Texas Dark Sky Places

DarkSky Texas is proud of the growing number of International Dark Sky Places and properties recognized by DarkSky International in Texas!

Texas Dark Sky Places

Join Us

The award-winning International Dark Sky Paces (IDSP) Program was founded in 2001 to encourage communities, parks, reserves, sanctuaries, and urban night sky places around the world to preserve and protect dark sites through responsible lighting policies and public education.

DarkSky Texas is proud of the growing number of International Dark Sky Places and properties recognized by DarkSky International within Texas!
Join us and support the designation of even more places in Texas that use smart lighting

International Dark Sky Places in Texas

How to Become an International Dark Sky Place

Know a Potential Dark Sky Place?

Do you want to help a community, park, reserve, sanctuary, or urban night sky place in Texas become an IDSP?

Lighting Inventory: An Early Step for a Future IDSP

An inventory of the outdoor lighting on the property is a key piece of the application process. Your team will need to know what outdoor lighting is located on the property you hope to have recognized by IDA and identify any that need to be altered or replaced for that recognition to occur. Download this workbook and aids to learn the details of creating that inventory and recommendations for any lighting retrofits. Coming soon are video training lessons to go with the workbook. Watch our Online Learning page for links.

Use the Lighting Assessment and Inventory Workbook & Aids

Learn the details of creating that inventory and recommendations for any lighting retrofits. Download them from the Easy Downloads at the bottom of this page.

Lighting Assessment Video Lessons

Online video lessons to go with the Lighting Assessment and Inventory Workbook. Links are on our Online Learning page. The online instructions are in Level Two, Lessons 5, 6 & 7 of "Fight for the Stars: Be a Knight for the Night".

DarkSky Recognition on your Property

Earn the Be a Star Award!

Do you know of a stellar property in Texas that has Nature, Neighbor & Night-Skies Friendly Lighting?

The Be A Star Award rewards landowners who contribute to conservation efforts by protecting the night sky. To earn it they use outdoor lighting that eliminates glare, light trespass, and other forms of light pollution while at the same time helping them see better on their property.

Strut your Texas stuff with the Be A Star Award!

Start your application here