Dark Sky Reserve

Idaho Matters talks with an expert about the art of night sky photography.

Idaho has inspired some of history’s greatest writers. And an upcoming writing retreat in Central Idaho’s Dark Skies Reserve, featuring stargazing, hiking, fishing and face-time with bestselling authors, is bound to influence a new generation of creativity.

Idaho has inspired some of history’s greatest writers. And an upcoming writing retreat in Central Idaho’s Dark Skies Reserve, featuring stargazing, hiking, fishing and face-time with bestselling authors, is bound to influence a new generation of creativity.

Boise State University biology professor Jesse Barber studies light pollution's effects on animals and insects and how an experiment with red lighting could mitigate the effects of blue and white lights

NASA "light pollution ambassadors" from UCLA came to the Central Idaho Dark Sky Reserve to research sources of light pollution, which have the potential to obscure the dark skies.

Idaho Matters gets to know the first astronomer in residence for Idaho's Dark Sky Reserve.

A new collaboration has pulled together to help protect the reserve, bring NASA into more Idaho classrooms, use stem to teach the next generation of students and so much more.

People often love the night sky in our region. There’s less light pollution and you can see more stars. That is, until wildfire season. The smoke from those fires filters starlight and sometimes blots it out completely. That could mean fewer stargazing tourists venture into our region to take in a nighttime view of the galaxy.

Wednesday night, the Idaho sky will light up with flashes and streaks from one of the best meteor showers of the year.

Idaho is home to the first International Dark Sky Reserve in the U.S. The gleaming jewels of the night sky over the Sawtooth National Recreation area attract people from around the world. Idaho Matters interviews astro-tourism consultant Michael Marlin about what makes the Central Dark Sky Reserve special, and the challenges that come with light pollution.