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- Category: International Dark Sky Association
Emily Hung and crew from NBC created a 5-minute piece on light pollution, one of a series of 5-minute videos called Washington Wonders. At the beginning, Analemma Society President Jeff Kretsch is interviewed about seeing the night and providing astronomical outreach to the public (historic images of Observatory Park supplied by Christina Tyler Wenks. Tom Reinert, President of Dark Sky International discussed the impact of light pollution on wildlife and the importance of educating the public. Jill Johnson of the Smithsonian Natural History Museum and Anne Lewis, Co-Founder of City Wildlife, focused on the brightening night sky's impact on migratory birds. Emily Hung commented in an email to Analemma Society,"Thank you for your patience and taking the time to share your expertise of the subject! My colleagues are currently working to get the story on NBC’s digital page..." Meanwhile, she shared an advanced copy of the NBC video intended for their on-line magazine with Analemma Society, presented below and temporaroily available at f.io/WhWV9Uwu
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- Category: International Dark Sky Association
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From The Smithsonian News Release - Night Sky - LaPalma - Canary Islands - May 2018 |
In March 9th 2023,The Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History announced in a News Release that it will open “Lights Out: Recovering Our Night Sky” Thursday, March 23, a new 4,340-square-foot exhibition at the Washington DC museum about how the night sky—and its disappearance due to light pollution—affects all life on Earth, from natural ecosystems to human cultures. The exhibition will remain on view through December 2025.
“We hope that visitors will see how growing, pervasive light pollution is limiting our ability to observe the universe around us,” said guest exhibition co-curator Kim Arcand, the Chandra visualization scientist and emerging technology lead with the Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian. “We want people to want to take action to preserve natural dark skies.”
Read more at: https://www.si.edu/newsdesk/releases/smithsonian-exhibition-invites-visitors-help-recover-their-fading-night-sky
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- Category: International Dark Sky Association
 Photo from Great Falls Connection
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From the Great Falls Connection, Monday Oct 17,2022 (http://www.greatfallsconnection.com/news/2022/sep/28/proposal-dark-sky-preserve/) is a front page article of the Dark Sky Preserve proposed to encompass Turner Farm, Observatory Park:
"According to Supervisor John W. Foust (D-Dranesville), the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors revised the county-wide lighting standards in 2020 to better address glare and light pollution. Per Va. Code 15.2-920, the Board approved a follow-on motion that directed staff to research and analyze zoning rules to protect dark skies around astronomical facilities." Correction: The results of the survey that the County did are included as Attachment 1: Zoning Ordinance Amendment - Outdoor Lighting Dark Skies around Turner Farm Park Observatory Preliminary Concepts (fairfaxcounty.gov). Question 3 asks whether they would support additional limitations on lighting within ½ mile around the observatory, and 50% said no, 41% said yes, and 9% said, I don’t know.
Maintaining dark skies in this area is vitally important. "Jeffrey Kretsch of the Analemma Society said that people come to Observatory Park for the hands-on experience of observing and classes. The park has seen over 7,500 visitors in the last four years, according to Kretsch."
"Tammy Schwab, the Park Authority's manager for education and outreach, said that they are increasing the efforts county-wide in support of dark skies. Schwab explained how the county is "walking the walk" and doing its part to support dark skies. The Park Authority is in the process of switching to amber-colored lights (not orange) for the outdoor ballasts at the Observatory. Evidence shows that lighting with amber reduces light pollution and is a safer, viewer-friendly environment than white lights with their disability glare and a reduction in visibility. She added that the county applied to the International Dark-Sky Association to designate the area around the observatory as an Urban Night Sky Place." We encourage all regardless of location to minimize outside lighting, not only for dark sky observing, but for the preservation of wildlife and bird migration that are severely affected by increased urban lighting.
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April 22-30, 2022 is a week long campaign organized by the National Science Foundation's NOIRLab to raise awareness about the impact of light pollution. You can become involved TONIGHT. This is Fairfax County's first annual ONE DARK HOUR. To participate in One Dark Hour, simply turn off your outdoor lights between 9 and 10 PM tonight Friday, April 22,2022. Then, go out and look for stars.
