As well as commemorating 100 years of National Park-status, Grand Canyon National Park will tomorrow become officially the 70th, the largest, and the most famous International Dark Sky Park in the world. It’s had “provisional” status since 2016. The news is expected to be confirmed tomorrow at an event to kick-off the annual Grand Canyon Star Party.
For the dark skies movement, it’s a seminal moment.
A ’$1 million Milky Way’
To receive its certification from the Phoenix-based International Dark Sky Association (IDA), the park’s official non-profit partner Grand Canyon Conservancy (GCC) raised $1 million to retrofit 1,750 lights to dark sky-friendly fixtures, largely on its light-polluted South Rim. “GCC has demonstrated a commitment to preserving dark skies over Grand Canyon National Park on an unprecedented scale,” says Rader Lane, night sky park ranger, division of interpretation and resource education, National Park Service, who has been helping spearhead the Dark Skies project at Grand Canyon. “Without GCC and its commitment to their dark-sky initiative, it is hard to imagine Grand Canyon having become an International Dark Sky Park.”
How bad was light pollution at Grand Canyon?
Relatively speaking, not bad. Grand Canyon National Park was already one of the most pristine night skies in the country; Sky Quality Meter readings of around 21.48 mag/arcsec2 (the maximum darkness is 22) were obtained recently. But that’s not the whole toy. “Our goal with the retrofits was to keep it that way,” says Lane. There were some obviously problematic areas. “The Historic Village between El Tovar Hotel and Bright Angel Lodge used to be, relatively speaking, one of the more egregious light polluted areas,” says Lane, though he maintains that it was still darker than most places in the U.S. “The glare from the poor light fixtures really affected one’s ability to see all that is offered in Grand Canyon’s night skies.” That said, the most problematic area proved to be the residential zone near the Recreation Center.
Seminal moment
For some, it’s a seminal moment. “It’s tough to downplay the importance of this occasion in what it represents to the global dark-skies movement,” says Ruskin Hartley, executive Director of the IDA. “Given its infrastructure serving over five million visitors annually, putting Grand Canyon National Park’s thousands of outdoor light fixtures in proper order was no small undertaking.”
‘Crown jewel’ of dark skies
Grand Canyon’s designation as an International Dark Sky Park is an important moment for those campaigning for limits on light pollution. “Grand Canyon is the crown jewel of the National Park Service, a World Heritage Site, and one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World,” says Lane. “By certifying Grand Canyon National Park as an International Dark Sky Park, we are exposing the threat of light pollution and an environmental awareness of dark skies to our six million visitors a year.”
“We are exposing the threat of light pollution an awareness of dark skies to our six million visitors a year.”
Who paid for Grand Canyon’s dark sky retrofit?
The $1 million Dark Skies program was funded by the Grand Canyon Conservancy, working closely with the IDA and National Park Service. Grand Canyon Conservancy is the nonprofit partner of the park, preserving the park’s world-renowned hiking trails, protecting the canyon’s rare wildlife and providing unique educational programs to the public.
How long has it taken?
Grand Canyon had to make 67% of its lights dark-sky compliant within three years of its Provisional International Dark Sky Park status received in 2016. “As of now, we have retrofit around 1,750 lights in the park bringing us up to 69% compliant,” says Lane. “We plan to make 90% of the lights in the park dark-sky compliant over the next five years.” For old light fixtures, 1 watt, 100 lumens, 2400K bulbs have been used for a more subtle, warm glow, and on older buildings, fully shielded barn lights. “On the more modern buildings, 1956 and later, we used fully shielded cylindrical fixtures,” says Lane. “All were 2,700K or warmer LED lamps with a medium base.”
Why Grand Canyon’s designation is important
It’s about size and status, not just stars. “We will undoubtedly be the largest, most complex International Dark Sky Park in the world and will serve as an example for other large parks and communities to follow our lead,” says Lane. Hartley at the IDA adds: “The successful outcome of this effort leaves us feeling encouraged that parks and protected areas everywhere in the world can take sensible and cost-effective steps to improve lighting, preserve natural nighttime darkness, and provide for visitor safety and convenience.”
Grand Canyon’s 2019 Star Party begins tomorrow
Taking place on the North and South Rims of Grand Canyon, tomorrow’s week-long Star Party will see the telescopes of amateur astronomers pointed at planets, double stars, star clusters, nebulae and distant galaxies. “Jupiter and Saturn will be evening highlights, but visitors will find astronomers pointing telescopes at Mercury and Mars in the western sky just after sunset,” says Lane, who adds that skies will be starry and dark until the moon rises at 11:47 pm tomorrow, rising progressively later throughout the week of Star Party. There will also be constellation tours, night photography workshops and slideshows.
Wishing you clear skies and wide eyes.
