During the day, there are also opportunities for hiking, backpacking and horseback riding. The University of Utah’s Willard L. Eccles Observatory isn't a certified Dark Sky Park, but is still a great place to explore the night sky. International Dark Sky Place Pre-application inquiry Your application is complete once reviewed by IDA staff and upon payment of the $250 pre-application fee. //]]>. The International Dark Sky Places conservation program recognizes and promotes excellent stewardship of the night sky. The rugged terrain in the region has made it difficult to put in infrastructure,which has left  behind some truly dark skies for visitors. Here's a look at those 16 certified international dark sky reserves and where they are. There are two darkness ratings: "Orion" sites. The top dark sky destinations to go stargazing in Wales. Dark Sky Citizen Science. A Dark Sky Park is a place with exceptionally dark night skies, a place where people have committed to keeping those skies dark, by controlling light pollution. Japanese description of the IDSP Program (星空保護区認定制度), courtesy of IDA Tokyo. The property is adjoining 1.3 acre and 4.8 acre parcels. (Image credit: Andia/Universal Images Group/Getty), (Image credit: Christophe Lehenaff/Getty). Black is a dark sky. The Pic du Midi, a popular mountainous reserve in the French Pyrenees, attracts roughly 1.5 million visitors per year, largely on the back of its IDA designation as a dark-sky zone, IDA says. Learn more about Brecon Beacons National Park. With all the hustle and bustle of city-life, it may seem as though a dark-sky place can't be found along the East Coast, but these isn't true. Neolithic inhabitants of the region built stone monuments nearly 6,000 years ago to keep track of the sun, moon and stars, and some of the Ogham-language inscriptions in the region might describe celestial observations, the IDA says. IDA says about South Downs National Park on the English coast. (It's like magic!) Local regulations restrict development in the park to structures that will assist with conservation management, and only a "few rough tracks" represent available facilities within the park boundaries. Dark Sky Places. 1. Come see! Its International Dark Sky Places program certifies locations as either International Dark Sky Communities, Parks, or Reserves. 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Learn more about planetariums and astronomyin Utah. Our ambition is to make astronomy accessible to everyone. My favorite place to view dark skies and meteor showers in Kansas is the Flint Hills! 2. The allure only grew with my first visit to the Grand Canyon. Join our Space Forums to keep talking space on the latest missions, night sky and more! Flagstaff is a city of over 70,000, but because of their lighting, their skies are dark enough to see the Milky Way. Dark Sky is the most accurate source of hyperlocal weather information: with down-to-the-minute forecasts for your exact location, you'll never get caught in the rain again. Brecon Beacons National Park in Wales is so isolated that sheep outnumber people 30 to 1, according to IDA. Mauna Kea, Hawaii: Hawaii’s incredible 4200m Mauna Kea peak houses the world’s largest observatory for … There's much to love about sunny days, but many great adventures also occur in the absence of daylight. 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