Dark Sky Cam
The Dark Sky Cam captures images of auroral and milky way activity from the SkyCam mounted on the roof of the Chik-Wauk Museum. This site has remarkably dark skies which leads to amazing night sky viewing. It’s northern latitude also means higher chances of seeing aurora.
Images are captured from 30 minutes before sunset to 30 minutes after sunrise. To update the image, you will need to refresh the page every minute or so. If the image is not updating, the camera may be down. Given its remote location, we cannot always troubleshoot immediately.
VIEW EACH EVENING'S IMAGES
To see each evening’s images in real time, click this button which will take you directly to our UMD Planetarium Partner Website
Example sequence showing Auroral Activity on 13 – 14 March, 2021.
Prof. Jessica Rogers, Director of the UMD Alworth Planetarium, describing operation of the Chik-Wauk All-Sky Cam at the 2021 Mid-West Planetarium Conference.
Archives
Partnership
The Dark Sky Camera is made possible thanks to a collaboration between the Marshall W. Alworth Planetarium, the Department of Physics and Astronomy, Gunflint Trail Historical Society, and Chik-Wauk Museum and Nature Center.
Location
57 miles up the Gunflint Trail
28 Moose Pond Drive
Grand Marais, MN 55604
Contact
Hours
Chik-Wauk Museum & Nature Center is closed for the 2024 season, see you in 2025!
Stay in Touch
Location
57 miles up the Gunflint Trail
28 Moose Pond Drive
Grand Marais, MN 55604
Contact
Hours
Open for the 2024 season, May 25 - October 20!
10am–5pm Daily