Avi Kwa Ame National Monument is home to unique plants and animals, cultural and historical sites, and dark night skies, where you are able to see the moon, stars, planets and the Milky Way Galaxy with the naked eye. When this 506,000 acres was designated under the Antiquities Act in 2023, part of the proclamation was a direction to protect these beautiful views of the heavens at night. Friends of Avi Kwa Ame has embarked on a 5-year Dark Sky Project, and you can help us in this effort to protect and even improve upon these views!

Our Dark Sky Project is a collaboration with the co-managers and stewards of the monument (BLM, NPS and a coalition of affiliated tribes), Friends of Avi Kwa Ame National Monument, the Las Vegas Astronomical Society, and the non-profit organization Dark Sky International. Through this project, we aim to do the following:

• Assess different areas of the monument as potential night-sky viewing sites.

• Monitor light pollution and night sky darkness in potential viewing locations.

• Improve visitor resources for night sky viewing through improvements in parking and camping areas.

• Create visitor resources for night sky viewing and appreciation on our website, in brochures, our newsletter, the Gold Beam publication and on-site kiosks.

• Create regular sky-viewing events and opportunities for the public to learn more about the night sky as an important natural resource.

• Educate the public on how we can help protect dark skies through choosing compatible nighttime lighting sources.

• Share ecological, cultural and historic stories that relate to the night sky to further our appreciation of this natural wonder.

• Apply and achieve Dark Sky International’s Dark Sky Park designation for Avi Kwa Ame National Monument.

A Dark Sky Park designation is achieved through an extensive, 2 year application process that includes light monitoring and an artificial light inventory of public buildings within the monument, public outreach, and consistent events to connect the public with the night sky. There are approximately 200 Dark Sky Places globally, and this designation will certify that Avi Kwa Ame National Monument is a place with outstanding dark sky conditions and an ongoing commitment to resource protection and public access.

How can you get involved?

Help us take Sky Quality Light Readings

Join our volunteer group as they visit sites around the monument on a regular basis during new moons to measure the quality of our dark skies.

Upgrade your outdoor lighting

Helping the night sky stay dark can be as simple as making sure our nighttime lighting is pointing down as much as possible, rather than outward or up toward the sky. Minimizing excessive bright lighting at night and upgrading to light fixtures that are designed to point the light downward can be a big help in lowering our impact and increasing our access to the darkness of the night.

Spread the Word

Sharing the importance of keeping our dark skies dark with your friends and neighbors can help this project succeed. Even more than that, dark sky protection movements are happening across the globe, with cities like Boulder City applying to become a Dark Sky Community through efforts to decrease their municipal light sources. When citizens care and speak up, that can lead to more county and state-wide efforts to encourage compatible outdoor lighting for dark night skies.