Making Grand Canyon dark-sky friendly<\/strong><\/h2>Grand Canyon National Park previously didn’t have a particularly high reputation among amateur astronomers and astrophotographers.<\/p>
Five million visitors per year, that\u2019s why. Most of them visit Grand Canyon Village on the South Rim, which is easily accessible from Flagstaff in Arizona and only a few hours from Las Vegas in neighbouring Nevada.<\/p>
Over the years the undeniably picturesque properties on the South Rim added lighting. And then more lighting. Even the pathways along the rim were floodlit.<\/p>
This wilderness gateway was a major light polluter, but that changed in June 2019 when the reserve was designated an <\/a>International Dark <\/a>Sky Park<\/a>.<\/p>This certification is awarded by the DarkSky International<\/a>, a US-based organisation that encourages others to maintain the darkness of the night sky for future generations.<\/p>There are thousands of light fixtures on both rims and within the canyon itself, and the National Park Service had set a deadline of June 2019 \u2013 the park\u2019s centenary year \u2013 to retrofit two-thirds of them to comply with DarkSky’s lighting guidelines.<\/p>![\"Mather](\"https:\/\/c02.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/48\/2020\/02\/Grand-Canyon-Mather-Point-4751918.jpg\" "\\"Mather")
Mather Point is perhaps the best stargazing spot on the South Rim of Grand Canyon, and it\u2019s only 10 minutes from the visitor centre. Credit: iStock \/ Getty<\/figcaption><\/figure>Harking back to darker times<\/strong><\/h2>“Backpackers and campers within the canyon will look up at the South Rim and see fewer, more subdued lights, most of which are illuminated only for a few hours after sunset and an hour or so before sunrise,” says Jane Rodgers, deputy chief science and resource management at Grand Canyon National Park, who applied for the Dark Sky Park status.<\/p>
“The general aesthetics hark back to the time when the village was first developed, where the natural world dominated and visitors experienced the feel of an amazing night sky.”<\/p>
Grand Canyon national park has become a dark-sky destination for stargazing<\/a> and astronomy.<\/p>Its rangers are well informed about the night sky, and Grand Canyon star party<\/a> has been held here each June for over a quarter of a century.<\/p>![\"Grand](\"https:\/\/c02.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/48\/2020\/02\/grand-canyon-horseshoe-bend-1024x765.jpg?fit=800%2C598\")
Grand Canyon’s famous ‘Horseshoe Bend’ at night. Credit: Bavo Studio \/ Getty Images<\/figcaption><\/figure>At other times of year (May to September pretty much guarantees a dry climate and crystal clear night skies).<\/p>
There are night-time walks and talks by rangers, who often set up a telescope for public use.<\/p>
Amateur and professional astronomers from nearby Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff (where Clyde Tombaugh discovered Pluto)<\/a> make visits.<\/p>
This certification is awarded by the DarkSky International<\/a>, a US-based organisation that encourages others to maintain the darkness of the night sky for future generations.<\/p> There are thousands of light fixtures on both rims and within the canyon itself, and the National Park Service had set a deadline of June 2019 \u2013 the park\u2019s centenary year \u2013 to retrofit two-thirds of them to comply with DarkSky’s lighting guidelines.<\/p> “Backpackers and campers within the canyon will look up at the South Rim and see fewer, more subdued lights, most of which are illuminated only for a few hours after sunset and an hour or so before sunrise,” says Jane Rodgers, deputy chief science and resource management at Grand Canyon National Park, who applied for the Dark Sky Park status.<\/p> “The general aesthetics hark back to the time when the village was first developed, where the natural world dominated and visitors experienced the feel of an amazing night sky.”<\/p> Grand Canyon national park has become a dark-sky destination for stargazing<\/a> and astronomy.<\/p> Its rangers are well informed about the night sky, and Grand Canyon star party<\/a> has been held here each June for over a quarter of a century.<\/p> At other times of year (May to September pretty much guarantees a dry climate and crystal clear night skies).<\/p> There are night-time walks and talks by rangers, who often set up a telescope for public use.<\/p> Amateur and professional astronomers from nearby Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff (where Clyde Tombaugh discovered Pluto)<\/a> make visits.<\/p>Harking back to darker times<\/strong><\/h2>
![\"The](\"https:\/\/c02.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/48\/2020\/02\/milky-way-grand-canyon-1024x683.jpg?fit=800%2C534\")