Bryce Canyon National Park is known for its unique geology and sprawling landscape. During the Ice Age, glaciers sliced through the red stone leaving behind odd shapes and beautiful scenery. But the park's beauty doesn't disappear once the sun sets, in fact, it lights up.
Bryce Canyon National Park is known for its unique geology and sprawling landscape. During the Ice Age, glaciers sliced through the red stone leaving behind odd shapes and beautiful scenery. But the park's beauty doesn't disappear once the sun sets, in fact, it lights up.
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Ever since 1969, Bryce Canyon has been hosting star programs for public visitors and amateur astronomers. This year, more than 37,000 visitors participated in 100 different star presentations offered at the park.
Dark Ranger Kevin Poe believes recent events in space, such as the shuttle mission to fix the Hubble Space Telescope, have brought more people to the park. Poe also believes visitors are noticing that the stars above aren't shining as bright as they used to.
The sky around the park is exceptionally dark, but it's not the darkest place in the country, it's not even the darkest place in Utah. Still, visitors come to Bryce Canyon to take advantage of the darkness and search for constellations and distant planets.
The practice of looking through a telescope and seeing the Milky Way might become a thing of past due to increase light pollution. That's where Poe and his team of Dark Rangers come in. Their sole purpose is to spread public awareness of the downfalls of light pollution.
Article continues: http://news.discovery.com/space/light-pollution-natiuonal-park-astronomy.html
