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EnvironmentAstronomy19TuesdaySeptember172013FortSmithHealthCentreMainEntranceisChangingEffectiveSeptember16theNEWMAINENTRANCEwillbelocatedonthesouthsideofthebuildingandReceptionServiceswillbeavailableatthisNEWMainEntrance.ANEWPUBLICPARKINGLOTwillbelocatedonthesouthsideoftheHealthCentre.ThecurrentMainEntrancethroughtunnelwillbeclosedSeptember16forrenovations.TheNEWMainEntranceisatemporaryentranceuntilrenovationsarecompleted.ThankyouforyourpatienceduringourongoingrenovationstoimprovetheFortSmithHealthCentreforourcommunityNEWMAINENTRANCEByRENEFRANCOEURAnaward-winningsciencejournalistnightskyphotog-rapherandoveralladventurerhaswrappeduphismissiontoshootallofCanadasDarkSkypreserveswithastopinWoodBuffaloNationalParklastweek.PeterMcMahonacolum-nistforSkyNews-theCa-nadianmagazineofastron-omyandstargazing-setuphistripodforthersttimeintheNorthwestTerrito-riestocapturethetwinklingnorthernlightsforafeatureontheworldsnewestandlargestDarkSkyPreservedesignatedjustthisAugustbytheRoyalAstronomicalSocietyofCanada.IronicallythisissortofthelaststepinrenderingmenotamassiveposerintermsofwhatIdobecauseIdneverbeentotheNorthbeforeanditsdarkMcMahonalsoachildrensauthorandtheformeronlineproducerforDiscoveryChannelCanadatoldTheJournal.IdbeeninYukoninthesummerbutnevertheNWT.Itsbeauti-ful.IwasjustblownawaybymyrstnightoutattheSaltPlainsshootingthesky.McMahonwhohasspentthelasttwoyearsexploringthecountrysdarkskypre-servesfromNovaScotiatoAlbertaforhiscolumnAstronomercompletesDarkSkymissioninNWTpresentedacollectionofhisphotostointerestedmembersofthepubliclastWednesdayeveninginFortSmith.YouhavesucharesourceinFortSmith.Whenyougoandlookupattheskyfromanywherehereyouareview-inganendangeredecosys-temhetoldapackedroomattheParksCanadaofcereferringtothegrowingprob-lemoflightpollution.AssomeonefromOntarioIveseenthenorthernlightsbutveryrarelydoyougetthesolidcurtainsandpillarsofaurorathatIsawhere.Yougetaglowifyourelucky.AccordingtoMcMahonCanadaisaworldleaderindarkskies.Canadahasalmost20preservesandtheresmaybeabout35intheworld...WhenIfoundthatoutafewyearsagoIwasveryheartenedbyitbecauseIvealwaysbeenafanofthenightskyandpopu-larizingastronomyhesaid.McMahonsbreathtak-ingphotosuseavarietyoflensandcamerasettingstoshowcasesnapshotssuchasavastMilkyWayinNewBrunswicksMountCarletonProvincialPark-whatMc-MahonsaidwasprobablythedarkestspotintheMari-times-andabejewelledshotoftheheavensinQuebecsMont-MganticNationalParkwhereMcMahonsawover2000meteorsfalloverameretwodays.AshotfromNovaScotiashistoricSt.JohnsAnglicanChurchinLunenburgwasoneofthemostinterestingimagestothepublicasMc-Mahondescribeditasa250year-oldplanetarium.Therearestarsontheceilingofthischurch-whichhasbeenrestoredbasicallyfromscratchafterare-thatshowtheskyasitwouldhavelookedfromLunenburgonthenightoftherstChrist-masMcMahonsaidinhispresentationfollowedbyaseriesofimpressedgaspsfromthegroup.Otherphotographshigh-lightednebulasshownaspurple-tingedclustersofstarselegantbirdshadowsplasteredagainstavibrantcaptureofthetransitofVenusfromPointPeleeNa-tionalParkoramistybrightspotthatMcMahonpointedoutastheAndromedaGal-axy2.5millionlight-yearsfromEarth.Atwotothree-pagespreadaboutWoodBuf-faloNationalParkalongwiththreeorfourphotosoftheilluminatednightskywillbefeaturedinSkyNewsplusdetailsaboutFortSmithandallitsamenitiesfromdiningtoaccommo-dationssometimeinmidtolate2014McMahonsaid.AsfarasIknowImtheworldsonlyastronomyfoodcritichejoked.Thiswastheplacewiththebestdonairpizzabyfarbytheway.McMahoncalledFortSmithandthesurroundingparkthesurpriseofhisen-tireDarkSkyPreservetouracrossthecountry.Whatanamazingcom-munity...Itwasspectacularasyoucanseebythepho-tosandmorethanwhatIwasexpecting.PeterMcMahongazesatabandofauroraborealisilluminatingtheSaltPlainsinWoodBuffaloNationalPark.PhotoPeterMaMahon