Latest news with #DarkSky
Miami Herald
6 hours ago
- Miami Herald
Family travel 5: Dark Sky vacations bring new meaning to starstruck
Astrotourism is on the rise. Here are five places to sample a cosmic experience. Beaver Island, Michigan For super stargazing, make your way to this pristine island in the middle of northern Lake Michigan. Far away from city lights, visitors are treated to unparalleled views of meteor showers, comets, Zodiacal light and even the northern lights. Stargazers are captivated by the celestial wonders the 55 square-mile sanctuary makes possible. Recognized as a UNESCO Biosphere site, the island also provides crucial habitat for migratory birds. Ferries depart the mainland town of Charlevoix, carrying passengers and cars, for the day or for longer stays. The two-hour trip is best reserved in advance. On the island, hotels, motels and small inns as well as restaurants and recreational boat rentals are available. For more: Natural Bridges National Monument, Utah Home to some of the darkest skies in the country, this scenic landscape was among the first to receive the International Dark Sky Park certification. Massive natural bridges, named Kachina, Owachomo and Sipapu, form star-filled windows through which you can observe the skies as the Pueblo people did some 800 years ago. Among the most spectacular sights is the river of Milky Way brilliance observed rising over Owachomo Bridge. The goal of this and other Dark Sky Parks is to educate the public about light pollution and how each of us can make a difference. For more: Colorado by night Colorado is home to eight International Dark Sky Parks and five International Dark Sky Communities. Check out Colorado's self-guided stargazing tour to craft your own curated, celestial tour. Westcliffe and Silver Cliff in the state's Wet Mountain Valley are considered among the highest elevation of all International Dark Sky Communities in the world. The valley sits between the Sangre de Cristo Mountains to the west and the Wet Mountains to the east, providing dramatic views in every direction. Don't miss the Smokey Jack Observatory which boasts a retractable roof and 14-inch Schmidt-Cassegrain and 5-inch refractor telescopes with computer-guided pointing and tracking to view the majestic night sky. Ask about the free public star parties held throughout the year. Check out Westcliffe's Main Street Planet Walk, an interpretive, self-guided walking adventure of a 4 billion-to-one scale model of the entire Solar System. For more: Lago Titicaca, Peru The Andean Altiplano may be among the best places for stargazing in the Southern Hemisphere. Geographical factors such as its isolation, high altitude and dry climate all come together to offer pristine clear skies, where visitors can revel in the wonder of the constellations even with a naked eye. Stargazing in Peru offers more than an indulgence in the beauty of the cosmos. It's an opportunity to learn more about the ancient Incan civilization. The Incas - one of the most advanced civilizations in ancient times - had great faith in the stars and an unwavering devotion to astronomical events. Lake Titicaca holds spiritual significance for the ancient Inca and modern Quechua. Thus, a stargazing experience in Titicaca offers a textured multicultural adventure. For more: Flagstaff, Arizona Expect stellar stargazing as well as the chance to tour the Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff, the first to be designated a Dark Sky City by the International Dark-Sky Association. See the telescope via which Pluto was discovered in the 1930s and peer through the century-old Clark Telescope. Ask about the small group private stargazing option to experience the universe up-close with the museum's state-of-the-art 24-inch Dyer Telescope. Located just 80 miles from the Grand Canyon and close to seven other parks and monuments, this college town offers a long list of options for family travelers. At 7,000 feet, you'll enjoy a full range of sports by day including hiking and biking amid ponderosa pines. Tap into the history that combines the nostalgia of Route 66, the historic 'Mother Road' that bisects the town, as well as the rich legacy of the old west and the Native American culture. For more: ___________ Copyright (C) 2025, Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Portions copyrighted by the respective providers.
