Cattle Point Dark Sky Urban Star Park is located on the eastern edge of Victoria, British Columbia, overlooking the water. The Cattle Point part of the park’s name comes from the 1850s when cattle were dropped off from ships onto this part of the island. This spot is one of only two urban star parks in Canada. While the area may not be as dark as the suburbs and rural areas, it allows access for residents of Victoria to escape the ever-present commercial and street lights. An EarthSky visitor explains, “It is a dark sky urban star park created by the Oak Bay council. It has huge swathes of open sky uninhibited on the horizon, but close enough to an urban area to be easily accessible.”
Deborah Byrd
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About the Author:
Deborah Byrd created the EarthSky radio series in 1991 and founded EarthSky.org in 1994. Prior to that, she had worked for the University of Texas McDonald Observatory since 1976, and created and produced their Star Date radio series. Today, she serves as Editor-in-Chief of this website. She has won a galaxy of awards from the broadcasting and science communities, including having an asteroid named 3505 Byrd in her honor. In 2020, she won the Education Prize from the American Astronomical Society, the largest organization of professional astronomers in North America. A science communicator and educator since 1976, Byrd believes in science as a force for good in the world and a vital tool for the 21st century. "Being an EarthSky editor is like hosting a big global party for cool nature-lovers," she says.