Dark Skies Resources

Browse this collection of useful links and resources for information on why and how to implement better lighting, the effects of light pollution, and more.

Be sure to see our FAQ & Contact page for additional information.

ENERGY INDUSTRY RESOURCES

Additional information about preserving dark skies and the energy industry

In West Texas, astronomers worry about growing oilfield light pollution. Marketplace (2021).

Recommended Lighting Practices for Oil and Gas Operators. McDonald Observatory (2021).

Railroad Commission of Texas Reminds Operators to Reduce Light Near McDonald Observatory. Notice to Operators, Railroad Commission of Texas (February 2016 & 2019).

Texas General Land Office requires its oil and gas lessees to follow the recommended lighting practices to protect our environment from light pollution. The Texas General Land Office.

McDonald Observatory Will Promote Dark Skies Awareness with Gift from Apache Corporation. Press Release (July 23, 2019).

Dark Skies Initiative Video (3:20). Produced by Texan by Nature.

Explanatory Video for Recommended Lighting Practices (Video: 38:15)

McDonald Observatory, Oil and Gas Organizations Collaborate to Protect Night Skies. Press Release (July 9, 2018)

Upgraded Rig Lighting Improves Night Time Visibility While Reducing Stray Light and the Threat to Dark Skies in West Texas. Society of Petroleum Engineers (March 2015)

Single page Dark Skies Initiative flier for the oil and gas industry. (McDonald Observatory and Texan by Nature)

GENERAL RESOURCES

Preserving Texas' Night Skies. Tri-fold brochure suitable for printing. (McDonald Observatory and Texan by Nature.)

Where Light Pollution is Seeping Into the Rural Night Sky. Article and maps, Bloomberg (February 2020)

An excellent resource is the International Dark-sky Association.

Resources and activities for teachers and educators: Dark Skies Rangers Program.

The Strange Scourge of Light Pollution. YouTube video (10:00).

Lights at Night from Space. Lighttrends. Map showing nighttime lighting around the world as seen by a satellite using the VIIRS Day/Night Band and allowing measurement of changes in upward radiance in a selected area over time. (Note: Given the spectral sensitivity of the VIIRS Day/Night Band, blue light is underrepresented.)

How and Why to Reduce Light Pollution on Your Property. Hello Homstead (January 2019).

Preserving Dark Skies in the Big Bend. Cenizo Journal (December 2020).

Pr otecting the Night in West Texas. YouTube video (12:55), McDonald Observatory (January 2021)

Lighting Guidelines for Homeowners Associations. PDF by the International Dark Sky Association.

Protecting the Night Sky. 8.5" x 11" flyer, suitable for printing. Also available in Spanish.

The Greater Big Bend International Dark Sky Reserve. 2-page PDF suitable for printing (February 2022).

The Dark Skies Initiative. 84" x 30" Banner display (February 2022). Also available in Spanish.

ENVIRONMENT AND HEALTH

The Vanishing Night: Light Pollution Threatens Ecosystems. The Scientist (October 2018).

Green with Phenology: Artificial Light and Trees. Science (November 2021)

How the marvel of electric light became a global blight to health. Aeon (August 2018).

Adverse Health Effects of Nighttime Lighting. American Medical Association (2012).

Our nights are getting brighter, and Earth is paying the price. National Geographic (April 2019).

Lights Out Texas. BirdCast (2021). Details the effects of light pollution on migratory birds.

Fatal Light Awareness Program. (2021). A program highlighting the effects of building reflections and lights on birds in Canada.

The Devastating Role of Light Pollution in the 'Insect Apocalypse'. Smithsonian Magazine (2019).

SAFETY AND SECURITY

Chicago Alley Lighting Project Final Report. Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority (2000). The study shows a correlation between increased lighting and increased crime.

The effect of reduced street lighting on road casualties and crime in England and Wales. Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health (2015). The study found that reducing outdoor lighting did not result in an increase in accidents or crime.

Light Pollution Endangers our Safety and Security. Florida Atlantic University Observatory.

Light Pollution: The Problem of Glare. Alberta Dark Sky Association.

Absence of Street Lighting May Prevent Vehicle Crime. Journal of Quantitative Crimonology (2022).

WEST TEXAS LIGHTING ORDINANCES AND REGULATIONS

Alpine Municipal Ordinance (2021)

Balmorhea Municipal Ordinance (2021)

Fort Stockton Municipal Ordinance (2012)

Marfa Municipal Ordinance (2021)

City of Pecos Municipal Ordinance (2012)

City of Presidio Municipal Ordinance (2021)

Van Horn Municipal Ordinance (2010)

Brewster County Ordinance (2021)