dark skies : NPR

This image of the United States at night is a composite assembled from data acquired by satellite in April and October 2012. NASA Earth Observatory image by Robert Simmon, using Suomi NPP VIIRS data provided courtesy of Chris Elvidge (NOAA National Geophysical Data Center)./NASA Earth Observatory hide caption

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NASA Earth Observatory image by Robert Simmon, using Suomi NPP VIIRS data provided courtesy of Chris Elvidge (NOAA National Geophysical Data Center)./NASA Earth Observatory

Short Wave

What We Gain From Dark Night Skies

April 4, 2022 • For many of us, seeing stars in the night sky is challenging because of light pollution. But there are some communities that are trying to change that. Today on the show, we visit cultural astronomer Danielle Adams in the world's first international dark sky city. Theoretical physicist Chanda Prescod-Weinstein also joins us to explain why access to dark night skies is so important.

What We Gain From Dark Night Skies

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Light Pollution Hides Milky Way From 80 Percent Of North Americans, Atlas Shows

This view of North America as seen in Google Earth shows colored areas that denote levels of light pollution as detailed in the New World Atlas of Artificial Sky Brightness. Fabio Falchi et al./AAAS hide caption

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Fabio Falchi et al./AAAS

The Two-Way

Light Pollution Hides Milky Way From 80 Percent Of North Americans, Atlas Shows

June 10, 2016 • More than 99 percent of the people living in the U.S. and Europe look up and see light-polluted skies, according to a new atlas of artificial night sky brightness.

Light Pollution Hides Milky Way From 80 Percent Of North Americans, Atlas Shows

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Want To Be In The Dark? Death Valley Is Among 20 Recommended Places

The Racetrack area in Death Valley National Park, which boasts one of the darkest night skies in the U.S. Dan Duriscoe/National Park Service hide caption

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Dan Duriscoe/National Park Service

The Two-Way

Want To Be In The Dark? Death Valley Is Among 20 Recommended Places

February 21, 2013 • It's now the largest park in the world to be given the International Dark-Sky Association's top honor. Skies there "offer views close to what could be seen before the rise of cities." We've got the list of 19 other places the association cites.