NPS Photo: Dale Pole Night Sky ViewingFlorissant Fossil Beds National Monument is an excellent place to enjoy the night sky. In 2021, the monument was designated as an International Dark Sky Park by the International Dark-Sky Association. The Hornbek Homestead area is the parks designated night sky viewing area. The Visitor center, Visitor Center parking lot, Petrified Forest Loop Trail and Ponderosa Loop Trails are closed after 5pm, with the exception of nights where a Night Sky program is hosted by the park. Night Sky programs are hosted in the Visitor Center overflow parking lot, where members of the Colorado Springs Astronomical Society (CSAS) set up their telescopes. On nights when night sky programs are offered, the park remains open until the end of the program.General admission (7 Day entrance pass) covers the night sky programs. Any America the Beautiful interagency pass is also accepted and is good for the passholder plus 3 other adults. Kids 15 and under are free.
Ecosystems and wild plants and animals operate 24/7, well into darkness. Artificial lighting affects migration patterns, predator-prey relationships, and circadian rhythms of many species Many organisms rely on the natural darkness of the night sky for regulation. Biological systems have evolved over millions of years under the influence of day and night cycles, along with the seasonal daylight variation. Feeding, hunting, and breeding behaviors may be seriously affected by light pollution. Birds, mammals,amphibians, insects, plants, and even humans have been influenced by increasing light pollution in our night skies. Studies have shown that birds adjust their breeding seasons by following the pattern of nights getting shorter and the day hours getting longer during the spring months. Each year, millions of birds migrate to the north in the spring, and south in the fall. Often times, birds are making these migrations during the nighttime. While flying over urban areas with lots of anthropogenic lighting, some birds may become disoriented, dazed, and drained of energy. As they become disoriented by the light pollution, it may cause them to fatally strike a building or window. Due to light pollution, birds feeding habits can also suffer, as insects congregate under bright lights. Plants depend on the seasonal cues of changing day/ night lengths in order to fit in their annual development & breeding programs to the appropriate season. Light pollution prevents the use of these seasonal cues. Some species of plants are pollinated during the nighttime by insects and birds, so light pollution affects not only the plant, but the pollinator species as well. If the plant cannot be pollinated, they will not reproduce. Light pollution affects not only wild plants and animals, but also human health. Unnatural lighting can suppress melatonin production and interfere with circadian rhythms. This disruption can lead to sleep deprivation, depression, and impaired thinking. Air quality also effects the quality of the night sky. Hazy air during the night scatters more light from cities, resulting in a gray appearance. There are many reasons, and many ways to help conserve the Earth's natural dark skies. Preserving the night sky allows us to:
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Last updated: September 23, 2022