Stargazing in Nevada is getting a lot more attention, especially in the past few days, due in part to the Artemis II mission. It’s also a reminder that Nevadans live in one of the darkest states in the country.
Pam duPre with the Friends of Nevada Wilderness said the state’s remoteness makes it prime for stargazing, but there is a catch.
“With our wide open spaces, our sparse rural population, and our dry, high desert air, we can see more stars on a clear night than about 90% of the country's population,” duPre said. “But that is only if we venture out of our urban areas. And that's because of all of the artificial light in our residential and commercial areas, which is not dark sky-friendly.”
Artificial light doesn’t just limit our ability to see the night sky. duPre said it also has broader impacts on health and the environment.
“We're all impacted: wildlife, plants, birds, humans,” she said. “Our health and our ability to thrive are being compromised because we have all these lights on all night long. And so what we're trying to do is help educate the public about all the many benefits of turning down the lights. You don't have to turn them off necessarily, but turn them down.”
Efforts to reduce light pollution are already underway. Chelsea Kincheloe, with the Nevada division of Outdoor Recreation, oversees the Nevada Starry Skies Certification Program, which encourages communities to adopt responsible lighting practices.
“We are looking to implement the five principles of responsible outdoor lighting, which means we want to have like nice warm tones, shielded lights, dimmers, timers, and overall just making sure that our lights are pointed down on the ground where they need to be,” Kincheloe said.
Reducing light pollution can be as simple as changing the lights you use outside. Jordan Stone, Vice President of the Astronomical Society of Nevada, said a large portion of outdoor lighting is wasted.
“A lot of our light is unshielded,” he continued “I believe a statistic is 30% of the energy used for exterior illumination in the country is entirely wasted just into the sky. One of the things we like to say is it's about dark sky, not about dark ground.”
Because of that wasted light, truly dark skies have become unfamiliar to many people. Bradley Cooper, president of the Astronomical Society, said that when people see photos of the night sky, they think it’s fake.
“It's surprising how often people are convinced that these are AI-generated, which shows you about people understanding and knowing what the night sky looks like,”Cooper said. “Seeing the Milky Way for many people is a once-in-a-lifetime experience, which is really sad.”
Nevada relies on tourism, and Astrotourism, which is to travel to someplace to stargaze, is becoming increasingly popular. It’s important to preserve the unique position of being able to see the dark skies clearly, duPre said.
“Astrotourism is becoming more of an attraction for people who live in cities and states where they don't have all of these dark skies. If they don't ever get out of the city, they don't know what they're missing,” she said
Kincheloe said the timing of the Artemis II mission alongside International Dark Sky Week may be fueling people’s love for the sky.
“I kind of hope that is what they planned,” she said. “Our inner child is now looking up at the night sky again, renewed with this energy of just wonder and excitement about the night sky.”
For those hoping to experience it firsthand, experts say timing and patience matter. The best viewing conditions typically come during a new moon, when there’s minimal interference from moonlight. Kincheloe said it’s important to remember you don’t need any special gear. Go outside, away from the city light, let your eyes adjust for 15 to 30 minutes, and the stars will come.
Astronomy Day will be on April 25th, and members of the Astronomical Society will be at the Fleischmann Planetarium to share more about stargazing and the night sky.
