Category: Events

Celebrate April Dark Sky Month


Think you can’t protect the night sky close to a large urban community? Think again…North Fork Park, located only 12 miles outside North Ogden, is a true success story for Dark Sky preservation. Designated in 2015, North Fork Park was the second county park in the world to receive the prestigious Dark Sky Park designation. With the rapid growth of its cities, parts of Utah are losing the dark night skies that once characterized frontier life in the Beehive State. In an effort to save this vanishing resource, local residents came together to preserve the night sky. Thanks to their years of dedication, the International Dark-Sky Association (IDA) now recognizes Weber County North Fork Park as the world’s first Bronze-tier International Dark Sky Park. 
Read more of this success story here

And in our own backyard, you can take a trip to Cedar Breaks National Monument, an International Dark Sky Park designed in 2017 and one of the best places for stargazing in Utah. Cedar Breaks is located in one of the largest regions of remaining natural darkness in the lower 48 U.S. states and is developing into a mecca for astrotourism. Cedar Breaks recognizes that the dark sky is a fragile and vanishing natural resource and is dedicated to making every effort to help preserve it.
(Although the Park’s summer ranger-led astronomy programs were cancelled during Covid, you can contact the Park at (435) 986-7120 to confirm star-gazing programs for the summer of 2022.) 

Even if the ranger programs are not being held, you can read seven simple ways to enjoy the dark sky here 

Protecting our dark skies might be easier than you think. Check out this short video from Clark Planetarium for simple ways you can help protect the night sky. 

The hidden danger of white light: Blue

This is one of seven excerpts from a presentation by Marc Deshowitz, Preserving one of our most precious resources… the night sky. This video discusses the major problem the typical LED light has, it emits too much blue light which is both a health and safety hazard.

We will post another excerpt from Marc’s presentation soon. Here are the titles of the seven video excerpts:

  • Are we losing our heritage of dark skies?
  • The hidden danger in white light: Blue
  • How light pollution increases air pollutione
  • Outdoor lighting harms nature and crops
  • Bright white light doesn’t increase safety
  • Simple outdoor retrofit examples
  • What you can do to improve outdoor lighting

Let us know if this Initiative is important to you, if you are willing to get involved, and what else you think we should be doing to improve, preserve, and protect dark skies in Ivins. We will get back to you as soon as possible.

Are we losing our heritage of Dark Skies?

Here is an excerpt from a presentation by Marc Deshowitz at Red Mountain Resort, “Preserving one of our most precious resources… our night sky.” We will post six more video excerpts from Marc’s presentation over the next few weeks. Here are the titles of the seven video excerpts:

  • Are we losing our heritage of dark skies?
  • How light pollution increases air pollution
  • The hidden danger in white light: Blue
  • Outdoor lighting harms nature and crops
  • Bright white light doesn’t increase safety
  • Simple outdoor retrofit examples
  • What you can do to improve outdoor lighting

Let us know if this Initiative is important to you, if you are willing to get involved, and what else you think we should be doing to improve, preserve, and protect dark skies in Ivins. We will get back to you as soon as possible.

Support Pours In From Around The Region

More than 300 people signed endorsement cards supporting the efforts of the Ivins Night Sky Initiative to protect the night sky over Ivins at the group’s two kick-off events over the past five days.

It started with a presentation at Red Mountain Resort last Wednesday by Marc Deshowitz on the impacts of light pollution and a discussion of solutions. More than 100 people attended, including Chris Hart, the Mayor of Ivins, who gave some introductory comments supporting the group’s mission.

Ivins Mayor Chris Hart speaking at our kick-off event at Red Mountain Resort

That was followed by the Initiative setting up an information table at the Kayenta Street Painting Festival this past weekend and sponsoring a professional artist, Anat Ronen, to paint her interpretation of the night sky over Ivins.

Professional artist Anat Ronen creates her interpretation of the night sky over Ivins

Most of the 300+ endorsements came from residents of Ivins, which makes sense because the Initiative is focused on that city. But the group was excited to see so many others around region showing support for the Initiative. And they want to protect their night sky too.

