JACKSON, Wyo. —Out in Grand Teton National Park or on the Bridger-Teton National Forest, stars shine brilliantly in the night and the Milky Way feels close enough to touch.
But even in the small town of Jackson, light pollution steals their shine.
So for the second year in a row, Wyoming Stargazers is trying to imagine a town where stars are as visible on the Square as they are in the wilderness.
Last year, Wyoming Stargazers hosted its first “Lights Out” challenge during the Perseid meteor shower. This year, the moon will be full for the Perseid shower, meaning less visibility.
“We wanted to pick a night over the weekend close to [the week of the Perseid shower] with better moon conditions for stargazing, said Samuel Singer, executive director at Wyoming Stargazing. “We should still be able to see some of the early Perseids this weekend.”
On Saturday, July 30, Wyoming Stargazers asks Jackson to turn off its lights (exterior and interior) for two hours – from 10 p.m. to 12 a.m.— and look up at the sky. Stargazers will gather at the Stilson/ Village Road Transit Center to observe it, and the public is invited to watch with them.
They hope that each year the challenge lets Jackson residents “see the beauty of the night sky for what it really can be” and inspires them to be more mindful about their personal light pollution.
