Latest news with #astrotourism
CBC
3 days ago
- CBC
Astrotourism on the rise over Bay of Fundy
A group of New Brunswickers hopes to capitalize on the extraordinary darkness of the Bay of Fundy coast by creating a 180-kilometre "dark sky corridor" to both protect the region from light pollution and embrace the growing interest in astrotourism. "It's the fastest-growing travel tourism segment in the world," said Stéphane Picard, CEO of Cliff Valley Astronomy, which organizes group stargazing tours in southern New Brunswick. "Not everybody is going to go out and spend $1,000 on equipment or spend thousands of hours learning the night sky, the science behind it. "So we started doing star parties and it took off. We had almost 50 bookings the first summer." Picard, who is also an astrophotographer, said Cliff Valley continues to expand its offerings and has invested in a high-powered telescope that connects to mobile devices, so star watchers can snap awe-inspiring photos — and earn bragging rights on social media. "They can say, 'Look what I shot last night,'" Picard added with a belly laugh. WATCH \ Why one astrophotographer loves the Bay of Fundy: He said interest in astrotourism has been skyrocketing in North America because as cities grow dense and brighter, light pollution is greatly limiting people's ability to see starry skies. "Eighty per cent of Americans can't see the Milky Way from where they live, and Canada is now creeping above 60 per cent," Picard said. "Because New Brunswick's 85 per cent forested, we have not only an abundance of dark skies, they're easy to access." Picard hopes this rare darkness can be preserved. His vision is to see a dark-sky corridor stretching along the Fundy Coast from New River Beach Provincial Park to Hopewell Rocks Provincial Park. It would connect six different sites, including Irving Nature Park and Fundy National Park, which are already designated dark sky areas. Other points in the proposed corridor would be Fundy Trail Provincial Park and Fundy-St. Martins, which extends from the edge of the Saint John Airport all the way to the Little Salmon River. "Having a dark-sky designation really touches on a lot of things that our community values," said Elaine Shannon, president of the St. Martins and District Chamber of Commerce. She said she was introduced to the idea 10 years ago while on vacation in Sedona, Ariz. The city was named a dark sky community in 2014 by Dark Sky International, the organization that certifies these sites at the global level. "Even though they have high tourism, everything in Sedona is geared to dark sky, like their signage, everything," Shannon said. "We came back from that trip thinking, 'Wow, that's super cool that a community could rally around something as amazing as the night sky.' "And in conversations with other people on our board, they thought the same thing: how do we preserve this?" Brightness of the light sky is measured on the Bortle scale, which runs from one to nine. The Fundy-St. Martins area is rated around two, making it one of the darkest communities in the world. Shannon invited Picard to give a presentation in front of chamber members, who supported the idea of seeking the dark-sky designation for Fundy-St. Martins. She said her members especially gravitated toward the potential of driving up business in the picturesque village through astrotourism. "Instead of [tourists] just coming out for the day, going to the beach, having a bite to eat and going back to the city. By them staying overnight and the extra meals that they would have, and the astrotourism activities — all the business owners were leaning in at that point." The chamber formed a dark-sky committee, headed by Shannon, and hired Picard to carry out light assessments and review requirements. The group reached out to Dark Sky International, which sent a checklist of things to work on. Fundy-St. Martins municipal council approved a letter July 8 saying it supports the chamber's research but needs to know more. "How does it affect our rural plan? Do we have to make changes?" asked Mayor Jim Bedford. "If it ever was to become a bylaw, how do we enforce that? How do we measure that? So there's a lot of questions yet." Bedford said the community needs to hold more public consultations to hear what its population of 5,300 thinks. "This is not going to happen overnight, but it does have benefits for sure." Shannon believes the expense would be minimal, as it would mostly be a matter of adding hoods over lights so they don't point up toward the sky, drawing curtains at night and using amber-tinted bulbs instead of bright white ones. "Not big changes, but small changes that mean a lot," she said. Picard said a dark-sky designation would also be good for the environment. According to Dark Sky International, light pollution can have negative effects on nocturnal are also studies suggesting it can be harmful for human health. Meanwhile, a 2023 study found skies are becoming seven to 10 per cent brighter every year. "It's almost scary," Picard said. "We should be on the lookout to be safe and take the right steps." Picard is optimistic the corridor will eventually become a reality and said seeing the night sky in vivid detail is a profound experience that he loves to share. He recalled a time when one of his clients started weeping at the telescope. "He said, 'I've been on this Earth for over 60 years, and I've never seen the moon like that.'" The New Brunswick government says that it's also working with Picard to see what it would take to have its parks on the Bay of Fundy declared dark sky preserves and that it supports Fundy-St. Martins's efforts to do the same.
