Series: The Wild Dark Skies Of Big Bend

Most people live with such an abundance of light that very few stars can be seen. Big Bend National Park is a refreshing exception. A series of essays examines our relationship to the diminishing realm of dark.

  • Article 1: Of Night Skies & Kerosene Lamps

    A sky filled with stars towers over the desert landscape.

    Growing up in a small city in Colorado, seeing the Milky Way galaxy was a nightly experience. As time went on, the city got larger, more lights appeared, the Milky Way was more difficult to see. Read more

  • Article 2: The Darkness That Refreshes

    A slight crescent moon is lit from the bottom; a planet nearby is similarly lit.

    The Big Bend is dark. Probably darker than where you are from. It is so dark, that some people feel uncomfortable, as super dark nights are not what they are accustomed to. Read more

  • Article 3: Of Darkness & Solitude

    Bright stars and wisps of galactic dust glow in a deep blue night sky.

    Parks like Big Bend preserve not only darkness for the benefit of people, more importantly, they allow flora and fauna to thrive in environments that each and every species evolved to exist in—cycles of light and dark, varying in length only by the seasons, for millions of years. Read more

Tags: night night sky dark dark sky light pollution conservation