Yahoo
10 hours ago
- Climate
- Yahoo
Will the northern lights be visible in Kentucky tonight? What we know about Monday's chances
The northern lights put on a dazzling show late Sunday into early Monday morning across several U.S. states. If you didn't see them, not to worry — you've got another shot at spotting auroras Monday night. You might have to do some traveling, though, depending on how far south you live from the U.S.-Canadian border. More geomagnetic storms are predicted to hit the Earth soon, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, but their level of activity won't be as strong. While space weather is notoriously hard to predict, here's what we know about Kentucky's chances of seeing the northern lights. In short, the odds aren't great. Experts at NOAA's Space Weather Prediction Center say the Kp index — a measure of Earth's geomagnetic activity — will be lower Monday night than on Sunday, meaning the auroras will be further north. Weather permitting, the northern lights could be visible low on the horizon in cities that include Seattle, Des Moines, Chicago, Cleveland and Boston, according to the University of Alaska at Fairbanks, Geophysical Institute website, which tracks the phenomenon. If you can't spot the northern lights in Kentucky this week, the Blue Grass state still has a great spot for stargazing. Mammoth Cave National Park, roughly 90 miles south of Louisville, is an International Dark Sky location and therefore an excellent place to view the constellations and meteor showers this summer. People living in Alaska, Wyoming, Pennsylvania and Minnesota shared images of Sunday's auroras across social media. Here's a little bit of what they saw. Experts say the best auroras are usually within an hour or two of midnight (between 10 p.m. and 2 a.m. local time). These hours expand towards evening and morning as the level of geomagnetic activity increases. There may be aurora in the evening and morning, but it is usually not as active and therefore, not as visually appealing, according to NOAA. Check out this northern lights photo gallery from October 2024. More amazing things to watch: Return to Hawkins, Indiana, with 'Stranger Things' Season 5 release this fall. John Tufts covers trending news for IndyStar and Midwest Connect. Send him a news tip at JTufts@ Find him on BlueSky at JohnWritesStuff. This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Will the northern lights appear Monday over Kentucky? Check this map
Business Upturn
2 days ago
- Business
- Business Upturn
StreetLeaf Plants its 10,000th Light in Advance of Hurricane Season
TAMPA, FLORIDA, June 01, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — StreetLeaf , the leading provider of solar-powered streetlight services in the United States, has installed its 10 thousandth solar-powered streetlight, just in time for hurricane season, which begins June 1st. The 10,000th light is part of the Shine On Florida initiative, and indeed marks a significant step in the company's mission to provide cost-effective, hurricane resilient infrastructure options to communities across Florida. Shine on Florida is a call to action for Florida's utility companies, local governments, home builders, municipalities, HOAs and residents to rethink current construction choices, and make Florida a model for climate-resiliency. 'Future proofing communities has been a focus of Streetleaf since our inception but our sense of urgency increased exponentially last year when three back-to-back hurricanes hit our local area,' said Liam Ryan, CEO of StreetLeaf. 'Shine On Florida represents expanding access to lighting solutions that enhance safety, improve quality of life, and reduce environmental impact for this hurricane season, as well as for future generations.' Streetleaf has been partnering with large real estate development companies, who have been an integral part of expanding the use of hurricane resilient streetlights across Florida. Those companies include Metro Development Group, D.R. Horton , and Forestar Group Inc. . Streetleaf is also working with more than 50 HOAs to bring these lights to their communities, including the innovative Babcock Ranch, America's first solar-powered town. Tampa Electric Company has played a critical role in helping integrate solar solutions into infrastructure discussions around the Tampa area, as StreetLeaf works to bridge utility-grade performance with forward-thinking innovation. In Manatee County, StreetLeaf installations are now helping neighborhoods stay illuminated during power outages, offering peace of mind in storm-prone seasons. Additionally, homebuilders like Lennar, Kotler, Homes by WestBay, and MI Homes have become early adopters of solar streetlighting, recognizing its value in offering safer, more sustainable communities to their homebuyers. The newly installed lighting systems feature StreetLeaf's solar panel technology, which captures energy even during cloudy conditions, and has 5-day battery backup. Each unit includes high-efficiency LED bulbs that provide superior illumination while consuming minimal power. The lights are equipped with motion sensors and smart controls that adjust brightness based on time of day and pedestrian activity, further optimizing energy usage. Streetleaf lights are DarkSky approved, ensuring minimal light pollution while maximizing visibility and safety for residents. This aligns with StreetLeaf's commitment to creating environmentally responsible lighting solutions that respect natural ecosystems. By choosing Streetleaf's solar lighting solutions, communities benefit from both cost savings and meaningful environmental impact. Each installation saves counties and HOAs tens of thousands of dollars annually in electricity costs, while eliminating the need for trenching and wiring can reduce upfront infrastructure expenses by hundreds of thousands of dollars. At the same time, Streetleaf helps neighborhoods reduce carbon emissions—just fifty solar streetlights can offset the electricity use of two average households each year. To learn more about the Shine On Florida program, and how Streetleaf is helping Florida communities shine brighter and