Nearly 100 people from St. George, Santa Clara, Hurricane, Leeds, Washington and other communities in Utah signed endorsements at these two events.

Alison Holland gets three more endorsements at the Kayenta Street Painting Festival

In addition to endorsements, these events resulted in some Home Owner Associations asking the group for information for their homeowners and inviting the group to give their members’ a similar presentation. And two businesses approached the Initiative offering to promote the group’s goals with brochures and other information at their businesses.

Cherie Stoddard’s Gallery 873 not only supports our goals, but she prominently displays our brochures in the gallery.

Let us know if this Initiative is important to you, if you are willing to get involved, and what else you think we should be doing to improve, preserve, and protect dark skies in Ivins. We will get back to you as soon as possible.

A Professional Artist Paints The Night Sky

We set up an information table at this year’s Kayenta Street Painting Festival to tell people about our goals and share information about good outdoor lighting practices.

Our volunteers were kept busy, answering questions, explaining our goals, and getting endorsements. We haven’t counted them yet, but we received more than 150 endorsements supporting our mission.

Chris Haddad and Patty Dupre getting ready for the opening of the Festival

We also sponsored professional artist Anat Ronen to paint her interpretation of the night sky over Ivins. Watch her create an anamorphic street painting showing her interpretation of the night sky over Ivins.

The finished painting
Alison Holland watches people sign endorsement cards supporting our efforts after she explained our mission and goals
Our volunteers stayed busy all day answering questions from Festival goers.
Lois and Tim wrapped up Saturday at the Festival.

An 8 Year Old Shows Us Why We Need To Act Now

Probably the youngest person in the audience last night for the presentation by Marc Deshowitz was Lily Williams. She is eight years old and is Marc’s granddaughter.

Lily was interested in attending last night’s presentation, “Preserving one of our most precious resource… our night sky.” She had watched Marc work on parts of his presentation at home and wanted to see the whole presentation.

In fact, she was so interested that she created a painting for Marc and then went on to create her own presentation about sea turtles. Here is her interpretation of the night sky.

Interpreting the night sky, by Lily Williams, 8 years old, Arrowhead Elementary

Lily is fortunate to live in a place where she can see the night sky and be inspired to paint it. Will future generations be so fortunate?

The population of Ivins doubled since 2000 and is expected to double again in just over 20 years. What will our night sky look like with twice the light pollution we have today?

Will there be nothing left to see for our children to be inspired by, marvel at, and cherish? Will the wonderment of the night sky be just a distant faded memory for those of us who were once lucky enough to gaze upon it?

We can’t let that become our fate. That’s why we are taking action now to improve, preserve, and protect the night sky over Ivins. We’re fortunate that the Mayor of Ivins agrees.

Contact us to tell us you support our efforts and/or to volunteer to help improve, preserve, and protect the night sky over Ivins. We have a lot of work to do and need all the help and expertise we can get.

Now that’s a proud grandfather!

Watch An Artist Interpret The Night Sky Over Ivins

Join us at the Kayenta Street Painting Festival this Saturday and Sunday, April 27 and 28 at the Kayenta Art Village.

We are proud to sponsor Anat Ronen, a well known Texan artist who has traveled the country sharing her amazing 3D and 2D paintings.  She will be doing an original piece for us that will showcase our night skies. Come and watch this talented artist at work. 

About Anat

Anat, a native of Israel, is a Houston based self-taught multi-disciplinary artist. She initiated her professional art career in late 2008 when the desire to stay in the US and make a living left her with no other choice. Anat had no idea where that desire would take her, and looking back, the journey was and still is unbelievable even to her.

Anat didn’t know she had it in her, and now every project takes her to new territories, testing her abilities and challenges her with new perspectives. Starting her artistic phase later in life means she brings some interesting insights to her work and a different perspective.

Soon enough after she became a professional artist – and in professional, she specifically means making a living out of making art – it became clear her forte is mural work.

As an untrained artist she has an organic relationship towards art-making that corresponds to a vital need, a matter of personal balance and identity. She has executed commissions all over the United States, Europe and Israel.

