(2/23/2021) Have you ever noticed the spray of stars overhead while on a night ski in the Valle Grande or stopped by the side of Highway 4 overlooking the Valles Caldera and been stunned by the spectacle of stars embedded in the darkness of eternity overhead? As population rises in western states, fewer and fewer places have low levels of light pollution coming from cities and industrial development like oil drilling rigs. Yet the Valles Caldera has exceptionally low levels of light pollution despite being close to three population centers.
The International Dark Skies Association recently certified the VCNP as an International Dark Sky Park. The association promotes astronomy-based interpretation and recreation. Many thanks to former NPS ranger Starr Woods who headed the effort.
We can all help protect dark skies by replacing light fixtures that send light upward with downward pointing lights and by helping press the Los Alamos National Laboratory to eliminate unnecessary lighting and install downward facing LED lights on their buildings. Santa Fe is about to replace all of its streetlights with new shielded LED lights which should produce less light into the sky.
Los Amigos de Valles Caldera helped the VCNP gain its new Dark Sky Park status with funding and other help.
