McDonald Observatory, Terlingua Preservation Foundation Unite to Preserve Dark West Texas Skies
May 3, 2005
WHO: The Terlingua Preservation Foundation in cooperation with The University of Texas at Austin McDonald Observatory in Fort Davis
WHAT: An entertaining and educational program on outdoor lighting control presented by Bill Wren, M.Ed., retired public affairs employee of McDonald Observatory. The program is tailored to address the outdoor lighting concerns of the Study Butte-Terlingua microplex.
WHEN: 6:00 p.m. Thursday, May 19, 2005
WHERE: Starlight Theatre in Terlingua Ghost Town (Terlingua, Texas)
WHY: Observatories are concerned about the increased outdoor lighting that comes with development. Light pollution decreases the ability of astronomers to observe objects in the sky like stars and galaxies. Observatories such as Kitt Peak (near Tucson) and Palomar (near Los Angeles) have suffered major light pollution from adjacent metro areas. According to Wren, “Astronomers have long recognized the need to control, not eliminate, night lighting and have pioneered the effort to prevent lights uselessly shining up into the sky.”
Today, that effort has led lighting manufacturers to make full-cutoff fixtures that direct night lights down and to the sides as needed and prevent light from shining up into the night sky. The result is more light where you want it for less electricity cost. “If you’ve ever seen a satellite photo of Earth at night, the countless lights visible from space are testament to the millions per night in electricity cost wasted,” Wren said.
The mission of the Terlingua Preservation Foundation (TPF) is to promote the preservation and appreciation of the Terlingua area’s diverse architectural, cultural, and natural resources through research, restoration, and education.
According to Martha Stafford, president of the TPF board of directors, “The preservation of dark skies in the Terlingua area fits nicely with our mission and one that we enthusiastically support. The program is free, open to the public, and we encourage all interested area residents and business owners to attend to pick up some ideas about keeping our skies dark and maybe saving some electric cost.”
McDonald Observatory has partnered with its West Texas neighbor communities for many years to pursue responsible and safe “light solutions.” The observatory is a Lifetime Organizational Member of the International Dark-Sky Association. For more information on light solutions, visit the association’s web site.
Related Posts
January 8, 2025
New Energy Industry Guidelines Help Protect Night Sky
Protecting the night sky is a collaborative endeavor – one The University of Texas at Austin’s McDonald Observatory has helped lead in West Texas since the launch of its Dark Skies Initiative in 2010. Now, oil and gas facilities in nearby New Mexico […]
August 15, 2023
West Texas Businesses Preserve Night Sky – One Light Bulb at a Time
McDonald Observatory’s Dark Skies Initiative recognizes five West Texas businesses and public organizations for adopting night sky friendly lighting practices. The Alpine Visitor Center, Alpine Public Library, Marfa Visitor Center, RoadRunner Travelers RV Park in Terlingua, and Ghost Town Casitas hotel in Terlingua all worked with the Observatory to reduce […]
April 6, 2023
McDonald Observatory Celebrates One-Year Anniversary of Greater Big Bend International Dark Sky Reserve
This week, McDonald Observatory and numerous partners join in celebrating the first anniversary of the Greater Big Bend International Dark Sky Reserve. Covering more than 15,000 square miles in Texas and Mexico, the Reserve is the largest dark sky place […]