Forbes
20-07-2025
- Forbes
This Montana Map Leads To 45 Stargazing Spots You'll Never Forget
Northern Lights over the North Flathead River, Glacier National Park, Montana Would you go to Montana to go stargazing? If you want to see the stars or the Northern Lights, drive to where others are not. That way lies darkness. Such is the case in eastern Montana, where millions of acres of public land and one of the lowest population densities in the U.S. mean some of its darkest night skies — and a booming reputation for astrotourism. That's hinted at by one of its nicknames — 'Big Sky Country' — but with two designated International Dark Sky Sanctuaries and a less formal Trail to the Stars program of 45 dark sky destinations, eastern Montana is increasingly making the best of its unpolluted, wide-open skies. Gateway To The Stars Near Helena in central Montana, and serving as a gateway to the remote, eastern part of the state, is the lakeside Montana Learning Center. It's home to Montana's largest public-access observatory, which hosts a huge 25-inch aperture Dobsonian, the largest publicly accessible telescope in the state, among others. 'Montana is home to some of the darkest skies in the lower 48, and this year's astronomical events offer an unparalleled view of the night sky,' said Ryan Hannahoe, executive director of the Montana Learning Center, in an email. 'With celestial wonders like northern lights, planetary alignments, and deep-space objects more visible than ever, it's a fantastic time for both seasoned astronomers and curious stargazers to look up and explore the cosmos.' The Montana Learning Center also hosts expert-led camps and classes dedicated to the night sky. A scenic view of a desert landscape under the Milky way in Montana Stargazing Sanctuaries All you need to go stargazing is a dark sky — something you can find using any light pollution map — but parks that protect their night skies are hard to resist. In Montana, there are two International Dark Sky Sanctuaries — the vast landscapes of Glacier National Park in the north and the surreal sandstone formations of Medicine Rocks State Park in the far east. The 'sanctuaries' designation is rare. International Dark Sky Parks are common in the U.S., but sanctuaries are rare. Non-profit DarkSky defines them as 'the most remote (and often darkest) places in the world, whose conservation state is most fragile.' Glacier National Park is the only protected dark sky to span an international border, reaching into Canada's Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park. Trail To The Stars Selling yourself as a dark place ripe for astrotourism is easy, but coming up with a network of vetted places people can go where dark skies are guaranteed is much harder. However, Montana has done just that, creating a 'Trail To The Stars' program that identifies 45 locations ideal for stargazing, ranging from ranches and cabins to simple campgrounds and country parks. That website is also a one-stop shop for astro-tourism events happening around Montana. Many of the events are held in Glacier National Park, which offers astronomy programs and Logan Pass Star Parties (on July 25 and August 22, 2025), as well as its Dusty Star Observatory Sky Cam that provides a real-time view of the sky. Meanwhile, Medicine Rocks State Park offers a regular 'Dinosaurs and Dark Skies' program of stargazing and fossil phosphorescence. Wishing you clear skies and wide eyes.
