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Travel + Leisure
12-05-2025
- Travel + Leisure
This Is the First U.S. County to Be Fully Dark Sky Certified—and It Just Added the World's First Dark Sky Airport
The night skies over Wyoming have seen some major milestones in recent weeks. In late April, Teton County—home to Jackson Hole Mountain Resort, Grand Teton National Park, and part of Yellowstone National Park—made history as the first county in the world to be certified as an International Dark Sky Community by DarkSky International. Just 10 days later, Jackson Hole Airport (JAC) followed suit, becoming the first airport ever to earn the designation as an International Dark Sky Place, a recognition typically reserved for parks, preserves, and remote communities. But these "world's first" designations come as little surprise when you consider the data. Light pollution is the enemy of dark skies, and Teton County's small, low light-impact communities help keep night skies pristine. The town of Jackson, the county's largest population center, has just over 10,000 residents, while the tiny community of Kelly is home to only 254. Add to that the vast stretches of protected open space—including all of Grand Teton National Park, 40 percent of Yellowstone, parts of three U.S. National Forests, and the 24,700-acre National Elk Refuge—and it's clear why Teton County is leading the way in night sky conservation. Similarly, the Jackson Hole Airport is the only commercial airport located within a national park, which incentivizes the airport to take care of the area's natural resources—dark skies included. 'JAC staff dedicated hundreds of hours to updating lighting fixtures and programming to adhere to responsible lighting practices," DarkSky International said in a release. "These measures will not only improve the stargazing experience, but they will also help protect the wildlife in Grand Teton National Park as well as surrounding areas that rely on the natural nocturnal environment to thrive.' The state's journey towards these dark sky designations started in 2013 when Wyoming Stargazing began hosting weekly public stargazing programs. 'The stars are literally etched into our DNA,' said Samuel Singer, the executive director of Wyoming Stargazing, in a press release. 'If dark night skies ever disappear, we will have lost a part of what it means to be human.' Teton County and Jackson Hole Airport's efforts to improve lighting policies not only improve the experience of every visitor that will come to its two national parks, but every creature living within them as well. 'This community commitment to ensuring future generations of park visitors and county residents all have access to the beauty Wyoming skies offer in the night is something we are all proud to be a part of,' said Chip Jenkins, a Grand Teton National Park superintendent, in a statement.
Yahoo
06-05-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Can you see the Eta Aquarids meteor shower in Oregon? Time, what to know
This week, the Eta Aquarids annual meteor shower will reach its peak. The Eta Aquarids meteor shower began on April 20 and is known to peak in early May. This year, it will become most active beginning on the evening of May 5 and into the early morning on May 6. Here's what to know about the meteor shower and the best times to watch. This year, the Eta Aquarids are set to peak May 5-6 during the hours between midnight and dawn as Earth passes through the densest part of Halley's cosmic debris, according to the American Meteor Society. The Eta Aquarids meteors have an hourly rate of approximately 10 meteors and are known be seen as "Earthgrazers," or long meteors that appear to skim the surface of the Earth's horizon, according to NASA. The meteor shower is located in the Aquarius constellation and can be viewed in both the Northern and Southern hemispheres. Between May 5-6, Oregon is predicted to have mostly clear skies, with a 1-28% chance of cloud cover beginning at 11 p.m., according to the National Weather Service. Oregon is home to seven dark sky places including: Oregon Outback, eastern Lake County - International Dark Sky Sanctuary Sisters - International Dark Sky Community Antelope - International Dark Sky Community Prineville Reservoir State Park - International Dark Sky Park Cottonwood Canyon State Park - International Dark Sky Park Oregon Caves National Monument and Preserve: International Dark Sky Park Sunriver - International Dark Sky Development of Distinction Additionally, Crater Lake National Park was recently ranked the No.1 best national park in the United States for stargazing. Ginnie Sandoval is the Oregon Connect reporter for the Statesman Journal. Sandoval can be reached at GSandoval@ or on X at @GinnieSandoval. This article originally appeared on Salem Statesman Journal: When is the Eta Aquarids meteor shower in Oregon? Time, what to know
