Seeing the Night Sky

Colin G. Flynn,Matthew T. Rice

doi:10.5194/ica-proc-2-33-2019

Abstract

Abstract. Clear, dark night skies are harder to see now than ever before, and it will only become more difficult as people continue to move into heavily light polluted and expanding urban areas. Dark Sky Parks offer a place where anyone can go to experience true dark skies, observing the stars and other celestial bodies in conditions unencumbered by artificial light and other sources of pollution. An atlas of these Dark Sky Parks will raise awareness about their existence and locations with the goal of education and outreach. Observatories may be utilized with a similar outcome; however, they need to be located in close proximity to large populations but far enough away to optimize dark skies. This research presents an approach for mapping Dark Sky Parks in the United States through the ongoing production of Seeing the Night Sky: An Atlas of Dark Sky Parks, and a related GIS location optimization model to identify potential observatory locations in a defined study area based on land availability, slope, presence of water/floodplain, proximity to populated places, light pollution, elevation, and transportation infrastructure.

Highlights

The significance of dark skies and the opportunity to observe stars and the Milky Way without the interference of light pollution is an experience seldom afforded to less than half of the entire human population
Observatories and telescopes built in locations that provide a balance of close proximity to major population centers and the darkness obtained with increased distance from illuminated cities have the potential to influence millions of people. These observatories would serve the purpose of public outreach and education with a goal of encouraging and inspiring young students to pursue a career in research and science
Seeing a route from a major city that they most likely are aware of makes the Dark Sky Park seem closer and less removed from themselves and society

Summary

Introduction

The significance of dark skies and the opportunity to observe stars and the Milky Way without the interference of light pollution is an experience seldom afforded to less than half of the entire human population. For thousands of years people have lived on an earth that offered unobstructed views of the cosmos, inspiring scientists such as Aristotle, Galileo Galilei, Johannes Kepler, Albert Einstein, and countless others to derive the realities of the world and universe we live in This has only changed within the last 150 due largely to the industrial revolution and inventions of electricity and artificial light. Observatories and telescopes built in locations that provide a balance of close proximity to major population centers and the darkness obtained with increased distance from illuminated cities have the potential to influence millions of people. These observatories would serve the purpose of public outreach and education with a goal of encouraging and inspiring young students to pursue a career in research and science. The question becomes: where is the best place to locate an observatory? Using GIS, this project outlines an example of a location-based model for choosing the ideal site for an observatory based telescope to meet these goals

Overview

Overview Map

Dark Sky Parks Individual Maps

Atlas of Dark Sky Parks

Findings

Modelling Locations for Observatories