ABC News
06-07-2025
- ABC News
Kestrel Nest becomes first 'dark-sky' lodging in Australia
A venue in southern New South Wales has become the first lodging in Australia to be internationally recognised as "dark-sky" accommodation, sparking hopes of a new tourism boom. The Kestrel Nest EcoHut, in the state's Snowy Mountains, has been identified by DarkSky International as a place with little light pollution and a clear night sky. Owner Louise Freckelton had seen a spike in bookings since the recognition, with patrons indicating they booked because of it. "We are hoping that it will increase … understanding of why dark skies are really important." Ms Freckelton said the recognition attracted a range of people "from the ordinary, everyday traveller right through to really niche markets". "You get people who are really into finding out what astro-phenomenon is happening at the time," she said. DarkSky International is a not-for-profit organisation that certifies areas that preserve and protect dark sites through lighting policies and education. More than 200 places across the world are DarkSky-certified, including the Warrumbungles and the Murray River. But there are only nine certified temporary-accommodation sites, and just two in the South Hemisphere: Kestrel Nest and a lodging in Brazil. DarkSky communications manager Drew Reagan said the lodging program started just over a year ago, due to the rise of astro-tourism. "Astro-tourism is really any tourism that brings people out to recreate in these dark-sky places," he said. Mr Reagan said Australia had great potential to capitalise on the growing market. "Eighty per cent of the world's population lives in light-polluted areas," he said. The eco-hut is close to several regional communities, including Gundagai and Tumut, which could potentially benefit from flow-on effects. Ms Freckelton said she encouraged visitors to "engage with other towns and other activities in the area". "As part of the information we give to guests before they come, we highlight different things they might like to do," she said. Ms Freckelton said her venue had to meet a certain threshold of low light pollution when applying for the certification, so she completed an inventory of lighting both in and around the hut. "We had unwittingly already met those [requirements] about having warm light, about having light when it is only necessary, not having excess lighting," she said. A Habitat Identification report also required the identification of species and insects living or migrating through a 2-kilometre vicinity of the site. "Nocturnal creatures like owls and bats are affected by light pollution. Their hunting and feeding and so on is distracted by too much light," Ms Freckelton said. Mr Reagan said DarkSky International aimed to protect the night-time environment "not just for the view of the stars and cosmos, but also to protect nocturnal wildlife and ecosystems". Tumut photographer Grant Hardwick said night-time photography could easily be affected by light pollution, resulting in overexposed highlights or shadows. "You're taking it over a long period of time, you're allowing the light to come into the camera," he said. "So if there's a house or a car or a truck or something moving past in the distance, that's going to be captured." Michael Maher, a volunteer at the Rock Regional Observatory near Wagga Wagga, is also no fan of big cities and bright lights. "The further you go away from the city, the better it is," he said. "The Milky Way … disappears immediately with light pollution. "In big city areas and with a lot of development around, you really have to go looking for it."
Yahoo
29-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Blue Origin rockets 6 astrotourists on sub-orbital flight to space
Blue Origin launched six astrotourists to the edge of space and back Sunday, a 10-minute ride marking the Jeff Bezos-owned company's 13th passenger flight out of the discernible atmosphere. The New Shepard capsule's stubby single-stage booster roared to life just after 9:38 a.m. EDT, throttled up to full thrust and smoothly climbed away from Blue Origin's launch site near Van Horn, Texas. Liftoff came eight days later than originally planned due to high winds in the West Texas desert, but the weather met Blue Origin's safety requirements on Sunday. The hydrogen-fueled BE-3 engine powering the New Shepard fired for about two-and-a-half minutes, accelerating the spacecraft to just under three times the speed of sound. The capsule then separated from the booster and continued coasting upward along its up-and-down trajectory. At that point, the passengers – Allie and Carl Kuehner, Leland Larson, Freddie Rescigno Jr., Jim Sitkin and Owolabi Salis, the first Nigerian to fly in space – began enjoying about three minutes of weightlessness. Free to unstrap and float about the cabin, the passengers were able to take in the view through