Press release and staff report
The Lowe Volk Astronomy Club wants to know if you have the darkest place in Crawford County.
Artificial light pollutes the view of 83 percent of the Earth’s population to the night sky. Due to light pollution, the Milky Way is not even visible to more than one-third of humanity. This has inspired the Lowe Volk Astronomy Club to look for the darkest location in Crawford County.
The astronomy club is holding a Darkest Place in Crawford County contest in a search for the best place to view the night sky. It could be a yard, your back-forty, or even some non-descript locale in rural Crawford County. Interested individuals can contact the Crawford Park District and club members will measure the sky’s darkness at your location with a Sky Quality Meter.
If you have the darkest place, the astronomy club will conduct a Night Sky Program at your property during the summer program quarter. Astronomers will be able to show the beautiful night sky to kids and interested adults, unimpeded by artificial light.
Contact the Crawford Park District at 419-683-9000 by June 1 if you are willing to let an astronomy club member come to measure your darkest location and also to host a future Night Sky Program. You can help prevent light pollution by turning off unnecessary lights or by putting them on motion detectors. Make sure the light falls to the ground, not up into the sky.