The Darkest Places on Earth

    Imagine gazing at a dark night sky. It’s covered in thousands of sparkling stars. A band of glittery white light stretches across the heavens. That’s our galaxy, the Milky Way. You can even see other planets! 

    This view greets lucky visitors at Arches National Park in Utah. At night, it is one of the darkest places on Earth. But most people don’t see such a dazzling night sky. In fact, they don’t see much in the sky at all. 

    The world is running out of places dark enough to see stars. When the sun sets, people turn on powerful outdoor lights. They light up homes, office buildings, and sports stadiums. The beams often shine even when not needed. This overuse of artificial light is called light pollution. 

    Light pollution affects the whole planet. That’s why people are taking steps to save the world’s darkest skies. 

    Imagine a dark night sky. It’s filled with thousands of stars. They create a band of white light. That’s our galaxy. It’s called the Milky Way. You can see other planets too!  

    You can see this view at Arches National Park. The park is in Utah. At night, it is one of the darkest places on Earth. But most people don’t see a night sky like this. They don’t see much in the sky at night. 

    The world is losing places that are dark at night. When the sun sets, people turn on outdoor lights. They light up homes and office buildings. They light up sports stadiums. People turn on lights that are not needed. Too much artificial light is called light pollution. 

    Light pollution affects the whole planet. That’s why people are trying to save the world’s darkest skies. 

    Imagine gazing up at a dark night sky that is covered in thousands of sparkling stars. A band of glittery white light—our galaxy, the Milky Way—stretches across the heavens. You can even spot other planets! !

    This is the view that greets lucky visitors at Arches National Park in Utah. At night, this park is one of the darkest places on Earth. But most people aren’t lucky enough to see such a dazzling night sky. In fact, they see hardly anything in the sky. 

    The world is running out of places dark enough to see stars. When the sun sets, people turn on powerful outdoor lights. They light up homes, office buildings, and sports stadiums. Even when they aren’t needed, beams of light still shine in many places. This overuse of artificial light is called light pollution. 

    The whole planet is affected by light pollution. That’s why people are taking steps to save the world’s darkest skies.  

    At least 2,500 stars can be seen from Earth. But people who live in cities often see fewer than a dozen. The sight of a natural dark sky is so rare that it can be confusing. 

    Once, all the electricity went out in Los Angeles, California. The sky turned dark. People called 911 to report a strange object floating above. It turned out to be the Milky Way!

    A group called the International Dark-Sky Association (IDA) is working to save our night skies. It has named nearly 200 “Dark Sky Places” around the world. How do these places stay dark? They follow rules. For example, they use outdoor lighting only when needed. They also make sure light bulbs are not too bright. 

    No matter where you live, there’s something you can do to help. It’s as easy as flicking a switch. “Light is a resource, just like water. We shouldn’t waste it,” says Ashley Wilson of the IDA. “Turn it off when you’re not using it.” 

    From Earth, we can see at least 2,500 stars. But in cities, people see fewer than 12. It’s rare to see a natural dark sky. It can be confusing. 

    Once, the electricity went out in Los Angeles, California. The sky turned dark. People called 911. They reported a strange object in the sky. What was it? The Milky Way!

    A group called the International Dark-Sky Association (IDA) is working to save our night skies. It has named nearly 200 places as “Dark Sky Places.” These places follow rules to stay dark. They use outdoor lighting only when needed. They use light bulbs that are not too bright. 

    You can help too. “Light is a resource, just like water. We shouldn’t waste it,” says Ashley Wilson of the IDA. “Turn it off when you’re not using it.” •

    At least 2,500 stars can be seen from Earth, but people who live in cities often see fewer than a dozen. The sight of a natural dark sky is so rare that it can be confusing. 

    Once, all the electricity went out in Los Angeles, California, and the sky turned dark. People called 911 to report a strange object floating above. What was it? The Milky Way!

    A group called the International Dark-Sky Association (IDA) is working to save our night skies. It has named nearly 200 “Dark Sky Places” around the world. These places stay dark by following rules. For example, they use outdoor lighting only when needed, and they make sure light bulbs are not too bright. 

    No matter where you live, helping to save the night sky is as easy as flicking a switch. “Light is a resource, just like water. We shouldn’t waste it,” says Ashley Wilson of the IDA. “Turn it off when you’re not using it.” •