Cultural Resources

Cultural Connections

What was it like to see the night sky just a shy 100 years ago when light bulbs were just beginning to be mass produced? It was a truly dark sky! In just 100 years we went from seeing the milky way and its faint objects to only seeing only the brightest of celestial objects in our night sky.

Today 80% of the global population live under skyglow. 99% of US and European citizens cant even see the milkyway any more. The problem is getting worse, every 10 years our night sky is brightening by double. What will our night sky look like in another 100 years?

This expansion of light is a gradual increase, not typically noticed until the change is radical. That means, while a single light may not ruin the night sky, an accumulation of such will drastically change it and prevent further connection to our natural and cultural heritage.

For millennia, people have looked to the stars as a reliable guide for planting, harvesting, and migration. Constellation stories predate the dawn of civilization, and though the details have evolved over time, their core meanings endure.

Under a starry sky, we have always asked life’s biggest questions: What is our purpose? What lies beyond our reach? Astronomy sparked our earliest scientific insights and paved the way for the progress we see today.

Even now, many of us lift our eyes in wonder. City dwellers traveling to rural skies pause in awe, wishing they could bring that vastness back home.

Studies show that 62 percent of people use dark skies for recreation. Whether gathered around a campfire beneath glittering constellations, hiking by moonlight through remote wilderness, or simply gazing at the Milky Way, these experiences forge powerful connections to place and heritage.

We often don’t miss what we’ve never known, but imagine your next camping trip enhanced by the sight of 5,000 stars overhead. You’d feel more present, more part of the moment.

Research from the National Park Service finds that light pollution not only diminishes scenic quality but also affects visitors’ mood. Nearly 90 percent of park guests support policies to manage artificial light. This overwhelming backing shows that preserving dark skies strengthens our ties to both natural landscapes and cultural heritage.

Join us in protecting the night sky so future generations can gaze upward and discover the same inspiration that has guided humanity since the beginning.

If you manage public lands we urge you to examine your nightscape and observe how your lighting affects the sky and the experience of your visitors.

Lights can enhance a "sense" of safety, yet they also obscure an easy opportunity to create lasting memories in unexpected places after dark. 

By adjusting fixtures, lowering light levels, changing the color, or adopting a light management plan, you can strike a balance between visitor sense of security and star‐filled skies. Your leadership in protecting the night sky will enrich each visit and help forge memorable connections to place and heritage.