Idaho is Becoming a Mecca for Stargazers

With a newly named International Dark Sky Community and also a Dark Sky Park, Idaho is quickly becoming a popular destination for astronomy buffs and stargazers.

The central Idaho city of Ketchum was named an International Dark Sky Community earlier this week by the International Dark-Sky Association, the Associated Press reported. It is only the 16th city in the world to receive such a designation and the recognition comes after years of efforts to curb any excess artificial light.

Earlier this year the state’s Craters of the Moon National Monument and Preserve in south-central Idaho, was named an International Dark Sky Park. It is one of 40 such parks in the U.S.

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Not content with these two recognitions, many other parts of the state are also seeking the rare dark sky designation.

But perhaps even more noteworthy, the Dark Sky Association is also considering awarding the rarest of all designations to 1,400 square miles in central Idaho. The region is seeking to be named an International Dark Sky Reserve. If received, it would be the first such reserve in the entire country, according to Associated Press.

John Barentine, program manager for the International Dark-Sky Association, a U.S. based non-profit organization, told the Associated Press that Idaho is “becoming one of the centers of interest in dark skies in the country.”

The organization, which is recognized as a leading authority on light pollution, is working to protect night skies for present and future generations. The Dark Sky program began in 2001 as a way to encourage communities to preserve and protect dark sites through responsible lighting policies.

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Since then several cities have received the status including Sedona, Arizona; Beverly Shores, Indiana; and Moffat, Scotland.

This week’s designation for Ketchum is a big win for the city whose economy relies heavily on tourism. It is the first city in the state to receive the designation.

“We do see a lot of potential for astro-tourism,” Ketchum Mayor Nina Jonas said at press conference Tuesday morning, according to the Idaho Mountain Express. “Please come to Ketchum and enjoy the Milky Way.”

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