Starry, Starry Night

Protecting the Night Sky by Kathleen O'Connor

It was January 17, 1994, in the middle of the night, when a 6.7 magnitude earthquake struck the City of Los Angeles. Startled residents were jolted awake and soon realized that a citywide blackout was in effect because of the quake. Some decided to venture outdoors to check on neighbors and friends amid the foreign blackness that greeted them as they stepped outside. Upon looking upward to the night sky, many were met with surprise as they gazed at unfamiliar celestial forms above them. Trailing across the sky was a glowing, pervasive mist-like cloud formation that caused alarm to spread throughout the city. It was so alarming, in fact, that many immediately called 911 to inquire about what was going on up in the sky. What was that unidentifiable object that left so many residents perplexed? It was the Milky Way Galaxy, a brilliant and clear sighting in the absence of artificial light, that they were seeing for the first time.

For many, awe-inspiring views of the night sky are a rare sight due to light pollution. Lucky ones, like those of us in the Four Corners region, may sometimes take the beauty and grandeur of the night sky for granted. However, the reality is that many places around the globe – particularly those with high concentrations of people, neighborhoods, and buildings – never get to see the incredible sight of a truly dark sky.

Today, it's estimated that around 80 percent of the world lives under light-polluted skies (most of which comes from streetlights). Not only does light pollution obscure our ability to see the stars and other wonderous celestial objects, it can also negatively affect migratory bird and mammal populations as well as other animals, such as recently hatched sea turtles that use the natural light of the moon to help guide them towards the ocean and greater safety. Artificial lighting at night can also disrupt our circadian rhythms, resulting in lower production of melatonin, which is important in sleep regulation.

The amount of money and fossil fuel energy it takes to continuously light up the night should also be noted. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, outdoor lighting in the United States creates approximately 228 million tons of carbon dioxide emissions and costs around three billion dollars annually.

Combatting Light Pollution & Preserving the Night Sky

The International Dark-Sky Association (IDA) was founded in 1988 with the vision to globally protect and celebrate the night sky as a “shared heritage benefitting all living things.” The organization strives to reduce light pollution and its negative impacts worldwide through education and outreach, as well as through its award-winning International Dark Sky Places Program (IDSP). This program offers five various Dark Sky categories, all supporting IDA’s commitment to “preserve and protect dark sites through responsible lighting policies and public education.”

As of January 2022, there are 195 certified IDSPs worldwide, protecting over 110,000 square kilometers of dark places worldwide.

Here in Colorado, there are 16 Dark Sky sites, including Chaco Culture National Historical Park, Dinosaur National Park and the

Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve. Last year, Durango’s neighbor to the west, Mesa Verde National Park, was certified as the 100th international Dark Sky Park, joining other parks and sites dedicated to advocating for less light pollution and preserving naturally dark skies.

Additionally, southwest Colorado may soon be touting the world’s largest Dark Sky Reserve. Local organizations in the San Luis Valley are joining forces to create 4,200 square miles of protected sky where light pollution would be limited indefinitely. The Sangre de Cristo International Dark Sky Reserve would be the second of its kind in the United States and the largest worldwide.

Dark Sky designations are given based on site assessments conducted by IDA. Certain criteria for each of the categories must be met relating to size requirements (for the reserves), an adequate sky quality meter reading (based on a measurement of star and sky brightness), and the placement of light ordinances addressing energy efficiency and proper outdoor lighting. The entire process can take an average of one to three years from initial inquiry to the formal designation.

Looking to the Stars

As we turn our gaze to the night sky here in the Four Corners region, it’s humbling to realize that these are the very same stars the Ancestral Pueblo people observed over 1,000 years ago. In fact, Mesa Verde National Park, with its dry climate and high elevations, boasts one of the best places for stargazing in the region. The park offers year-round astronomy-based public programs that include presentations on Indigenous traditions and seasonal ceremonies that centered on the movement of the constellations and other celestial bodies. Telescope viewings are also offered, allowing people to see brilliant stars and planets up close. Chaco Culture National Canyon Historical Park also offers sky programs every October through April that highlight stargazing and Indigenous astronomy.

As dark sky conservation continues to grow in popularity, there’s no better time to look up and enjoy the sheer sense of wonder and mystery the night sky brings.

For more information on Dark Sky Places across Colorado and beyond, visit darksky.org

Ryan Nott

TIPS FOR REDUCING LIGHT POLLUTION:

• Switch to outdoor fixtures that direct the path of light downward. • Spread the word on the negative effects of light pollution. • Advocate for dark skies in your community. • Attend a star-viewing event at a Dark Sky Park. • If possible, use red light for flashlights and headlamps when outdoors.