Conservation takes many forms. Protecting the environment from excessive light pollution is one campaign. There are now more than 200 places in 22 countries certified by Dark Sky International as dark sky preserves.
What is a dark sky preserve? It is a special place, often near a nature reserve/observatory, where outdoor lighting is carefully controlled to keep the night sky free from artificial brightness to allow clear views of the stars.
Flagstaff, Arizona, became the world’s first recognised city for its star-friendly skies. Which are some of the other locations where just stars light the sky?
In 2021, a vast stretch of land in central Maine -- spanning more than 400 sq km, managed by the Appalachian Mountain Club under its Maine Woods Initiative -- joined the list.
Located in Okinawa Prefecture, the park gained recognition in 2018 not only for its natural beauty but also for its unique efforts to safeguard and celebrate the darkness of its night skies.
A wild and windswept granite rock landscape in Cornwall, England, in 2017 it was recognised for its exceptionally clear night skies. Even the Milky Way can be spotted above Roughtor, the moor’s second-highest peak.
A small, snoozy village, from where La Muga river arises, in Spain’s far northeast, in July 2017 it unveiled a 40-cm telescope aimed at educating the public and encouraging an interest in astronomy.
Smack in the middle of the British channel, quite off the beaten track, the island is a protectorate of the UK and has no public lights or motor vehicles. Read more about it: I'm Going Back Someday To Sark
43,000 hectares of dark sky are located in the Bükk Mountains of northern Hungary near Miskolc. Visitors from all over Europe travel here to admire its star-filled skies.
Nestled in the Serra do Mar mountain range, it preserves one of the region’s key forest areas. After sunset, its main highlight becomes the dazzling night sky, offering stunning starry views that draw awestruck sky-watchers.
A tiny island of ~8.5 sq km, sitting in the Wadden Sea, between southwest Denmark and northwest Germany, it is famed for its “pitch darkness” and naturally dark beautiful nights.
Situated in Norway’s remote Pasvik Valley, 100 km south of Kirkenes (one of its northernmost towns) it became the country’s first officially recognised International Dark Sky Place in 2024, celebrated for its pristine, light-free night skies.
Within Taroko National Park, it is a popular star-gazing destination for the Taiwanese, far away from the extra bright lights of the country's capital Tapei.