International Dark-Sky Association
Ju ly 2021
The International Dark-Sky Association (IDA) is a United States-based non-profit organization incorporated in 1988 by founders David Crawford, a professional astronomer, and Tim Hunter, a physician/amateur astronomer.
IDA’s approach is to raise awareness about the value of dark, star-filled night skies and encourage their protection and restoration through education about the problems and solutions, including outdoor lighting practices that create less light pollution. Their impact now reaches 51 countries, with members, advocates, and dark sky places in North America, East Asia, Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean, the Middle East, Africa, Oceania, and South Asia.
In 2001, IDA founded the award-winning International Dark Sky Places (IDSP) Program to encourage communities, parks and protected areas around the world to preserve and protect dark sites through responsible lighting policies and public education. The IDSP program offers five types of designations: International Dark Sky Communities, International Dark Sky Parks, International Dark Sky Sanctuaries, International Dark Sky Reserves and Urban Night Sky Places.
Mission: To protect the night from light pollution and make sure the night sky, filled with stars, is celebrated and protected around the world as a shared heritage benefitting all living things
Watch this video below to learn more about IDA's mission:
International Dark-Sky Association's Photo Contest : Capture The Dark
Photography plays a powerful role in the dark sky movement. A photograph of the naturally dark sky connects those who’ve never laid eyes on the naturally dark sky to a universe hidden behind the veil of skyglow. Similarly, images of wildlife and the night impacted by light pollution can spark conservation awareness and action. Photography has the power to transport us and inspire us to connect with and ultimately protect the night. In celebration, the International Dark-Sky Association is hosting the second annual Capture the Dark Photography Contest! It is free to enter and open to entrants worldwide. Winners of each category will receive a prize package that includes a Peak Design field pouch and camera strap, a PhotoPills license, a feature in our Nightscape publication, the IDA blog and social media, an IDA membership, and IDA swag.
IDA's International Dark Sky Places
The International Dark Sky Places conservation program recognizes and promotes excellent stewardship of the night sky.
The award-winning International Dark Sky Places (IDSP) Program was founded in 2001 to encourage communities, parks and protected areas around the world to preserve and protect dark sites through responsible lighting policies and public education.
The International Dark Sky Places Program offers five types of designations:
-International Dark Sky Communities: Communities are legally organized cities and towns that adopt quality outdoor lighting ordinances and undertake efforts to educate residents about the importance of dark skies.
-International Dark Sky Parks: Parks are publicly- or privately-owned spaces protected for natural conservation that implement good outdoor lighting and provide dark sky programs for visitors.
-International Dark Sky Reserves: Reserves consist of a dark “core” zone surrounded by a populated periphery where policy controls are enacted to protect the darkness of the core.
-International Dark Sky Sanctuaries: Sanctuaries are the most remote (and often darkest) places in the world whose conservation state is most fragile.
-Urban Night Sky Places: UNSPs are sites near or surrounded by large urban environs whose planning and design actively promote an authentic nighttime experience in the midst of significant artificial light at night, and that otherwise do not qualify for designation within any other International Dark Sky Places category.
Here are some photos taken from IDA destinations!
JOIN US IN SUPPORTING INTERNATIONAL DARK-SKY ASSOCIATION
This month and every month, Wild Boyz Photography will be partnering with one nonprofit. 75% of any donations that we receive during the month will go to the nonprofit. Help International Dark-Sky Association continue their mission to protect the night from light pollution and make sure the night sky, filled with stars, is celebrated and protected around the world as a shared heritage benefitting all living things.