Astronomy and the National Parks

Abstract: The dark night skies over our nation’s national parks are fertile grounds for learning about the world of astronomy. The same environmental protections that maintain our wilderness on the ground also preserve the “wilderness” of a dark starry sky where the Milky Way can still be seen. Through direct “eyes-on” viewing opportunities in the park the public can learn about and appreciate current astronomical research. In addition, many of the geological formations our parks were built to protect are excellent examples of features and processes on other planets.