parks Canada as an archaeologist and a heritage resource adviser throughout Western and Northern Canada. David was able to follow his passions travel and the sport of ice hockey. He played semi-professional hockey in Germany and another coaching in Northern Italy!
Ron Waldron
View biography
Ron Waldron is a Saskatchewan educator with 36 years of classroom teaching experience in the Saskatoon Public School Division. He introduced several portable planetariums to the division and, as planetarium director, trained more than 200 teachers in their use. He also worked as a group leader at the observatory on the University of Saskatchewan campus. An avid amateur astronomer, Ron is currently proprietor of Living Skies Stargazing, dedicated to providing telescopic views of the universe up close and personal.
Suggested Reading List
(6 books)
Visit the Road Scholar Bookshop
You can find many of the books we recommend at the Road Scholar store on bookshop.org, a website that supports local bookstores.
Into the Arctic Skies: Aurora and Astronomy in Churchill
Program Number: 7931
Ice Walker: A Polar Bear’s Journey through the Fragile Arctic
Author and geographer James Raffan invites us to inhabit in Ice Walker. In precise and provocative prose, he brings readers inside the polar bear Nanu’s world as she treks uncertainly around the heart of Hudson Bay, searching for nourishment for the children that grow inside her. She stops at nothing to protect her cubs from the dangers she can see—other bears, wolves, whales, human beings—and those she cannot.
Arctic Dreams
NATURAL HISTORY, 2001, PAPERBACK, 417 PAGES , FAVORITE
One of the best books we've read on any destination, this celebrated meditation on the Arctic draws on Lopez's travels throughout the North, including Baffin Island, Siberia and Greenland. A dazzling writer and compassionate observer, Lopez weaves biology and history into his storytelling, including extended chapters on the polar bear and narwhal. (ARC11, $16.00)
Ancient People of the Arctic
Traces the lives of the Palaeo-Eskimos, the bold first explorers of the Arctic. Four thousand years ago, these people entered the far northern extremes of the North American continent, carving a living out of their bleak new homeland. From the hints they left behind, accessible only through the fragmented archaeological record, Robert McGhee ingeniously reconstructs a picture of this life at the margins.
Northern Lights: The definitive guide to auroras
Discover the incomparable beauty of the Northern Lights with this accessible guide for aspiring astronomers and seasoned night sky observers. Covers the essential equipment needed for observation and photography and full of stunning photographs.
Auroras, Fire in the Sky
Auroras is filled with 80 photographs of one of nature's greatest spectacles, complete with captions that reflect on the folklore, science and beauty of the northern lights. The book poses and answers the many scientific questions about auroras.
Churchill Hudson Bay – A Guide to Natural and Cultural Heritage
This publication contains various aspects of the natural and cultural heritage of the region. It’s focus is on various themes including aboriginal history, the fur trade, the Hudson Bay railway, geology, paleontology, atmospheric science, flora, Hudson Bay, and the abundant biodiversity of life.