The man who brings the universe to rural Manitoba
In a province known for vast skies and hearty winters, one man has turned a welding workshop into a launchpad for wonder. Kenton Dyck, a welder by trade and an accidental astronomer by calling, hauls a twelve-inch telescope across Pembina Valley, turning parking lots, soccer fields, and street corners into open-air observatories. He doesn’t charge for his demonstrations; he merely offers strangers a peek into infinity — a moment that can feel both intimate and humbling in the same breath.
A one-man roadshow with a bigger purpose
What started as a pandemic hobby has blossomed into the Pembina Valley Astro Club, now entering its third year of operation. Dyck’s touring style is simple: set up the telescope, invite locals to look, and let curiosity take over. The audience isn’t a fixed group but a rotating cast of residents from Carman, Clearwater, Somerset, and towns across an eleven-thousand-square-kilometer stretch of southern Manitoba. The payoff is universal: a shared gasp, a pause, and the realization that the universe isn’t distant at all when you’re looking through the eyepiece.
From “Oh wow” to a broader mission
The first truly transformative moment for Dyck came on a clear night when Jupiter dominated the sky. He briefly left the scene to reheat a cup of tea and returned to witness Io cast its shadow on Jupiter. “That’s when it hit me,” he recalls, “I’m watching an eclipse happen on another planet, in real time.” It was a revelation not just about celestial mechanics but about the ability of dedicated individuals to bring distant phenomena into people’s lives, one telescope at a time.
A community lantern for science
Dyck’s approach blends hands-on science with a passion for sharing. He embraces the idea that science thrives on humility — “Science is the only field where the smartest people in the room are constantly saying, ‘I don’t know,’” he says — and he models that curiosity for his audiences. The effect isn’t mere spectacle; it’s education delivered in plain sight, often catalyzing a lifelong interest in astronomy and space observation.
Recognition, growth, and a local future
Recognition followed when Dyck received the King Charles III Coronation Medal for his contributions toward making astronomy accessible in southern Manitoba. It’s a rare award for someone who treats fame as a byproduct of service rather than a goal. Sponsorships from local businesses like Schinkel Properties have helped sustain the effort—covering fuel costs and enabling the purchase of a second telescope—so the shows can travel farther and reach more towns.
Why the night sky matters in rural places
For many in rural Manitoba, Dyck’s outreach is more than entertainment; it’s a reminder of the grandeur that exists just beyond the streetlight. On any given night, 40 to 50 curious minds crowd around the telescope, peering at lunar craters or Saturn’s rings, connecting with science through a shared, ordinary act: looking up. In a world where screens so often shape attention, the Pembina Valley Astro Club offers a timeless practice: wonder, accessible to all, in a place where the universe feels surprisingly close.
Follow the Pembina Valley Astro Club on Instagram at @astroclubpv or email astroclubpv@gmail.com to learn about upcoming shows. Steven Sukkau is a Local Journalism Initiative reporter who covers Manitoba communities with a focus on local science and culture.
