Press release – DarkSky International

International Dark Sky Reserve Eisenwurzen officially certified in Austria

Natasha Chortos — Wed, 18 Mar 2026 13:52:48 +0000

St. Gallen, Austria Located in the Alpine heart of Austria, the Dark Sky Reserve Eisenwurzen is a vast and wildly romantic landscape of gorges, free-flowing rivers, and remote valleys where ancient beech forests and rugged alpine peaks meet an exceptional night sky. The region’s geography is defined by steep limestone formations, canyons, and high mountain ridges that …

Source

Winton becomes Queensland’s first International Dark Sky Community

Drew Reagan — Thu, 05 Mar 2026 14:14:14 +0000

Queensland, Australia DarkSky International is pleased to announce that the Outback town of Winton has officially been designated Queensland’s first International Dark-Sky Community, marking a major milestone for science, tourism, and environmental conservation. Winton now joins one of only two Dark Sky Places in Queensland, alongside The Jump-Up Dark-Sky Sanctuary at the Australian Age of …

Source

Nossentiner/Schwinzer Heide Nature Park has been certified as an International Dark Sky Park

Natasha Chortos — Tue, 24 Feb 2026 15:59:00 +0000

Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Germany The Nossentiner/Schwinzer Heide Nature Park in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Germany, has achieved official certification as an International Dark Sky Park by DarkSky International. This milestone, recognized at the 2025 DarkSky International Presidium meeting, honors the park and its support association’s long-term commitment to protecting natural darkness and reducing light pollution in one of Germany’s …

Source

Old Snowmass becomes newest International Dark Sky Community in Colorado

Natasha Chortos — Mon, 16 Feb 2026 16:00:00 +0000

Old Snowmass, Colorado DarkSky International is proud to announce that Old Snowmass, Colorado has officially been certified as an International Dark Sky Community. This designation recognizes the community’s commitment to preserving its pristine nocturnal environment through robust lighting policies, education, and proactive conservation. Old Snowmass becomes one of a select group of communities globally to …

Source

Thorington Street, Suffolk becomes first International Dark Sky Community in England

Natasha Chortos — Fri, 13 Feb 2026 13:00:00 +0000

Suffolk, England Thorington Street, a hamlet in southeast Suffolk, has today been designated an International Dark Sky Community by DarkSky International. This is a significant achievement, as it is the first such designation in England. It now joins six others in the United Kingdom: three in Scotland — Orkney, Coll, and Moffat; two in Wales …

Source

Observatory Park at Turner Farm receives Urban Night Sky Place designation

Natasha Chortos — Thu, 15 Jan 2026 16:00:00 +0000

Great Falls, Virginia, U.S. Observatory Park at Turner Farm in Great Falls, Virginia, has been designated as an Urban Night Sky Place (UNSP) by DarkSky International. This designation is significant because it helps protect one of the few remaining dark areas near Washington, D.C. The park offers a rare glimpse of urban dark skies and …

Source

DarkSky International debuts “DarkSky One” concept car at Detroit Auto Show, designed for darkness

Natasha Chortos — Wed, 14 Jan 2026 12:00:00 +0000

Tucson, Arizona – January 14, 2026 – DarkSky International, a global nonprofit dedicated to protecting the nighttime environment, today unveiled DarkSky One, a first-of-its-kind concept car designed with darkness at the center of its vision. Debuting at the Detroit Auto Show, DarkSky One challenges a long-standing assumption in vehicle design: that darkness is something to overcome …

Source

Kyritz-Ruppiner Heath becomes the tenth International Dark Sky Place in Germany

Natasha Chortos — Tue, 13 Jan 2026 18:00:00 +0000

Temnitzquell, Germany The Kyritz-Ruppiner Heide has now been certified as an International Dark Sky Park by DarkSky International. The former military training area (Bombodrom) is one of the darkest places in Germany, covering approximately 12,000 hectares without any artificial lighting. The shared goal of regional stakeholders is to preserve this condition permanently in order to …

Source

Río Hurtado becomes Chile’s second International Dark Sky Place

Natasha Chortos — Tue, 13 Jan 2026 16:00:00 +0000

Coquimbo Region, Chile The community of Río Hurtado, Limarí Province, Coquimbo Region, Chile, was certified as an International Dark Sky Community by DarkSky International. This is a significant achievement because it honors both the extraordinary quality of Río Hurtado’s night skies and the long-term commitment of its residents, local observatories, and local government to preserving …

Source

Chimney Rock National Monument designated as an International Dark Sky Park

Natasha Chortos — Sat, 27 Dec 2025 16:59:00 +0000

San Juan National Forest, Colorado, U.S. Chimney Rock National Monument has been certified as an International Dark Sky Park today by Dark Sky International. This is an important achievement as this designation will further help preserve the natural, historical, and cultural significance of the monument – all of which are features that have drawn people …

Source

AlUla expands dark sky certification to include Sharaan National Park and Wadi Nakhlah Nature Reserves, strengthening Saudi Arabia’s commitment to science, culture, and sustainable tourism

Natasha Chortos — Wed, 24 Dec 2025 02:00:00 +0000

AlUla, Saudi Arabia AlUla has achieved a new milestone in dark-sky preservation, with the Royal Commission for AlUla (RCU) announcing that Sharaan National Park and Wadi Nakhlah Nature Reserve have been officially designated as Dark Sky Parks by DarkSky International (DSI), the global authority on light-pollution management. This new certification expands AlUla’s protected night-sky territory …

Source

Snow Canyon State Park becomes newest Urban Night Sky Place

Natasha Chortos — Sun, 21 Dec 2025 16:00:00 +0000

Snow Canyon State Park, Utah, U.S. DarkSky International has certified Snow Canyon State Park as an Urban Night Sky Place, marking the 10th Utah State Park location recognized for their conservation of night skies. This scenic park provides a sanctuary for various native desert species including the Mojave desert tortoise and a variety of recreational …

Source