Starry Sky Austin helped Reimers Ranch Park become the closest International Dark-Sky Association “Dark Sky Park” to Austin, TX! Watch this video about why Reimers wants to become and International Dark Sky Association Dark Sky Park, created by Austin Price.
Starry Sky Austin is involved in several dark sky awareness projects in and around Austin. Amy is a member of the International Dark Sky Association and served from 2020-2022 as the Regional Manager for the Central Texas region of the Texas chapter of the IDA.She is also an International Astronomical Union Dark Skies Ambassador. Amy has participated in the IDA Dark Sky Conference sponsored and organized by the Hill Country Alliance, been part of the Texas Night Sky Festival 2015 and 2016 team and has brought dark sky educational activities to various educational events around Austin including the Texas Night Sky Festival, the Austin Earth Science Week Career Day, Austin ISD, the Texas Night Sky Festival co-sponsored Austin Astronomical Society Pedernales Falls State Park Star Party and Spicewood Elementary School in Round Rock ISD.
“Design a Light Shield” is a great way to incorporate a hands-on, problem solving activity while learning how light shields work. This problem solving, engineering activity involves using a set of materials such as a paper sack, a pipe cleaner, 2 straws, part of an egg carton, a piece of aluminum foil, tape and a glue gun to create light shield for a street lamp that you test out in a city-scape environment. Watch this video to see the activity in action and go here to download the activity. Visit my blog post about the “Design a Light Shield” activity in action at the Texas Night Sky Festival.
Join the newly established Travis County Friends of the Night Sky and help spread dark sky awareness in Austin, TX and the surrounding areas. The Hill Country Alliance Night Skies team has helped to establish Friends of the Night Sky Groups in the Central Texas region.
Participate in the monthly Globe at Night citizen science campaign! Learn about constellations, contribute to important light pollution research and save our night sky all at the same time!
Participate in the International Dark Sky Association’s International Dark Sky Week each spring. The Central Texas region participated in “How Bright is Your Night” for the Globe at Night Citizen Science campaign for 2021 International Dark Sky Week. Go here to hear me read my children’s book “Cassandra and the Night Sky” for 2020’s International Dark Sky Week.
If conserving our dark skies is important to you, join the Texas Chapter of the International Dark Sky Association today!
Amy recently made a ‘Dark Sky Quality’ map of Texas through the Austin Community College GIS Certificate program and in collaboration with the Hill Country Alliance. Visit her interactive ESRI StoryMap here:
For a less descriptive version of the map go here:
Simplified Texas Dark Sky Quality Map