Observatory Park at Turner Farm will be open for a free Friday viewing session for the public. These normal Friday night public viewing of the skies will be in special observance of One Dark Hour. The even is sponsored by the Fairfax County Parks Authority. Check out their information website at www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/topics/dark-skies
"Together Under the Stars" by Matt Triplow
Read more about ONE DARK HOUR from the attachment below and more about this year's dark skies campaign at https://www.darksky.org/six-ways-to-take-action-this-international-dark-sky-week/?fbclid=IwAR1-Shk1ndNk2-_UChlvfXIRfshwTpZiw3RHDsSxIyz5_3Y9L0Mr_oyQASQ
 One Dark Hour Flyer.pdf | [ ] | 578 kB |
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On Monday, Oct. 18th the Environment and Parks (E&P) Committee of the Great Falls Citizen Association (GFCA) and representatives from the Fairfax County Park Authority (FCPA) met at the Roll-Top Observatory at Turner Farm to finalize a submission to the International Dark Sky Association (IDA) designating Observatory Park at Turner Farm as an Urban Dark Sky Site. For some months Tammy Schwab, manager of Education & Outreach Resource Management Division of FCPA has been diligently working on the IDA application that was presented in near final form at the Monday meeting. It includes the background of Turner Farm and its change from a DoD facility to a public park for both equestrian and astronomical use. The document provides the lighting management plan at Turner Farm Park emphasizing useful, targeted, low light levels using appropriate warm colors of the spectrum.
John Foust, Dranesville District Supervisor introduced a resolution recognizing that dark skies are an important resource:
No street lighting was allowed on Springvale Road, which runs along the park’s western boundary. Great Falls is zoned with minimal residence parcel size of five acres reducing local lighting density. Turner Farm is located in Fairfax County, which enacted a lighting ordinance in 2000 that was updated and strengthened in February 2020. |
"NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Fairfax Count Board of Supervisors supports the efforts to designate Observatory Park at Turner Farm Park an International Dark-Sky Association Urban Night Sky Place to benefit of the residents, wildlife, plants, and environment of Fairfax County. Adopted this 5th day of October 2021, Fairfax Virginia."
A letter of support from the President of the Analemma Society states:
"The Analemma Society supports the designation by the International Dark Sky Association of Observatory Park at Turner Farm in Great Falls, Virginia as an Urban Dark Sky Site. For many years our society has worked ceaselessly to educate the public in Science through Astronomy at Turner Farm Observatory. I have been an advocate of dark skies in our area and personally worked to get the current lighting ordinances now in place in Fairfax County. We include light pollution education in our presentations and outdoor public events. We ask the International Dark Sky Association to grant this designation to Turner Farm. Sincerely, (signed) Charles Olin, Founding President, Analemma Society."
And the petition itself from a qualified IDA member:
"Dear IDA board members
"I am pleased to submit this nomination for an Urban Dark Sky Site for Observatory Park at Turner Farm in Great Falls, Virginia ... Public observing sessions have been conducted here since 2003, mostly free Friday Night Viewing sessions, as well as special events for eclipses, meteor showers and equinoxes and solstices. Volunteers have conducted astronomy courses here as well which include dark sky information. Our site has suffered increasing light pollution as growth and development are taking place in our area. Our observatory and class room facilities as well as an open field provide a good venue to teach the public the nature and problems of light pollution...I recommend Observatory Park at Turner Farm for the Urban dark sky place designation without reservation. Over the years the dedication of the volunteers and the Park Authority to the mission of Astronomy education has born fruit in local support of strengthening the outdoor lighting ordinance especially in the locality directly surrounding the facility. I beleive the designation is well deserved and would help observatory park increase its reach into the community. Sincerely, (signed) Jeffery L. Kretsch, Ph.D. Life Member, International Dark Sky Association, Treasurer Analemma Society, and Fairfax County Volunteer."
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