Death Valley Gives Life to Stars

Founded in 1988, the International Dark Sky (IDS) is a non-profit member organization, dedicated to teaching others how to preserve the night sky, with environmentally responsible outdoor lighting, factsheets, law references, pictures, and web resources.
Photo Credit: Tyler Nordgren

The International Dark Sky (IDS) established the IDSPlaces conservation program in 2001 to recognize excellent stewardship of the night sky. Since the program began, four communities, four reserves, and ten parks have also received Dark Sky status.

Designations are based on stringent outdoor lighting standards and innovative community outreach. Most recently, Death Valley National Park, has earned designation as the world's newest and largest "Gold Tier" International Dark Sky Park.

The park is distant enough from the large cities of the southwest so that much of the night sky above the desert floor is near pristine and, in many places, offers views close to what could be seen before the rise of cities. The skies there are affected by only the smallest amounts of light pollution classifying it at the highest level of IDA designation and star-filled skies, the "Gold Tier". Astronomical objects seen there are available only to some of the darkest locations across the globe.

Jonathan B. Jarvis, National Park Service Director, said, "Death Valley is a place to gaze in awe at the expanse of the Milky Way, follow a lunar eclipse, track a meteor shower, or simply reflect on your place in the universe. We greatly appreciate the International Dark-Sky Association certification. It illustrates the park's commitment to protect natural darkness and supports the wider mission to protect nightscapes of the entire National Park System."

The park prides itself on the sense of solitude and quiet found there, yet it still attracts nearly a million visitors per year. While Death Valley is comprised of rugged wilderness areas and is famous for its extreme climate, the night skies above the park are as fragile as the land below. The 3.4 million acre park is largely free of its own sources of light pollution, but the lights of distant Las Vegas and other cities do have an impact on the park's skies and desert nightlife.

IDA Executive Director Bob Parks said, "Death Valley's night skies are a thing of beauty that everyone should have a chance to see. We hope that the action the park has taken to preserve the night sky within its borders will inspire surrounding communities to follow their example."

For more information about IDS, IDSPlaces conservation, or regular astronomy and dark sky awareness events please visit darksky.org.

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