Anat works with a variety of materials from acrylics, latex, tempera, chalk, pen, marker, color pencils, digital and more. Typically working on at least 20 projects at one time, Anat prides herself on her ability to work on a large scale and at a rapid pace.

Her work ranges in size from a few inches to over 30 feet tall and covering a variety of subject matter. Versatility is her strong suit, commenting, “Everything inspires me.”

Preserving One of Our Most Precious Resources… Our Night Sky

Updated with information about the evening’s topics and directions.

Please join us on April 24th, from 7pm to 9pm at Red Mountain Resort for a free, fascinating presentation, “Preserving one of our most precious resources… our night sky.”

Would you like to know how you can help preserve the night sky? Then join us for this presentation on the importance of the night sky to people throughout history, and the causes, impacts, and solutions to light pollution.

Do you remember the first time you saw the Milky Way?

Did you know over 80% of the people in our country can no longer see the Milky Way from where they live?

Did you know the increased and widespread use of artificial light at night is not only impairing our view of the universe, it is adversely affecting our environment, our safety, our energy consumption and our health?

Do you want to know how you can help preserve the Ivins night sky?

Topics

  • A personal light pollution journey to the dark side
  • A dialogue about our heritage
  • What is light pollution, air pollution, sky glow, clutter…
  • Health concerns – birds, bees, trees, and people
  • Safety – home security and driving
  • The collateral impact of neighboring communities
  • What does night sky compliant lighting look like or not
  • Economic incentives
  • Some inexpensive or free solutions
  • What you can do

Please join us for this FREE, fascinating presentation on the causes, impacts, and solutions to light pollution

For more information, or to RSVP, please Contact Us

Red Mountain Resort Conference Center

The conference center is next to the Resort’s Canyon Breeze restaurant.

Featured speaker: Marc Deshowitz

Marc is a native of the Boston area. Upon completion of his undergraduate and graduate studies in Geology, he went to work in the energy sector for 30+ years.

Marc and his wife Chrystal retired in 2008 and are currently employed by Dixie Road Scholar where they jointly lead educational excursions across the Colorado Plateau and beyond.

Marc’s interest in preserving our night sky has led him to perform independent research on light pollution and he has experience in the design and implementation of light retrofitting projects in our area. He has provided presentations and advice on night sky preservation at local and state levels in both Utah and Nevada.

Meet Our Events Committee

Events Committee members at today’s planning meeting: Paul Andrews, Michael Barton, Marc Deshowitz, Sarah Dupre, Chris Haddad, Alison Holland, Lynne Johnson, Dan Krupicka, Sally Tom, Terre Wilson, and Vicki Wilson. All board members also participated: Patty Dupre, Sue Gordhammer, Kai Reed, and Mike Scott.

Members broke out into three groups at today’s meeting to finalize plans for the Initiative’s first major public event, an evening presentation at Red Mountain Resort on April 24th.

Join us

Our next meeting will be on March 26th from 1-3pm. We welcome your involvement. For more information, send us an email from the Contact Us page.

Attend our events

If you would like information about upcoming events, send us an email from the Contact Us page.

New Events Committee

We are excited to announce the creation of an Events Committee. The first meeting was yesterday and committee members are already planning three community outreach activities:

  • A special event at the Red Mountain Resort Conference Center with featured speaker Marc Deshowitz. Marc will give an informative and eye-opening presentation on dark sky issues.
  • An information table at the Kayenta Street Painting Festival, April 27th and 28th, with a commissioned chalk painting by professional artist Anat Ronen who will paint her interpretation of the night sky over Ivins.
  • A star party in Ivins in conjunction with the St. George Astronomy Group, date to be determined.

Committee Members

Lois Andrews, Paul Andrews, Michael Barton, Sharon Barton, Patty Dupre, Frankie Fleming, Sue Gordhammer, Chris Haddad, Kai Reed, Mike Scott.

Join us

Our next meeting will be the week of March 18th and we welcome your involvement. For more information, send us an email from the Contact Us page.