If you had to guess where the above picture was taken, what would you say?
Iceland? Northern Canada? Alaska? Finland?
Believe it or not, the above picture was taken in northern Michigan at Headlands International Dark Sky Park. This park is located west of Mackinaw City and encompasses two miles of undeveloped Lake Michigan shoreline.
Headlands became one of the first ten International Dark Sky Parks in the world in 2011 after a rigorous application and review process. One part of this application includes a detailed account of each light fixture on the property and their output. The application also includes a section where the applicant must show how the park will be used for public outreach and education about the valuable resource that is our night sky.
The designation of Dark Sky Park allows the park to be protected from development forever and gives strict regulations for development in the surrounding county.
I spent the summer working in northern Michigan and had the pleasure of visiting this park. While I was there, I spent to close to two hours sitting and watching the Northern Lights, an experience I will never forget.
There are currently twenty-two other Dark Sky parks in the United States, and I hope more are created in the coming years so other people have the chance to experience the same kind of awe as I did. If you live near a Dark Sky park I highly encourage you to visit!
A list can be found here: List of International Dark Sky Parks
