Big Bend National Monument Designated As International Dark Sky Park (PHOTOS)

EL PASO, Texas -- Big Bend National Park officials has been designated as an "International Dark Sky Park" and one of ten places in the world certified to have especially dark night skies favored for stargazing.

A statement Monday from the International Dark-Sky Association says Big Bend has the darkest measured skies in the lower 48 states and is the largest park in the world with the designation.

Only four other U.S. parks and one in Scotland share the "gold tier" level, which means the area skies are free from all but minimal light pollution. Six other parks, with slightly less dark skies, have "silver tier" rank.

Strict ordinances in Alpine, Van Horn and other towns and communities in the region limit unnecessary night light and curb West Texas light pollution.

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Comments

[brklynivn]

10:17 PM on 02/09/2012

US 50 driving across Nevada at night, incredible to see what a real dark sky looks like.

[Tyler Nordgren]

12:58 PM on 02/08/2012

The National Park Service has become much more aware over the last ten years that a dark, starry sky is as rare for the average visitor as glaciers, grizzlies, and geysers that normally bring folks to the parks for the day. I'm an astronomer (and International Dark-Sky Association member) and four years ago had the incredible privilege to spend a year traveling the park system writing about and photographing the night sky and all the ways in which a visit to the parks can inform us about the broader universe in which we live. For more information about these efforts, folks can check out the IDA, NPS Night Sky Team, or Planetary Society websites). By the way, the two lead photographs for this story were taken with an off-the-shelf camera and tripod. The hardest part was standing still for three minutes (but it gave me time to enjoy the stars).

[boba7576]

10:39 AM on 02/08/2012

Awesome !
I loved looking up at the night skies and stars at Harpers Ferry park .

[CreativebyNature]

09:23 AM on 02/08/2012

Excluding the information of this article, some of the pictures are nice photographs.

[MichMan321]

09:18 AM on 02/08/2012

You may be surprised that we have one of the world's six "Dark Parks" here in Michigan. We are much more than urban, gritty Detroit. Drive into northern Michigan (and a little farther into the U.P.) and it's a different world... breathtaking landscape during the day... and a breathtaking sky (in the Emmet County "Dark Sky Park") at night.

[quartrhoss]

08:19 AM on 02/08/2012

too bad other places in the country are hell bent on lighting up everything. A lot of our kids aren't going to know what it is like to see stars at night

[thejester39]

03:24 AM on 02/08/2012

I'd smoke a FAT joint, and just chilllllllllll. Checkin out the stars, and contemplating where in the world, or should I say, space, we came from, and why are we here. Hmmm. Bet you'd never hear an alcoholic say that! I get high and want to expand my mind. Others get drunk and want to act like an idiot. Ah well, stars + joint = heaven on earth.

[just3horses]

09:12 AM on 02/08/2012

imwitchew

[duncanetal]

02:25 AM on 02/08/2012

Death Valley in California is pretty amazing at night.

[TheAnitQuasar]

01:46 AM on 02/08/2012

I just looked up the Cherry springs state park in PA and was not surprised to find that it is in Potter county. This was long time believed to be the darkest county in the continental U.S. Not sure if that is the case anymore or not. Never been to that park, but have been in Potter county and it is truly awesome at night.

[jayd0204]

01:31 AM on 02/08/2012

I live in El Paso, TX and there are some spots where it seems like you can almost reach up and touch the stars, maybe even pull one down. However, I have traveled around the world and seen many other places where one is in awe of the beauty of nature and El Paso is one of those places. Just a footnote, Big Bend national Park is not in El paso. It's actually 330 away from El Paso, although both are in Texas.

[workingmansblues]

12:53 AM on 02/08/2012

I find it strange that there is less light pollution in a Texas Nat'l Park than in one in Alaska. I remember being about 30 miles outside of Fairbanks and being blown away by the number of stars there are in the sky.

[adedess]

12:22 AM on 02/08/2012

Small mistake Big Bend is a National Park not a National Monument.

[Jerry LaFrance]

09:50 AM on 02/08/2012

Give Me a Break!!!

[Ragdraggo]

12:17 AM on 02/08/2012

Approx 5 years ago (time of year,, late April) I left Los Angeles about 9 PM for the 6 1/2 hour drive to Phoenix. Just before Midnight, I pulled off the Interstate 10 for a quickie rest and catnap. I believe I was at this exit labeled "Desert Center" (about midway between Indio and Blythe). Anyway, I noticed nothing but inky black darkness but with all the bright stars glittering in the sky (even saw some shooting stars). The moon phase was not full, but not new moon either (per my memory, the moon starting rising later on that night). Now THAT was one dark spot, but with a beautiful view of the stars! I catnapped perhaps 45 minutes, then I continued on with my journey to Phoenix.

[danacatdog]

11:38 PM on 02/07/2012

..........................................."The heavens declare the glory of God"....................Psalm 19:1

[knarfc]

12:23 AM on 02/08/2012

awww, now you went and ruined it with mythology.

[workingmansblues]

12:44 AM on 02/08/2012

Your concept of "God" is too narrow.

[curtis36301]

05:13 AM on 02/08/2012

JUST BECAUSE YOU DON'T BELIEVE IN GOD, DOESN'T MEAN HE DOESN'T
BELIEVE IN YOU!

[Jerry LaFrance]

09:51 AM on 02/08/2012

Very Well Said!!!!

[whirlpool]

11:33 PM on 02/07/2012

I would have to put the Oregon desert in the eastern part of the state on the list. There are places out there without roads where there isn't a light within 100 miles in any direction. It is also high in elevation and the sky is often clear and cloudless. The Milky Way is amazing out there.