• Local Produce
  • Buy Local
  • Local Seafood
  • Local Food
  • Local Music
  • Local Art
  • Local Churches

CAPE CHARLES MIRROR

Reflections on Cape Charles and the Eastern Shore

  • Local Services
  • Local Rentals
  • Local Employment
  • News
  • Opinion
  • Classifieds
  • Pets
  • Contact Us
  • Rant and Rave
  • Asses&Villains

Experience a Dark Sky Event at a Virginia State Park

May 1, 2022 by Wayne Creed Leave a Comment


Enjoy an evening under the stars gazing at the sky

RICHMOND – International Dark Skies Week continues through April 30 and events are being held across Virginia at several state park locations throughout the spring and summer.

Virginia State Parks has four parks designated as International Dark Sky Parks by the International Dark-Sky Association (IDA) – Staunton River, James River, and recently added Natural Bridge and Sky Meadows. 

“As a state park, our goal is to conserve Virginia’s natural resources, of which include the life that inhabits the park,” Natural Bridge State Park Interpretive Ranger Summer Holiday said. “Having a Dark Sky designation aids in preserving habitats we aim to protect by being a sanctuary relatively free from artificial light. These types of locations are becoming increasingly difficult to find. In metropolitan areas, you are only seeing a tiny fraction of what the night sky would look like in a place with no artificial light. With little to no light pollution in our park, those that visit can see hundreds of stars they normally would not see. Our Dark Sky events allow visitors to enjoy the view of our night sky and learn about the importance of preserving it by eliminating light pollution.”

Milky Way at Staunton River State Park

Dark Sky designation recognizes areas and organizations working to maintain spaces where the public can see stars more easily. Nighttime light pollution is common east of the Mississippi River and with natural nighttime darkness disappearing, this makes stargazing more difficult. 

“On a clear night, there will be telescopes set up to allow visitors to fully appreciate the night sky and depending on what is visible that time of year, you might be able to see nebulas, star clusters, planets and red giants,” Holiday said. “Rangers will provide information on how to navigate the night sky, point out prominent constellations and discuss how you can reduce light pollution at home.”

Dark Sky events and educational programs are instrumental in helping preserve Virginia State Parks.

“Receiving a Dark Sky certification doesn’t always guarantee protection from light pollution,” Natural Bridge State Park Manager Jim Jones said. “Localities and businesses that develop can potentially threaten that designation. We hope that through awareness, programs and advocacy of the community, friends and government that these resources will be protected. That an awareness of how light at night can impact not only nature but our health and wellness.”

Some park events include self-guided nighttime hikes, astrophotography workshops, meteor shower viewing, lunar eclipse viewing and educational lessons about light pollution.

For more information about Dark Sky Events at Virginia State Parks or to view the Dark Sky Week Proclamation, click the links or visit www.virginiastateparks.gov.

Filed Under: Bottom, Environment, News

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Search

Subscribe to the Mirror

Enter your email address to receive notifications of new posts by email.

Join 387 other subscribers

Join the Conversation!

Send letters, opinion, goings on or photos to capecharlesmirror@gmail.com

Mirrors

Recent Comments

  • Frankie Parks on Navy Veteran Missy Cotter Smasal Endorsed by Virginia Congresswomen Abigail Spanberger and Jennifer Wexton
  • Paul Plante on Asses&Villains: Scumbag Edition
  • Paul Plante on Asses&Villains: Scumbag Edition
  • Paul Plante on Fulfilling a Climate Change Narrative: the harassment, injury, and killing of marine mammals
  • Stuart Bell on Town Ice Cream Social Sept. 27th
  • Madame X on Town Ice Cream Social Sept. 27th
  • Paul Plante on Fulfilling a Climate Change Narrative: the harassment, injury, and killing of marine mammals
  • Paul Plante on Asses&Villains: Scumbag Edition
  • Paul Plante on Town Ice Cream Social Sept. 27th
  • Stuart Bell on Town Ice Cream Social Sept. 27th
  • Paul Plante on Asses&Villains: Scumbag Edition
  • BRAND on Town Ice Cream Social Sept. 27th
  • Paul R Plante, NYSPE on Op-Ed: On BIDE-O-NOMICS
  • Paul Plante on Town Ice Cream Social Sept. 27th
  • BRAND on Town Ice Cream Social Sept. 27th
  • Bill Smith on Navy Veteran Missy Cotter Smasal Endorsed by Virginia Congresswomen Abigail Spanberger and Jennifer Wexton
  • Madame X on Town Ice Cream Social Sept. 27th
  • Michael Ireland on Navy Veteran Missy Cotter Smasal Endorsed by Virginia Congresswomen Abigail Spanberger and Jennifer Wexton
  • Paul Plante on Op-Ed: On BIDE-O-NOMICS
  • Don Green on Sean Davis: 9/11 and the End of America

Trending Now

  • Wachapreague Moves to Control Short-term rentals
  • Surfer Rules Summer 2023
  • Government Asserts the Defendants Lied and Cheated the IRS out of over $1.3 Billion: The Government’s Opening Statement of the United States v. Fisher
  • Aloha, Shalom and Namaste...until we meet, again
  • K-COAST Day on the Bay Aug 12th
  • Rosenwald School Awarded $1 Million State Grant
  • History Notes Special: The Boy on the Bike
  • NHPS Presents: The Untold Story: The Cape Charles Elementary School
  • Teachers: Broke and Burned Out
  • Cape Charles 4th of July 2023

Copyright © 2023 · News Pro Theme on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in

 

Loading Comments...