“This is how clear night skies are supposed to look,” he said, scanning the wide, wide sky filled with bats and pulsating stars."
J
oshua Tree, which harbors some of the darkest night skies in the United States, had been certified as the 10
th
International Dark Sky Park in the U.S. National Park system. Others include Death Valley, Big Bend and Grand Canyon national parks.
The Dark Sky designation is part of a growing movement across the nation and around the world that wants skies illuminated by stars. It began in 1988 with the formation of the International Dark Sky Assn., based in Tucson.
The nonprofit, which has about 3,500 members, advocates limiting light pollution with measures such as no-glare street lights and low-energy bulbs, and lighting ordinances that apply to residences, businesses, public buildings and parks.
