WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?

Light pollution is a big thing.  Look up to the sky while you’re in a city, what do you see? Stars? Maybe some of the brightest, but I’ll bet most of you have never seen skies like out here in the Big Bend region of West Texas.  

The Big Bend Region prides itself on having the darkest skies in the lower 48.  We want to keep it that way! And you can help...how?

1. Reduce unnecessary outdoor lighting. If you’re not using a light, simply turn it off.  Be mindful about what lighting you need and make sure to always turn off any lights before you leave the campsite.

2. Utilize softer, red lights instead of the bright white lights. You can even put a red film over your flashlight/or other lights in order to reduce the light pollution.  Let us know if you forgot to bring something, we can fix you up with a temporary solution on your flashlight :)

3. Encourage others to do the same around you, education is key and many people do not know the impact of light pollution

To read more about the Dark Skies Initiative please visit the International Dark-Sky Association or the McDonald Observatory websites.