DARK HONOR FOR VALLES CALDERA
Valles Caldera National Preserve in the Jemez Mountains has earned an International Dark Sky Park certification, the National Park Service and International Dark Sky Association announced Wednesday. The certification “recognizes the exceptional quality of the preserve’s night skies and provides added opportunities to enhance visitor experiences through astronomy-based interpretive programming.”
“The night sky has inspired countless humans to dream, invent and explore,” said Preserve Superintendent Jorge Silva–Bañuelos. “With this certification, we are committed to preserving our dark night skies, and sharing all that we can learn from them with our surrounding communities and visitors to Valles Caldera.
The Preserve plans to host astronomy events once it is safe to hold large gatherings.