JACKSON, Wyo. — Monday, April 8, the day of the partial solar eclipse, marked the last day of this year’s International Dark Sky Week, and Yellowstone National Park (YNP) recognized the importance of preserving the night sky.
Dark Sky Week, which ran from April 2 to April 8, is a worldwide celebration of the dark and natural night. According to YNP, nighttime views and environments are critical Yellowstone features in need of protection.
“The night sky is more than a scenic canvas — it’s part of a complex ecosystem that supports both natural and cultural resources,” YNP wrote on its Facebook page.
According to the International Dark-Sky Association (IDA), light pollution is increasing at a rate twice that of human population growth, and approximately 80% of people around the world live under a light-polluted sky. Light pollution is the human-made alteration of outdoor light levels.
A goal of Dark Sky Week is to bring attention to responsible outdoor lighting. In preservation of night skies, the Sinks Canyon State Park became Wyoming’s first designated International Dark Sky Park.
“Today, most children will grow up never seeing the Milky Way or a night sky filled with stars,” IDA states on its website. “We will never know the great art we’ve lost to light pollution.”
IDA and YNP encourage people to get outside at night, whether going out for a night hike, or sitting on the back porch, and take the time to get to know the starry sky.