greener, visit: For more information about StreetLeaf and its services, please visit: . ABOUT STREETLEAFHeadquartered in Tampa, Florida, StreetLeaf specializes in integrating modern, renewable technology into communities through one of the most essential yet often-overlooked features—streetlights. Since its founding in 2019, StreetLeaf has installed over 10,000 lights across the country, from Florida to California, and is rapidly growing to meet the rising demand for resilient, sustainable solutions. StreetLeaf uses high-quality, dependable and proprietary hardware, software, and service to partner with land developers, builders, municipalities, utilities, and HOAs to create safer, greener communities. A carbon-neutral certified company, StreetLeaf is also DarkSky approved, and has offset more than 4 million pounds of CO2 and counting, as a tree is planted for every StreetLeaf light that is installed in the ground. Learn more at
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Lifestyle
- Yahoo
These are the best stargazing sites in North America
Travelers are increasingly lifting their eyes to nighttime skies in search of impressive celestial phenomena and, perhaps, more. 'Looking up at the night sky is sort of what makes us human,' says Ruskin Hartley, the executive director of DarkSky International, a nonprofit group based in Tucson, Arizona. 'We have done it for millennia. Every single culture has told their first stories in the stars overhead, and they found meaning in the stars. Today, the vast majority of people are robbed of that.' On a clear night last November, I spent over two hours in a dome atop nearly 7,000-foot-tall Kitt Peak, an hour outside of Tucson, peering through one of their 20-plus telescopes. The moonless night along with the high and dry climate enabled our guide to share bright and clear highlights, including the Andromeda galaxy, the ringed planet Saturn with several of its moons, and a globular cluster. Outside the dome, we simply marveled at the stunning clarity of our galaxy home, the Milky Way. In the United States, 99 percent of us live in areas impacted by artificial light pollution. While dark skies are essential for many nocturnal creatures and ecosystems, recent studies have also touted the health benefits of darkness for humans. To help preserve and better connect us with this at-risk natural resource, DarkSky International has designated 155 dark sky places across the United States, six in Canada, and two in Mexico for stellar stargazing and efforts to preserve darkness. Among the five categories of dark sky certification, sanctuaries meet the most stringent requirements, says Amber Harrison, DarkSky Places program manager, and many are in the western part of the continent in less populated areas. Designated in 2024, the world's largest international sanctuary—half the size of New Jersey—is in the high desert of the Oregon Outback. This 2.5-million-acre sanctuary includes broad and flat basins, mountain ranges with elevations from 4,700 to 8,000 feet, and alkali lakes, says Dawn Nilson, a DarkSky delegate who consulted on the process. 'With little or no light pollution, you see these celestial objects against an inky black, smooth canvas,' says Nilson. 'What's particularly special about the Outback is you get to see all those stars reflected on flat, calm, alkali lakes.' Nilson usually doesn't take her telescope along because there's no need. 'With your naked eye, you can see the many colors of the stars and star-making factories, like the Orion Nebula and the Lagoon Nebula.' In this pristine darkness, you might even spy your shadow cast by starlight. (9 must-see night sky events to look forward to in 2025) Astro adventurers should be experienced 'remote travelers,' cautions Nilson, because there may be no cell service or facilities nearby. 'Always bring more layers for warmth than you think are necessary,' she advises. Outfitters, such as Bend's Wanderlust Tours, offer guided excursions, and Rose City Astronomers (partnered with the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry) hosts star parties. Oregon Astronomy will team you with telescopes and a NASA ambassador. Other U.S. sanctuaries include Minnesota's Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness and Maine's Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument, the only one east of the Mississippi. In the southwest, the Greater Big Bend International Dark Sky Reserve spreads 15,000 square miles across southwestern Texas and Mexico and is the largest Dark Sky reserve. You'll find a constellation of guided options, from public telescope viewing at the McDonald Observatory at the University of Texas at Austin to ranger-led night walks in Big Bend National Park to starry nights with DarkSky Texas. On any dark sky-focused adventures, we all carry 'a superpower,' says Nilson: The human capacity for night vision. However, that scotopic, or low-level light vision, takes at least 30 minutes to activate fully and can be negated by a white flashlight or a glance at an illuminated screen. Seasoned stargazers recommend using red-light flashlights and scheduling your excursion during the new moon phase for optimal darkness. (A practical guide to stargazing) With 28 certified dark sky communities and parks, Utah has the highest concentration of certified skygazing options in North America. That includes Rainbow Bridge National Monument, one of the world's largest natural bridges and also a sanctuary. The catch: Getting there requires a two-hour boat ride on Lake Powell followed by a one-hour hike. The site is considered sacred by many indigenous cultures, including the Pueblo of Zuni and the Hopi Tribe. Straddling the Canadian border, the Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park is the first binational international Dark Sky Park and includes Montana's Glacier National Park and Canada's Waterton Lakes National Park. Known for its mountainous scenery and rich biodiversity, the area is a UNESCO-designated World Heritage Site, and both parks are UNESCO Biosphere Reserves. Dark Sky Guides in Waterton Lakes will maximize your viewing, and you can join Glacier's summertime