TUCSON, Ariz. — The night skies over Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument have earned the area a Dark Sky Park designation. With the new certification, visitors can expect a better experience through astronomy-based interpretive programming along with the exceptional views from above.
"Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument, in the heart of the Sonoran Desert, is proud to receive this Dark Sky designation,” said Superintendent Raquel Montez. According to DarkSky International, Organ Pipe joins more than four hundred locations around the world that have gone through the process to receive a dark sky certification.
The International Dark Sky Places Program was founded in 2001 as a way to encourage open spaces and protected areas to preserve dark sites. This is done through public education but also responsible lighting practices.
“Protecting the monument’s night environment honors a landscape where the stars have guided and inspired early peoples for generations and continue to shape our understanding of this place today," said Montez. "This recognition reflects focused efforts to modernize park infrastructure in ways that support the surrounding natural environment. National parks remain among the most valuable places in the country to experience the clarity of star-filled skies, from distant galaxies to the planets that define our shared night.”
Arizona is home to more than twenty dark sky areas across the state, which include observatories, communities and parks. According to Visit Arizona, Flagstaff, Sedona, Camp Verde, Oak Creek, Cottonwood, Fountain Hills, Bisbee and Tubac all have earned the status.
As for southern Arizona specific locations, here are the areas that made the list:
- Chiricahua National Monument
- Fred Lawrence Whipple Observatory
- Kartchner Caverns State Park
- Kitt Peak National Observatory
- Mt. Lemmon SkyCenter Observatory
- Oracle State Park
- Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument
- Patterson Observatory
- Saguaro National Park
- Tonto National Monument
- Tubac Presidio State Historic Park
- Tumacácori National Historical Park
For a full list of locations and to discover the Starstruck: Arizona Dark Sky Expedition, click here to learn more from Visit Arizona.