the largest windows in any operational spacecraft as the ship climbed to an altitude of just above 65 miles. That's about three miles higher than the internationally recognized boundary between the discernible atmosphere and space. The capsule then began falling back to Earth and the passengers returned to their seats for the descent to touchdown. The reusable booster, meanwhile, made its own return to the launch site, dropping tail first to a rocket-powered touchdown. Floating under three red-and-blue parachutes, the New Shepard capsule touched down a stone's throw from the booster's concrete landing pad, closer than any previous landing. Blue Origin said that it was the result of "low winds ... and within the safety margins of our predicted models." Blue Origin has now launched 13 passenger flights since the sub-orbital spacecraft carried Amazon and Blue Origin founder Bezos and three others aloft in July 2021. The company has now launched 74 passengers, including Bezos' wife Lauren Sánchez, and four who have flown twice. Blue Origin and its passengers do not reveal how much it costs to fly aboard a New Shepard, but it's thought to be more than $500,000 per seat. The company has had the sub-orbital passenger market to itself since June 2024, when competitor Virgin Galactic, founded by entrepreneur Richard Branson, retired its original rocketplane to focus on building two upgraded Delta-class spacecraft. Virgin is expected to resume flights next year. Video shows Arizona police rescuing baby left alone for days Meet the history buffs spending years studying to become Gettysburg Battlefield guides Saving money vs. saving lives
CBS News
29-06-2025
- Science
- CBS News
Blue Origin launches 6 more passengers to the edge of space and back
Blue Origin launched six astrotourists to the edge of space and back Sunday, a 10-minute ride marking the Jeff Bezos-owned company's 13th passenger flight out of the discernible atmosphere. The New Shepard capsule's stubby single-stage booster roared to life just after 9:38 a.m. EDT, throttled up to full thrust and smoothly climbed away from Blue Origin's launch site near Van Horn, Texas. A Blue Origin New Shepard rocket carrying six space tourists blasts off from the company's West Texas flight facility, briefly boosting the passengers out of the discernible atmosphere on an up-and-down sub-orbital space flight. Blue Origin Liftoff came eight days later than originally planned due to high winds in the West Texas desert, but the weather met Blue Origin's safety requirements on Sunday. The hydrogen-fueled BE-3 engine powering the New Shepard fired for about two-and-a-half minutes, accelerating the spacecraft to just under three times the speed of sound. The capsule then separated from the booster and continued coasting upward along its up-and-down trajectory. At that point, the passengers – Allie and Carl Kuehner, Leland Larson, Freddie Rescigno Jr., Jim Sitkin and Owolabi Salis, the first Nigerian to fly in space – began enjoying about three minutes of weightlessness. The New Shepard flight profile. Blue Origin Free to unstrap and float about the cabin, the passengers were able to take in the view through the largest windows in any operational spacecraft as the ship climbed to an altitude of just above 65 miles. That's about three miles higher than the internationally recognized boundary between the discernible atmosphere and space. The capsule then began falling back to Earth and the passengers returned to their seats for the descent to touchdown. The reusable booster, meanwhile, made its own return to the launch site, dropping tail first to a rocket-powered touchdown. The New Shepard capsule landed very close to its booster's landing pad, but Blue Origin said it was within safety margins. Blue Origin Floating under three red-and-blue parachutes, the New Shepard capsule touched down a stone's throw from the booster's concrete landing pad, closer than any previous landing. Blue Origin said that it was the result of "low winds ... and within the safety margins of our predicted models." Touchdown closed out a 10-minute flight to the edge of space and back. It was Blue Origin's 13th sub-orbital passenger flight. Blue Origin Blue Origin has now launched 13 passenger flights since the sub-orbital spacecraft carried Amazon and Blue Origin founder Bezos and three others aloft in July 2021. The company has now launched 74 passengers, including Bezos' wife Lauren Sánchez, and four who have flown twice. Blue Origin and its passengers do not reveal how much it costs to fly aboard a New Shepard, but it's thought to be more than $500,000 per seat. The company has had the sub-orbital passenger market to itself since June 2024, when competitor Virgin Galactic, founded by entrepreneur Richard Branson, retired its original rocketplane to focus on building two upgraded Delta-class spacecraft. Virgin is expected to resume flights next year.