ranger-led astronomy programs. In Quebec's Eastern Townships, guided astronomy activities abound at Parc National du Mont Mégantic, including an aurora borealis show in the AstroLab museum and guided stargazing with telescopes. (Activities are in French.) To achieve reserve status, local municipalities replaced 2,500 light fixtures and reduced local light pollution by 25 percent. In the park, you can hike to three mountain summits and explore diverse forest ecosystems. In Alberta, Jasper National Park is designated a Dark Sky Preserve by the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada, one of 17 in the country. The town is actually within the preserve's limits. Every October the Jasper Dark Sky Festival takes place, and features a planetarium and telescope viewing, Indigenous music and storytelling, and guided night hikes. Lately, both urban and rural areas are darkening their skies to boost astrotourism. New Brunswick offers 'easy access to dark skies,' says Stéphane Picard of Cliff Valley Astronomy. 'Even in our cities, you're no more than 15 minutes away from a very dark sky.' The province has three dark-sky preserves designated by the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada, including Fundy National Park, known for the highest tides in the world. Other parks and towns are applying for designations to create a coastal stargazing corridor. 'When you're looking towards the Bay of Fundy from the New Brunswick coast, you're facing the southern half of the sky which is where mostly everything arises,' says Picard. 'We call that the rising tides and rising stars region.' The province hosts star parties with telescopes throughout the year. Several jurisdictions have designed stargazing trails, including Tucson's Astro Trail with 11 dark sky experiences and Montana's Trail to the Stars with 45 recommended sites. With 12 Dark Sky Parks and another dozen working toward certification, Colorado has a self-guided 'Experience the Night' itinerary, chock full of daytime activities and night-gazing sites, including Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve. Mexico's first urban night sky place, Joya-La Barreta Ecological Park, between Querétaro and San Miguel de Allende, focuses on educating the public about the value of darkness. (Why Tucson is one of the best places in the world to see the night sky) East Coast residents seeking closer options can head to Pennsylvania's Cherry Springs State Park, which is within the larger Susquehannock State Forest and has laser-guided night sky tours. West Virginia's Watoga State Park's name derives from the Cherokee name for 'starry waters,' and travelers may spy abundant constellations here. As stargazing gains in popularity, DarkSky International has developed its principles of responsible astrotourism, which emphasizes respect for local cultures and environmental health, along with sustainable growth. Hartley hopes that immersive dark sky experiences will inspire people to 'make some simple steps in and around your house and your neighborhood and your city to reclaim a little natural darkness.' (Big Sky, brighter stars: Why Montana is 2025's ultimate stargazing destination) Amy Brecount White is a Virginia-based writer with work seen in National Geographic, Smithsonian Magazine, National Parks Traveler, Sierra Magazine, and more. She focuses on travel, particularly immersive outdoor adventures and moments full of wonder. See more at -
USA Today
13-05-2025
- USA Today
Stargaze on landing: This US airport was just Dark Sky certified
Stargaze on landing: This US airport was just Dark Sky certified Show Caption Hide Caption Astronomy events to mark on your May calendar One of the most exciting stargazing events for the month of May include the Eta Aquarid meteor shower, which will peak on May 5-6. Jackson Hole Airport (JAC) is the first airport to be named an International Dark Sky Place. The airport replaced over 250 light fixtures to reduce light pollution, benefiting both stargazing and wildlife. The change supports Grand Teton National Park's efforts to preserve its naturally dark skies. The next time you fly into or out of Jackson Hole, Wyoming, you might want to book a window seat. The Jackson Hole Airport (JAC) became a certified International Dark Sky Place earlier this month, the first airport to receive the designation, according to a news release. The facility's staff created a lighting management plan, upgrading and replacing exterior lighting – more than 250 fixtures so far – and working to reduce light spill from its terminal building. Along with enhanced stargazing in the surrounding Grand Teton National Park, the efforts will benefit wildlife that 'rely on the nocturnal environment to thrive,' per the release. JAC is the only commercial airport located in a U.S. national park. 'Grand Teton National Park is a place where people can still see planets, stars and be mesmerized by the Milky Way just by stepping outside,' Chip Jenkins, the national park's superintendent, said in the release. 'A night sky is a resource as valuable and awe-inspiring as seeing a grizzly bear or catching a fish in the Snake River. Protecting the night sky requires effort from all of us and we appreciate how the Jackson Hole Airport has embraced this work.' What is astrotourism? Why travelers are exploring dark skies While exterior landside and airside lighting is covered in the plan, lights on the airfield and ramp must comply with Federal Aviation Administration rules and are exempt from DarkSky requirements. In addition to establishing lighting guidelines for the airport, the plan complies with the International Energy Conservation Code and local ordinances. 'The (lighting management plan) also embraces DarkSky's five principles for responsible outdoor lighting: useful; targeted; low level; controlled; and warm-colored,' the release said. The International Dark Sky Places Program is voluntary and non-regulatory. The news comes after Teton County became the first county certified as an International Dark Sky Community in April. Nathan Diller is a consumer travel reporter for USA TODAY based in Nashville. You can reach him at ndiller@
