DarkSky Texas, formerly known as IDA Texas, is on a mission to keep night skies dark and stars shining bright. As DarkSky Texas celebrates its 25th anniversary, it’s a special time for all the volunteers, supporters, and fellow Texans who share a passion for preserving the natural beauty of our night skies to look back at some of DarkSky Texas’ outstanding accomplishments so far.
Shaping 21 International Dark Sky Places
The DarkSky Texas team made history by achieving the First Dark Sky Community designation in Texas, an accomplishment that garnered significant public attention. This dedicated team was later joined by more DarkSky Texas members as they spearheaded the highly successful Better Lights for Better Nights Conference, followed by three Texas Night Sky Festivals®. These events educated and inspired thousands of attendees, not only from the local area but also from beyond Texas.
DarkSky Texas collaborated closely with esteemed partners such as McDonald Observatory, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, and the National Park Service Night Sky Team. Together, these organizations played a pivotal role in driving most of the critical initiatives to preserve the natural beauty of the night sky across the state. Bravo to this exceptional collective effort!
See a full list of Texas International Dark Sky Places here and see the full list plus a map of Texas Dark Sky Places here.
Impacting State Laws & Regulations for Responsible Lighting
DarkSky Texas’ commitment to local community activism and outreach has played a vital role in raising awareness and updating state laws and local ordinances to reduce light pollution in many areas.
Texas Health and Safety Code
One of the most significant achievements has been the contribution to a state law passed in 1999 that mandates responsible lighting practices for any entity receiving state funds. This groundbreaking legislation requires that all new or replacement lighting fixtures at state-funded facilities be specified as at least cutoff in most instances. By advocating for this law, DarkSky Texas paved the way for a brighter, more sustainable future where light pollution is significantly reduced.
Defining Light Trespass
In combating light pollution, it’s essential to have clear definitions. DarkSky Texas played a pivotal role by creating ordinance language that redefined light trespass based on the ability to see the source of the light rather than relying solely on a foot-candle amount at the property line.
This shift in perspective has brought more clarity to the issue of light pollution and empowered communities and municipalities to enforce meaningful regulations that protect Texas night skies. It allows for a visual inspection without having to purchase expensive, specialized equipment.
Other definitions DarkSky Texas has helped implement include:
360-Degree Shielding
Another accomplishment is defining the requirement for 360-degree shielding on certain lighting fixtures. This specification ensures that light is directed where needed, minimizing light spill, controlling excessive glare, and reducing the impact on the night sky. DarkSky Texas has significantly reduced light pollution in various communities by advocating for this crucial feature.
Technical Contributions to Shielding Below 90 Degrees
DarkSky Texas collaborated with the Hill Country Alliance in meetings with PEC (Pedernales Electric Cooperative) to encourage implementation of better lighting practices. HCA staff successfully advocated for the use of dark sky friendly lighting. PEC thought they were already moving in that direction with their new fixtures. However, DarkSky Texas’ technical expertise helped the PEC chief engineer understand the reasons and importance of shielding most fixtures below 90 degrees. This essential aspect of responsible lighting was instrumental in minimizing light spill and allowing PEC to move toward fully shielded fixtures. Unfortunately, with staffing changes, and with organizations other than DarkSky Texas encouraging PEC to ignore the need for shielding, this direction was reversed. DarkSky Texas’ new initiatives and staff will position the organization to address this issue with the strength to regain this success.
Texas Model Outdoor Lighting Ordinance
DarkSky Texas established and maintains the Texas Model Outdoor Lighting Ordinance, providing a clear template for communities seeking to implement responsible lighting regulations.
Programs & Festivals
Be A Star Award Program
DarkSky Texas created and continues to run the Be A Star Award Program statewide to recognize and celebrate landowners who contribute to conservation efforts by protecting the night sky and the ability to see better at night. The program encourages landowners to evaluate their outdoor lighting to keep the light they need while eliminating glare, light trespass and excess light on their property.
The award is a self-assessment where the property owner determines if their property follows the Five Principles of Responsible Outdoor Lighting agreed upon by DarkSky International and the Illuminating Engineering Society.
Landowners earning the award may select the recognition items of their choice to show they have reviewed and, if necessary, modified their lighting to consider nature, their neighbors, and our shared view of the night sky. Every light counts in the quest to reduce light pollution!
Apply for the Be A Star Award here
Texas Night Sky Festivals®
DarkSky Texas leadership conceptualized and successfully ran three fun, amazing Texas Night Sky Festival® events that have brought communities together, raised awareness, and increased appreciation of the night sky and the world around us. This goes hand in hand with increasing awareness about the type of lighting that provides needed light while reducing glare, saving money, eliminating light trespass, protecting the health and safety of living things, and saving Texas’ shared view of the night sky.
