Whispering Pines Camp
Welcome to Medicine Hat Astronomy Club's Southern Alberta Star Party!
The camp is located in a Bortle 2 area of the spectacular Cypress Hills Interprovincial Park Dark‑Sky Preserve, just 1.7km from Elkwater, Alberta.
Whispering Pines Camp is privately owned by Evangelical Missionary Church of Canada.
Whispering Pines Amenities
The 6‑acre field has lots of room for tents and RVs.
Twelve rustic cabins are also available, with heating and lighting, ten of which are in an open area with unobstructed views of the sky.
The main building features washrooms, showers, a large auditorium with audio‑visual equipment, laundry facilities, a games room, and a large communal kitchen and dining room.
Camping at SASP
The camping field is very well maintained. It is mowed, level and free of rocks and holes. There are a few disc-golf targets around the field so care should be taken not to bump into one in the dark.
There are no designated sites in the camping field, so camping is offered on a rush basis.
Potable water is available from a standpipe near the camp entrance.
Power in the field is limited, but every cabin has an external 15‑amp outlet, so bring an extension cord and park behind a cabin if you need electricity.
Cabin Accommodation at SASP
In the open field are ten cabins with power, lighting and heating. Washrooms and showers are in the main building. Each cabin has two rooms with bunks for six people.
Another two cabins are available under trees, with auxiliary washrooms and showers nearby. Both cabins have a single, large room with two queen beds to sleep up to four people.
All cabin bunks have mattresses, but guests must bring their own pillows and bedding.
Around Whispering Pines
Elkwater townsite is 1.7km away, with a convenience store, a visitor centre and museum, a gas station, a hotel, two restaurants, and a mini-golf course.
Elkwater Lake offers boating, fishing (licence required), a swimming area, and a beach.
The nearest full-service centre is Medicine Hat, which is approximately 65km away.
Guest speaker: Ken Hewitt-White
A veteran of communicating astronomy via planetarium productions, magazine columns, television documentaries, live talks and books, Ken Hewitt-White has been surveying the night sky since the late 1960s.
Now retired — but still observing — Ken always enjoys getting out to dark sites and exploring deep-sky objects with his 18-inch Dobsonian telescope.
Also high on his list of loves is talking about astronomy to appreciative lay audiences and — even more — sharing experiences with dedicated amateur astronomers.
Guest speaker: John Nemy
A self-proclaimed public astronomer, John Nemy has pursued the night sky for over 40 years.
His joy of stargazing inspired a five-year mountaintop public astronomy experience on Blackcomb Mountain in Whistler, B.C., from 1990 to 1995, followed by wine tasting and stargazing evenings at Stonechurch Vineyards, in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, from 1996 to 2001.
Finally, in 2012, Island Stars Observatory on Hornby Island, B.C., saw ‘first light,’ offering star nights to locals and tourists alike. “Doesn’t everyone want to be an astronomer!”
Guest speaker: Dr Alan Hale (remote)
Dr. Alan Hale is an American astronomer and discoverer of one of the most widely observed comets in history; Comet Hale-Bopp.
Alan developed a strong interest in astronomy during his childhood, and later earned his Ph.D. in the subject from New Mexico State University. In recent years, he has collaborated with the Global Sky Partners educators' forum of the Las Cumbres Observatory, through which he frequently images comets and asteroids, including follow-up observations of new discoveries and recapturing expected periodic comets, such as the historically significant Comet 13P/Olbers.
He is well-known for his public advocacy of science education and skepticism, and he founded the Southwest Institute for Space Research, now the Earthrise Institute, which promotes science literacy and international cooperation in space research.
SASP 2025 Registration
An early-bird discount of 20% is in effect on all prices until 20th July.
5-day event registration
Single
$80
($100 after 20th July)
5-day event registration
Couple
$88
($110 after 20th July)
5-day event registration
Family
$96
($120 after 20th July)
Optional accommodation
Camping
$80
($100 after 20th July)
- 5 nights accommodation
- Bring your own tent/RV
- Potable water standpipe
- Shared electricity
- Quiet dogs welcome
- Choose your site
Optional accommodation
Cabin Room
$120
($150 after 20th July)
- 5 nights accommodation
- Sleeps 1 to 6 people
- Heating
- Lighting
- Electricity
- Unobstructed sky
Optional accommodation
Exclusive Cabin
$160
($200 after 20th July)
- 5 nights accommodation
- Sleeps 4 (two queen beds)
- Heating
- Lighting
- Electricity
- Under trees
SASP 2025 is fully booked.
SASP 2026 dates: 6-11 September.
Please join our mailing list (below) to be notified when registration opens.
Sun, Moon and Astronomical Darkness times for SASP 2025
21 Sun | 22 Mon | 23 Tue | 24 Wed | 25 Thu | 26 Fri | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | 07:08 | 07:10 | 07:11 | 07:13 | 07:14 | |
 | 19:19 | 19:17 | 19:15 | 19:13 | 19:11 | |
 | 08:06 | 09:17 | 10:28 | 11:39 | ||
 | 19:11 | 19:23 | 19:36 | 19:51 | 20:10 | |
 | 05:20 | 05:22 | 05:24 | 05:25 | 05:27 | |
 | 21:09 | 21:06 | 21:04 | 21:01 | 20:59 | |
| New Moon is on Sunday, 21st September at 07:54 | ||||||
Visit us in the Meadows at SSSP - site M39!
"I was fortunate to attend the first SASP in 2022. It was one incredible affair.
If you have never seen very dark Bortle skies, your imagination will get the best of you. SASP is exceptional, and so are the stargazers."
Roy from Edmonton, AB.
"The Southern Alberta Star Party is an event I look forward to for the entire year.
The clear, dark skies combined with the on-site amenities and comfortable accommodations make this my number one astronomy event of the year."
Aaron from Cochrane, AB.
"The Southern Alberta Star Party is my top pick! The organizers went above & beyond to make it a fun time.
The large dining area provided a convenient warm place to eat, meet new people & visit. Many impromptu discussions occurred with the occasional astronomy equipment show & tell. Great indoor showers & washrooms on the lower level.
As a tent camper, getting a cabin room was a total luxury that allowed me to spread out my gear for easier access. Much warmer than a tent!
Huge auditorium for talks, gear swap tables & even a movie night one day.
I truly enjoyed my time & feel like I made some new friendships along the way!"
Larry from Calgary, AB.
Entry to Cypress Hills Interprovincial Park
is free on the Alberta side.
