Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member Latest Breaking News Editorials & Other Articles General Discussion The DU Lounge All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

SorellaLaBefana

(219 posts)
Wed May 8, 2024, 06:44 AM May 2024

The Darkest Skys You're Likely to See Bring Light to the World


As the glow of artificial light has spread across the world, the number of places dark enough to see a sky rich with stars has shrunk.

In North America and across Oregon, only a small percentage of the population can look up at night and see the Milky Way without the glare of light pollution.

But there are places with a night sky almost perfectly dark — where the tapestry of stars is so rich it’s almost disorienting. Indeed, one of the largest such places is located just a few hours from Salem and Eugene at the Oregon Outback International Dark Sky Sanctuary…

https://www.statesmanjournal.com/story/travel/outdoors/2024/03/27/oregon-outback-international-dark-sky-sanctuary/73109030007/

Yes, there are Darker Places: All filled with Brilliant Wonder.

The Trans-Pecos here in Texas, some other parts of the North American West, vast parts of Africa, South America, Russian Steppes, Northern Canada, Alaska, the Australian Outback, Antarctica, the sky above any transoceanic vessel (on other than a Clown Cruiseship)—However this Oregon Sanctuary is unusual in being quite close to major population centers and in being *recognized* as of value simply for the comforting and illuminating darkness it brings.

It is uplifting to see that, after so many years of driving back the night, our Western Civilization now finally is finding the value of being able to see the same starlit dark night sky which our ancestors gazed upward at in wonder and amazement.



This being no longer possible in much of the overdeveloped world

18 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
The Darkest Skys You're Likely to See Bring Light to the World (Original Post) SorellaLaBefana May 2024 OP
That's why I can't... 2naSalit May 2024 #1
This message was self-deleted by its author Fla Dem May 2024 #3
Sounds glorious. What part of the country do you live in? MLAA May 2024 #11
Rocky Mountains... 2naSalit May 2024 #16
Beautiful! MLAA May 2024 #17
Last summer, I went camping at a Class 1 site north of Kit Carson, CO William Seger May 2024 #15
Far from anything at all, the mid-Pacific is amazing EYESORE 9001 May 2024 #2
I like to tell people, bluescribbler May 2024 #7
Lucky you. What a wonderful experience for you. Fla Dem May 2024 #4
when in my apartment complex parking lot and looking away from the building you can see the stars. AllaN01Bear May 2024 #5
interisting to see that many points of light in the ocean are ships . AllaN01Bear May 2024 #6
stellar, of course- et tu May 2024 #8
The darkest sky I ever saw markodochartaigh May 2024 #9
theres a scale that astronomers use called the bortle scale moonshinegnomie May 2024 #10
Camped under the stars in Grand Staircase-Escalante, Utah Martin Eden May 2024 #12
I took this photo four days ago. Grumpy Old Guy May 2024 #13
I like going to Northern Nevada East of Reno padfun May 2024 #14
Wow! Thanks for so many people sharing experiences!! In return... SorellaLaBefana May 2024 #18

2naSalit

(92,371 posts)
1. That's why I can't...
Wed May 8, 2024, 07:10 AM
May 2024

Live in a city, I have to be able to see the Milky Way and Saturn at the very least. Out here, when the moon is not blazing through the sky in the middle of the night, you can see the reflection of the Milky Way on water bodies. It's really amazing to see.


Response to 2naSalit (Reply #1)

William Seger

(11,020 posts)
15. Last summer, I went camping at a Class 1 site north of Kit Carson, CO
Wed May 8, 2024, 10:14 AM
May 2024

Talk about seeing the Milky Way, it seemed so bright, I swear it cast a shadow! There are still quite a few Class 1 areas within a few hours drive of Colorado Springs, and I'm going to go to at least one this summer and try to get some good photos.

EYESORE 9001

(27,473 posts)
2. Far from anything at all, the mid-Pacific is amazing
Wed May 8, 2024, 07:28 AM
May 2024

It didn’t hurt that the ship was rigged for nighttime running either. Sure knocked me out.

bluescribbler

(2,248 posts)
7. I like to tell people,
Wed May 8, 2024, 09:01 AM
May 2024

You have never seen stars like you can see them in the middle of the Pacific Ocean.

Fla Dem

(25,628 posts)
4. Lucky you. What a wonderful experience for you.
Wed May 8, 2024, 08:12 AM
May 2024

I've always lived in urban or suburban areas. Right now along the seashore with few bright lights at night, so I can see several of the bright stars and Mercury and Venus. But your experience is breathtaking.

AllaN01Bear

(22,981 posts)
5. when in my apartment complex parking lot and looking away from the building you can see the stars.
Wed May 8, 2024, 08:59 AM
May 2024

put shades on your outside lamps if u can

markodochartaigh

(1,974 posts)
9. The darkest sky I ever saw
Wed May 8, 2024, 09:09 AM
May 2024

was in the middle of the city, about 10 PM on November 8, 2016. It was so dark that the darkness was staring back into me.

moonshinegnomie

(2,912 posts)
10. theres a scale that astronomers use called the bortle scale
Wed May 8, 2024, 09:15 AM
May 2024

its a measure of how dark the skies are from 1-10

I live just outside austin in bortle 7+ skies
big bend in west texas is a 1

i shoot from enchanted rock state park about 90 minutes from me sometimes which is a 3

heres another map of how dark the skies are
https://darksitefinder.com/map/?i=/%234/39.00/-98.00

Martin Eden

(13,401 posts)
12. Camped under the stars in Grand Staircase-Escalante, Utah
Wed May 8, 2024, 09:32 AM
May 2024

My hiking buddy was always somewhat nearsighted. We're from Chicagoland and he had never really seen the stars, but he got his first prescription glasses prior to this trip. He was absolutely blown away.

The next two days we did a backpacking trek in Coyote Gulch.

Grumpy Old Guy

(3,540 posts)
13. I took this photo four days ago.
Wed May 8, 2024, 09:48 AM
May 2024

Last edited Wed May 8, 2024, 10:40 AM - Edit history (1)

I shot this in the Alabama Hills near Lone Pine, California around midnight three days ago. Here in California we have Joshua Tree, Anza Borrego, Trona Pinnacles, and many other places to enjoy the night sky, most of which are only a two hour drive from L.A. FYI, the foreground lighting comes from our headlamps.


padfun

(1,855 posts)
14. I like going to Northern Nevada East of Reno
Wed May 8, 2024, 10:07 AM
May 2024

either on Hwy 50 or I-80 and off a road.

You get dry air, no lights, and high elevation (4600 to 7000 ft).

SorellaLaBefana

(219 posts)
18. Wow! Thanks for so many people sharing experiences!! In return...
Wed May 8, 2024, 04:37 PM
May 2024

…want to share the DarkSky International website: https://darksky.org/

The site has information on how to preserve Dark Skys by societal (and individual) choices which favour Nocturnal Conservation, as well as having a list of Dark Sky sites which you can visit and enjoy.

Left this out of the original already a bit long post as had no idea that so many people would find this resonated with their own experiences.

Always remember the hoary mariner’s aphorism: “Dark Starlit Skies at Night, Sailors Delight” (or *something* along those lines?

Thanks

Here’s a pix from one of the most famous Dark Sky sites. The Atacama desert with some of the 66 non-dark dependent international ALMA radio telescopes as foreground

ALMA’s site is: https://www.almaobservatory.org/en/home/

Latest Discussions»Culture Forums»Good News»The Darkest Skys You're L...