{"id":665393,"date":"2026-10-26T00:44:13","date_gmt":"2026-10-26T00:44:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/665393\/"},"modified":"2026-10-26T00:44:13","modified_gmt":"2026-10-26T00:44:13","slug":"keeping-flagstaffs-skies-dark-for-25-years","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/665393\/","title":{"rendered":"Keeping Flagstaff\u2019s skies dark for 25 years"},"content":{"rendered":"

FLAGSTAFF, AZ (KNXV) \u2014 For 25 years, Flagstaff has worked to keep its night skies clear enough for people to see the stars, planets and other celestial wonders, even from downtown.<\/p>\n

The city became the world\u2019s first International Dark Sky City in 2001, earning the designation for its efforts to reduce light pollution and protect views of the night sky.<\/p>\n

Those efforts recently gave fans of Led Zeppelin frontman Robert Plant an unexpected opportunity to see the cosmos up close. <\/p>\n

After Plant and his band performed at Fort Tuthill’s Pepsi Amphitheatre last month, the Flagstaff Dark Sky Coalition<\/a> set up telescopes backstage so the musicians could view Saturn and the nearly full moon.<\/p>\n

Dr. Danielle Adams, a cultural astronomer who studies how people connect with the night sky, said the experience offered a chance to appreciate celestial sights that people often overlook.<\/p>\n

Flagstaff\u2019s high elevation and astronomical conditions help make it a popular place for stargazing, but the city\u2019s lighting rules also play an important role. <\/p>\n

Shielded fixtures direct light downward rather than into the sky or neighboring properties, while lower-intensity, warmer amber and yellow lighting helps limit light pollution.<\/p>\n

Earlier this year, the Arizona Department of Transportation replaced more than 370 highway light fixtures <\/a>around the I-17 and I-40 interchanges, along Milton Road and along Route 66 with amber LEDs. <\/p>\n

The project marked the first deployment of amber LED lighting on interstate highways in the United States.<\/p>\n

The Flagstaff Dark Sky Coalition also shares ways residents can reduce light pollution at home, helping preserve the night sky for future generations.<\/p>\n

The city plans to celebrate the 25th anniversary of its dark sky designation in early April, with events scheduled to coincide with International Dark Sky Week.<\/p>\n

Want more news in your community? Add ABC15 as a preferred source on Google below:<\/p>\n

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