What We Do
Since 1988 DarkSky International has been protecting our shared nighttime environment through outreach, conservation and protection including by establishing International Dark Sky Places.
We at DarkSky NOVA are expanding that mission into the Northern Virginia region.
Click on the images below to see the light pollution map of the globe, and listen to what the light pollution in the Washington DC metropolitan region looks like from space satellite imagery.
Our Mission
Advocate for the protection of the night time environment and protect our communities from the harmful effects of light pollution
Educate the public and policymakers about night sky conservation and light pollution
Promote responsible outdoor light at night based on the 5 principles of responsible outdoor light at night
“Access to a dark night sky—to see and be inspired by the universe as it really is—should be a human right, not a luxury for the chosen few.”
– Chanda Prescod-Weinstein
“When life gets too overwhelming, just look up at the night sky and lose yourself for a while.”
—Deborah a Ten Brink.
“Before we invented civilisation our ancestors lived mainly in the open, out under the sky.”
- Carl Sagan
What We’ve Achieved
Establishing relationships and partnerships within our communities and with other organizations also involved in stopping light pollution
Hosting outreach events at local national park, libraries, county parks, and with other organizations
Joint Requestor for Proclamations for International Dark Sky Week sponsored by DarkSky International
Hosting outreach events to educate the public and to inspire people to take action, starting with their own homes
Speaking to groups and organizations interested in learning about light pollution and its impacts
Advocating for outdoor lighting ordinances through testifying at local government council and board meetings
We support DarkSky Virginia DarkSky Washington DC and all who protect the night
Lights Out: Recovering Our Night Sky
Click on the link above to view the story map of the National Museum of Natural History - Smithsonian Temporary exhibit
“Artificial lights have become such common nighttime fixtures that we take them for granted. But what do brighter nights mean for people and wildlife? The effects of light pollution go beyond our diminishing view of the stars, but the solutions can have an immediate impact.
Through over 100 photographs, nearly 250 objects, interactive experiences, tactile models, and a theater program, discover why dark nights matter, rekindle your connection with the night sky, and consider how much light at night is enough—for whom, for what purpose, and who gets to decide?” ~ Smithsonian Institute
Photo credit: Nathan Anderson
Photo credit: Gantavya Bhatt
Northern Virginia - Washington DC metro area - click photo for more info
Solutions exist to this rapidly growing problem of light pollution and light trespass. Communities are choosing to become Dark Sky International Communities. Nantucket MA is working to attain a designation.
Tucson, Arizona, a major metropolitan city in the southwest United States, has a long-standing commitment to best lighting practices that protect the night.
In fact, people who move to the Tucson area often remark on how bright the stars appear to shine. But as the city has grown, so has its light pollution
Working together we can do the same here in this region in every county, city, town and government facility to protect and to reclaim our shared night skies!
Moon over Tucson Arizona
Photo credit Bettymaya Foott