By Toni Gibbons On Nov. 3, a large crowd of people, including a number of kids, overflowed the open patio next to the Painted Desert Inn at the Petrified Forest National Park (PEFO) to experience the first inaugural event celebrating the PEFO’s International Dark Sky designation called Dark Skies over the Petrified Forest. Red lights lit the pathways behind the Inn, giving off a soft glow as folks let their eyes adjust to the deep darkness of the park. Telescopes were set at several vantage points, brought by volunteer astronomers from the local community as well as from the Phoenix area and even New Mexico. Park Ranger Jake Holgerson opened the event with an informative talk on the astronomical and astrological terminology that is commonly used amongst astronomers. “Most folks know a constellation or two,” said Holgerson, “but few people understand a constellation is a neighborhood of stars that include the constellation stars.” Holgerson further explained that the Big Dipper, Ursa Major, is known as an asterism. The difference between a constellation and an asterism is that a constellation is an officially recognized area of the sky, while an asterism is a visually obvious collection of stars that do not have official boundaries. Holgerson then introduced special guest Jeffrey Hall. “He has been the director of the Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff since 2010 and has been a huge support in our efforts to get our Dark Sky designation.” Hall started his presentation with the consideration of the ecological, economic and health impacts of the natural light and dark cycles. “Dark skies are an important ecological consideration as animals use it for reproduction and navigation. There are also economic impacts. Astrotourism is increasingly becoming something that people enjoy doing and Arizona is one of those areas. And finally there are health implications to the normal light dark cycle. Clearly, the medical community is starting to think about the loss of the natural light-dark cycle and its implication on human health,” said Hall. In 2001, Flagstaff became the world’s first international dark sky city according to the International Dark-Sky Association (IDA). Hall noted that Flagstaff has the most comprehensive outdoor lighting ordinance in the world. “Increasingly around Arizona we are seeing more dark sky designations.” Hall encouraged the attendees to have outdoor lights that are shielded, reflecting the light down and to use amber lights instead of white LED lighting, reminding everyone, “This is a dark sky ordinance, not a dark ground ordinance. Put the light where it is needed and does the most good.” After the presentations were finished, folks began to wander down the pathways, stopping at the telescopes, getting hot chocolate and talking with the park rangers and astronomers. Curtis and Lyndel Wall from Concho began by showing the planet Mars through their scope before showing the breathtaking wonders that can be found deeper in space. Another volunteer showed the owl cluster within the Cassiopeia constellation, patiently teaching people how to find the bird among the stars while gazing through the lens. The process for PEFO to become a Dark Sky Park started back in 2006 when the National Park Service Natural Sounds and Night Skies team came to the park to do Sky Quality Measurements. “These measurements determined how much light pollution was impeding the night sky and how dark it was,” said Holgerson. “Since then we have been modifying our lighting inventory to meet the IDA standards.” The next step in the process was to modify the management documents, showing commitment to preserving the natural night skies. “Essentially, we recognize that natural night skies are a resource, just like the fossils, the petrified wood, the cultural resources and biology found in the park,” noted Holgerson. The final piece was to engage the support of local communities and partnerships, which included the Petrified Forest Museum Association, the City of Holbrook, the Petrified Forest Field Institute and the Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff. The application was submitted in March 2018 and PEFO received the official recognition as an International Dark Sky Park on June 21, 2018. As PEFO Superintendent Brad Traver said, “We recognize that a natural dark sky is a valuable resource. The dark skies here at the Petrified Forest are an incredible sight to behold and we want to share this resource with our visitors.” The dark skies provide an invaluable resource to the nocturnal flora and fauna within the park. “Nocturnal pollinators, like moths, rely on natural night skies as light pollution will distract them from their natural habitat,” said Holgerson. “Reptiles and amphibians use our roads and cemented areas at night to keep a warm body temperature. When light pollution is present, they become easy prey for predators.” Holgerson further noted, “Studies have shown that there are health implications for humans associated with improper lighting. White or blue light during the nighttime can disrupt our circadian rhythms and melatonin levels, which cause issues with sleep cycles and other health risks.” “Finally, light pollution has been shown to be a very costly waste of resources and money,” continued Holgerson. “By eliminating light pollution in the park, we can make better use of our budget for our resources and have more interpretive events in the park.” While it is too early to measure the impact of the lighting modifications at PEFO, Holgerson said there has been a lot of interest in the dark sky program from the local communities and visitors worldwide. “Astrotourism is a big part of Arizona and we cannot express enough our appreciation for our local astronomers and communities, as well as agencies such as the IDA, Flagstaff Dark Skies Coalition, the Colorado Plateau Dark Sky Cooperative and the Lowell Observatory as they have welcomed us and supported us into the dark sky community.”
