When was the last time you stared at a starry sky without light pollution distorting your view? That’s the concern of the International Dark-Sky Association (IDA), recognized as the lead organization combating light pollution worldwide. They award dark-sky community status to towns and cities that work to preserve views of the night sky by limiting nighttime light activity.

The town of Fountain Hills in Arizona was recently awarded dark-sky community status, making it the 17th community to earn the designation. It’s only the second community close to a major metropolitan area to receive the honor.

Photo courtesy of Pastordonn

Initiated in 2001, the dark-sky community program encourages communities to preserve and protect dark sky sites through lighting policies and public outreach. Other communities that qualify in Arizona include Oak Creek, Sedona, and Flagstaff. The Kaibab Paiute Indian Reservation, which straddles Arizona and Utah, is also an IDA community.

Per 12 News, Fountain Hills becoming a dark-sky community was embraced by its residents. In fact, the push towards the designation actually started three years ago when the Fountain Hills Dark Sky Association (FHDSA) was formed after the town started using LEDs. With support from the town council, they updated lighting and sign ordinances while applying for dark-sky status. 

“We realized that if actions weren’t taken soon, our town would begin to have a night sky glow just like the rest of the Phoenix metropolitan area,” said Nancy Bill, FHDSA Co-Chair in an announcement. “If that happened, we would no longer be able to enjoy the wonders of the night sky and the effect would be detrimental to both humans and wildlife.”

The program was applauded by IDA Executive Director J. Scott Feierabend, who noted that it wasn’t only important to Fountain Hills but to the American West as a whole. “Given the explosive growth of Western cities in recent decades,” noted Feierabend in the statement, “this outcome is a significant and hopeful sign of progress.”

Photo courtesy of Fountain Hills Astronomy club

FHDSA Board Member Ted Blank, a NASA Solar System Ambassador and co-founder of the Fountain Hills Astronomy club, has a renewed optimism that the area can once again become a hub for astronomy. One Fountain Hills resident and amateur astronomer has claimed to have found 475 new asteroids, one of which he named Fountain Hills. Those kinds of discoveries are hard to do when the night skies are filled with light.

The town has also started to offer courses to help educate residents on the best way to preserve dark skies. It will also host a Dark Sky Festival in April to celebrate the designation.

Of the community’s support moving forward, FHDSA Co-Chair Joe Bill says residents need not worry about having inadequate or no lighting at all. He says they “only ask that the lighting be shielded to avoid light trespass and that it be a warmer color temperature. LEDs are fine, just not the bright white ones, as they scatter blue light back into the atmosphere and create skyglow.”