Lighting Assessment & Retrofit Project
DarkSky Texas initiated the Lighting Assessment & Retrofit Project, complemented by statewide workshops in partnership with TPWD (Texas Parks and Wildlife Department). The workshops provided training for volunteers and TPWD employees on the why and how to assess outdoor lighting. It provided the tools and jump-started efforts to create detailed inventories of outdoor lighting at each state park participating in the project. These efforts have aided in retrofitting existing lighting to reduce light pollution across the state. Significantly, the detailed inventories and assessment of their outdoor lighting gave the state parks a massive piece of the information needed to begin application as an International Dark Sky Place
Dark Sky and Midnight Defender Patch Programs
The innovative Dark Sky and Midnight Defender Patch Programs have engaged countless individuals, including Texas young people of all ages, in activities and education centered around dark skies.
“I Love Texas Night Skies” Stickers
By creating “I Love Texas Night Skies” stickers, DarkSky Texas helped supporters show off and display their commitment to protecting natural nightscapes.
These fabulous, high-quality, long-lasting stickers promote Texas Night Skies. Order them in multiples of 50 to help advocate for protecting Texas night skies. Each sticker is about four inches square and costs $0.50 each (plus postage).
CONTACT DARKSKY TEXAS TO ORDER YOURS
“Fight for the Stars: Be a Knight for the Night©” Program
A DarkSky Texas member was the lead creator of the educational program “Fight for the Stars: Be a Knight for the Night©,” which educates and inspires others to become guardians of the night sky. Additional DarkSky Texas members supported the program by being subject matter experts, reviewers, and testers.
The Fight for the Stars: Be a Knight for the Night© light pollution training was created by Emma Schmidt for her Girl Scout Gold Award Project and has offerings on two levels: Training Level One is intended for elementary students or above, and Training Level Two is intended for middle school students or above.
Download the entire curriculum and activity sheets to guide you as you lead in-person training. Or, download the activity sheets and follow the videos as Emma teaches the lessons for you.
Star Parties and Outreach
A star party is a nighttime gathering where people gather to look at the stars and learn about the fantastic things in the night sky. Visitors use telescopes or binoculars to see faraway planets, colorful stars, and distant galaxies.
Star parties are a fun way to explore the dark skies, learn about astronomy, and share the excitement for the night sky with friends and fellow stargazers. Star parties help us appreciate how important it is to keep Texas skies dark and free from excessive man-made light, so all Texans can continue to enjoy the beauty of the stars and planets above.
DarkSky Texas has been heavily involved in organizing and helping with star parties over the past 25 years to bring the wonders of the night sky to countless individuals and communities.
Other Notable Accomplishments
Establishment as a 501(c)3 Nonprofit Corporation
With the help and guidance of DarkSky International, DarkSky Texas filed with the IRS in late 2022 and was officially designated as an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation in Texas.
This nonprofit designation allows DarkSky Texas to expand its reach and impact throughout the state while also allowing more freedom and control to go after its 3 main strategic goals listed in the Business Plan.
1. To initiate the statewide Better Outdoor Lighting Decisions (BOLD) initiative.
2. To create a DarkSky Texas Advisory Council to provide multiple areas of support for the organization.
3. To increase statewide awareness of the DarkSky Texas organization and brand.
Support for Outreach Coordinators
DarkSky Texas created a network of Outreach Coordinators around the state, providing support and guidance to local advocates in their efforts to combat light pollution. In addition to creating the network of Outreach Coordinators, the organization has also created physical and electronic materials to support outreach coordinators as they attend local events and educate Texas on the importance of DarkSky initiatives.
Some resources include table top banners, posters, stickers, brochures, and other educational materials, visuals, presentations, and boxes for Outreach Coordinators to quickly pick up and take to events and share with other Outreach Coordinators in their areas.
In addition to resources, DarkSky Texas also created papers, guides, and training on best practices for Outreach Coordinators on what to do before, during, and after events. For example, how best to present and teach the Five Principles of Responsible Outdoor Lighting.
Advocacy Coaching Sessions
DarkSky Texas regularly holds coaching sessions to support advocates working towards or initiating the process of becoming an International Dark Sky Place, ensuring a legacy of dark skies for future generations. These sessions are typically held on the first Wednesday of every month. Join an upcoming meeting!
Cheers to Another 25 Years!
To commemorate DarkSky Texas’ 25th anniversary, everyone involved should reflect on these achievements with pride and thankfulness. The organization’s dedication to protecting the beauty of Texas night skies has grown stronger over the years. DarkSky Texas can and will continue to create change, one responsible lighting fixture and ordinance at a time.
Ready to get involved? Come support the DarkSky Mission and help make a difference across the state. Some of the best ways to get involved are volunteering, updating your property to earn the Be A Star Award, and contribute to help DarkSky Texas continue its mission.
