April 1, 2011 - International Dark Sky Week (IDSW) celebrates dark skies and raises awareness of excess artificial light at night, known as light pollution.
Founded in 2003 by then high school student Jennifer Barlow, International Dark Sky Week has been endorsed by the International Dark-Sky Association, the American Astronomical Society, Sky & Telescope Magazine, Astronomers Without Borders, and the UN's International Year of Astronomy's Dark Skies Awareness Cornerstone Project.
Ideas for Participation
1. Evaluate your lighting needs and extinguish all unnecessary lighting in or around your property. If lights are necessary (for safety or visibility) do not turn them off.
2. Write a press release, blog entry, or letter to your local news source to increase publicity.
3. Encourage your friends and neighbors to permanently reduce the use of non-essential lighting. Purchase and install a dark sky friendly lighting fixture for yourself or a neighbor or talk to your local supplier about carrying a selection of these fixtures.
4. If you're an educator, use a day during IDSW to teach students about the night sky and light pollution. Kids can find ways to ameliorate the problem by participating in activities such as a star count or a home audit.
5. Post flyers about IDSW in your area, encouraging people to turn off their unnecessary lights, or give a talk to a school or a civic group.
6. Host an observing event, such as a family backyard stargazing BBQ or sidewalk astronomy.
7. Have fun and enjoy the beauty of the night sky!
Data courtesy of Marc Imhoff of NASA GSFC and Christopher Elvidge of NOAA NGDC.
The International Dark-Sky Association is a 501(c)(3) non profit organization founded to preserve and protect the nighttime environment and our heritage of dark skies through environmentally responsible outdoor lighting.
IDA creates programs to raise awareness of the issues associated with excess outdoor light at night, including the International Dark Sky Places conservation designation and the Fixture Seal of Approval program to promote fully shielded lighting fixtures.
