Death Valley National Park has some of the darkest night skies in the United States and was the third International Dark Sky Park in the U.S. National Park System certified by the International Dark-Sky Association.
To qualify for the dark sky designation, the park improved exterior lighting at facilities in the Furnace Creek and Stovepipe Wells areas, reducing energy consumption, sky glow, and glare. The designation requires the park to maintain its efforts to protect night sky resources and provide visitor education on dark skies.
Light Pollution
As urban areas grow and the use of artificial outdoor lighting increases, night skies brighten and stars fade from view. Most people can't see the Milky Way from where they live and they may never see it in their lifetime! Luckily, places such as Death Valley National Park have worked hard to protect darkness for all to enjoy.
Death Valley National Park’s remote location has allowed it to continue to have dark night skies, but there are multiple developed areas within the park which must be lit to ensure that people can safely navigate around facilities. In the past, light in these areas was used improperly and created light pollution, decreasing visitor enjoyment of the night sky. Today, the park follows strict lighting guidelines to minimize the impacts of artificial lighting.
Park light fixtures direct light away from the sky and only toward areas requiring illumination, such as walkways and parking lots. This is accomplished in numerous ways, including using downward pointing shields around lamps, placing lights on outside walls beneath canopies, and simply shutting off outdoor lights when they are not in use. Implementation of the park's lighting guidelines have improved the natural character of the night for the benefit of both wildlife and park visitors while at the same time conserving energy and continuing to provide light where it is truly needed.
Protecting Darkness in National Parks
More and more parks are rethinking their lighting and are making efforts to protect night sky viewing opportunites for the public. Over 30 U.S. national parks and monuments have earned the International Dark Sky Park designation and others are working to join them. Find a Dark Sky location near you. Check out the articles listed at the bottom of the page to learn more about dark sky research and visitor support for protecting dark skies in national parks and monuments across the country.
"At Death Valley the sky literally begins at your feet," said Tyler Nordgren, Associate Professor of Physics at the University of Redlands (Calif.) and International Dark-Sky Association board member. "When my students and I look up at night from our southern California campus, we can usually count 12 stars in the sky. However, less than a five hour drive from Los Angeles there's a place where anyone can look up and see the universe the way everyone could 100 years ago."
Although it may be difficult to see the night sky where you live, the encouraging news about light pollution is that it is reversible and you can help! Consider taking these simple steps at your own home to help bring dark skies like those in Death Valley back to your community:
Install lighting only when and where it's needed
Use energy saving features such as timers and motion sensors on outdoor lights
Shield your lighting so it only shines downward
Share with friends, neighbors, and coworkers about how they can help
Explore Darkness in Death Valley National Park
Half the park is after dark, so be sure to take advantage of Death Valley's dark skies and stay after sunset. Experiencing night in the park can be as simple as finding a quiet place to look up and enjoy the stars.
Articles about Dark Sky Research and Support for Dark Skies
Death Valley offers some of the best stargazing in America. The International Dark-Sky Association has designated Death Valley National Park a Gold Tier Dark Sky Park, which is the highest rating of darkness.
Death Valley National Park Remains Closed Following Heavy Rains and Flooding. Flooding from heavy rain damaged CA-190 between Zabriskie Point and Furnace Creek. Photo taken morning of August 21, 2023. DEATH VALLEY, Calif.
Avoid hiking in the heat: Do not hike in the low elevations when temperatures are hot. The mountains are cooler in summer, but can have snow and ice in winter. Travel prepared to survive: Stay on paved roads in summer. If your car breaks down, stay with it until help comes.
The Milky Way Galaxy is one of the most interesting naked eye sights in the night sky. The name comes from its appearance as a dim glowing milky band arching across the night sky. The term Milky Way is a translation from Latin via lactea and Greek milky circle as seen from inside.
Possibly one of the best places to see dark skies in the whole USA, and maybe even the world, Death Valley National in southeastern California is so pristine that in many places, it offers nighttime views close to what could have been seen before the rise of mega-cities.
Yes, but you must be prepared and use common sense. With an air conditioned vehicle you can safely tour many of the main sites in Death Valley. Stay on paved roads in summer, and if your car breaks down, stay with it until help arrives.
Nights in Death Valley are so dark that the park is classified at the highest (Gold Tier) level by the International Dark-Sky Association; many celestial objects which can be viewed from Death Valley are not visible elsewhere in the world!
No human-made objects have left the Milky Way galaxy. However, the Voyager 1 spacecraft, launched in 1977, is currently the farthest human-made object and has entered interstellar space after passing through the heliopause, the boundary of the Sun's influence.
No, no has ever gone out of our Milky way galaxy (not sure about Aliens). The Milky Way is about 1,000,000,000,000,000,000 km ( about 100,000 light years or about 30 kpc) across. And we live on Earth in Solar System in Orion Spiral Arm, Milky Way Galaxy.
– An atmospheric river caused a temporary setback in Death Valley National Park's ongoing recovery from Hurricane Hilary. Most of the park's primary roads have reopened. The rain enhanced the scenic temporary lake at Badwater Basin.
Badwater Basin, the Death Valley salt pan and the Panamint mountain range comprise one block that is rotating eastward as a structural unit. The valley floor has been steadily slipping downward, subsiding along the fault that lies at the base of the Black Mountains. Subsidence continues today.
Death Valley has a variety of campgrounds from primitive to full hook-up. Whether you are looking to stay in a luxury hotel or a simple tent cabin, Death Valley has a range of options available.
At 36 degrees northern latitude, Death Valley is too far south for aurora displays during G3 storms, as traditionally understood. However, it appears that sensitive photographic equipment is now allowing astrophotographers to detect polar lights from much farther afield, even during milder events.
Death Valley is a vast national park with over three million acres of designated Wilderness and hundreds of miles of backcountry roads. The park contains an amazing variety of terrain, historic sites, plants and animals for outdoor adventurers to explore.
1. Utah, USA. The state of Utah has more International Dark Sky Places than anywhere else in the world – 24 to be exact. Its arid climate and high-altitude deserts ensure unfettered views of the stars.
Death Valley is famous as the hottest place on earth and driest place in North America. The world record highest air temperature of 134°F (57°C) was recorded at Furnace Creek on July 10, 1913. Summer temperatures often top 120°F (49°C) in the shade with overnight lows dipping into the 90s°F (mid-30s°C.)
Introduction: My name is Arielle Torp, I am a comfortable, kind, zealous, lovely, jolly, colorful, adventurous person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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