Seeing the Darkness

The Milky Way soars above the domes of McDonald Observatory, which offers some of the darkest night skies in the United States. That distinction was honored with the designation of a large swath of West Texas and northern Mexico as the Greater Big Bend International Dark Sky Reserve by the International Dark-Sky Association. The new reserve encompasses more than 15,000 square miles (38,850 square km) of Texas and Coahuila and Chihuahua, Mexico. The reserve was established through the efforts of McDonald, the Nature Conservancy-Davis Mountains Preserve, and other organizations. The dark skies have been maintained through lighting ordinances and other mechanisms, which ensure that the light from streetlamps and other sources is directed at the ground and not into the sky. That helps astronomical research and astrotourism, is healthier for the ecosystem, and enhances public safety while saving energy. The new reserve is the largest in the world. [Stephen Hummel/McDonald Observatory]