Night Sky Magic Over Olympic National Park
By Andrea Christensen, Director of Donor Engagement, Washington's National Park Fund
On a cool, clear night last August, hundreds of visitors circled near the Hurricane Ridge Visitor Center in Olympic National Park as Park Service staff and volunteers welcomed them to the Night Sky viewing program.
Park visitors made their way up the hill at dusk to participate in the free program, viewing star clusters and planets – glimpses into our universe. Visitors of all ages – from young elementary-aged inquisitive future astronomers to seniors who brought their folding chairs to sit and observe – were awed by the vast starscape, mesmerized as it unfolded more and more stars as the evening went on.
“Oohs” and “aahs” from seeing dozens of shooting stars punctuated the hush of awe that descended as visitors took in the sheer magnitude of constellations above them. For some, this was the most stars they’d ever seen at one time.
How late does the Night Sky Program go? According to volunteer John Goar, “We’ll stay as long as you want to stay.”
Creating Olympic National Park’s Night Sky Program
John Goar is a retired public school science teacher, certified Master Observer by the Astronomical League, and volunteer ‘Dark Ranger.’ He’s also an Olympic National Park volunteer veteran, having spearheaded this program in the park over a decade ago.
Although not officially designated as a “dark sky park,” Olympic National Park boasts 95 percent wilderness and offers excellent night sky watching. “Protecting and preserving scenic beauty is an important part of the park service mission, and that extends to protecting dark night skies through combating light pollution,” Goar says.
Full Moon Hikes are another opportunity offered through this program, in which groups of park visitors experience a guided hike on Hurricane Ridge with a ranger or volunteer. This year, the program set new attendance records, bringing the awe of the dark skies above Olympic to more people than ever before.
John Goar, amateur astronomer and Olympic National Park ‘dark ranger,’ started the park’s Night Sky Program a decade ago and it has grown ever since/WNPF
Asked what he enjoys most about introducing park visitors to the world of astronomy, Goar shared, “It’s really cool when youth get enthused about seeing something. I’ve heard stories where a young person has looked through the telescope and it’s really changed their focus – they’ve become amateur astronomers when they see the rings of Saturn or a galaxy for the first time. It creates such joy, and that’s contagious. It’s what motivates me.”
It’s no surprise, given his passion for education, that John is a recipient of the George and Helen Hartzog Awards for Outstanding Volunteer Service in 2016 – a National Park Service award representing volunteers all over the United States.
A Park Priority
Michael Glore, interpretive operations manager at Olympic National Park, says the Night Sky Program at Hurricane Ridge helps accomplish an important park priority.
“Traditionally in national parks, we’ve emphasized preservation or protection of the more tangible or accessible natural and cultural resources most people see or experience during their visit, like wildlife, natural scenery, and historical sites. These are the things we’ve interpreted in a lot of our programs, but over the years we’ve come to understand that everything’s really connected – from natural sound to the night skies. We now understand that dark night skies play a critical role in the health and wellbeing of the animals and plants in the park, and even of us humans, and how we connect to our cultural heritage and this natural system. It really gives us a sense of perspective.”
Glore says that’s one of the things the park is trying to do in the 21st century with interpretation; not just helping people find personal connections to the resources in the park but also finding personal connections to each other.
“If you go to any of these Night Sky Programs, you’ll see that visitors are engaged with each other. They’re all very excited and communicating with each other about a shared experience, even though they’re often speaking different languages. It’s a really great opportunity for visitors to come together and engage with each other and with the ‘Dark Rangers’.”
Preserving the Night Skies
According to the National Park Service, nighttime views and environments are among the critical park features the agency is charged with protecting. Night sky protection “enhances qualities of solitude and undeveloped wilderness character that animals depend on for survival, park visitors seek for connections, and many cultural-historical parks require for preservation.”
Michael Glore, interpretive operations manager at Olympic National Park, says the Night Sky Program at Hurricane Ridge helps visitors learn not just about the importance of dark skies, but also helps them make connections with each other/WNPF
Simply put, artificial lights disrupt ecosystems. From the predator-prey dynamic to many species’ reliance on darkness to cue when certain behaviors should be implemented, artificial light pollution can be devastating. For example:
- Darkness can cue frogs and toads who use nighttime croaking as a breeding ritual; when there is always light out, they aren’t able to behave in ways that would support or ensure their species’ survival.
- Insects are drawn to light, and artificial lights can create a fatal attraction. Declining insect populations negatively impact all species that rely on insects for food or pollination.
- Bird species that migrate or hunt at night using moonlight or starlight can wander off course, crash into illuminated towers and buildings, or miss their timing to migrate.
But humans can help, and that’s why night skies programs like the one at Olympic National Park are so critical. Not only do they allow visitors to experience natural darkness and the splendor of our natural lightscape, but they also educate us on how we all can take action to reduce light pollution at home.
Donor Support Makes the Difference
Last summer, the park was able to present 39 Night Sky Programs. They welcomed more than 2,200 visitors, including 261 youth. Much of this is made possible thanks to donor support.
Donations to Washington’s National Park Fund provide program funds to cover equipment and gear for the Night Sky Program, including telescopes and light barriers and red wayfinding lighting to preserve the darkness of the night skies. Funds also support additional staff who support the program, including a part-time ranger and interns.
“Washington’s National Park Fund donor funds enable us to cover the cost of tools and purchase other safety equipment, hire temporary park staff and interns – and even house them – in order to manage the program. If I had one message for donors of WNPF, it would just be, ‘Thank you. We couldn’t do it without you.’”
Take a Walk on the Dark Side
What better way to learn about the night skies than to experience them first-hand? You can learn how to participate in the Night Sky Program next summer on Olympic National Park’s website at www.nps.gov/olym/planyourvisit/nightsky.htm.
Olympic National Park’s Night Sky Program is just one of the dozens of park-selected priority projects that donations to Washington’s National Park Fund have supported. Programs like this one wouldn’t be possible without the generous donations of our community. You can learn more about our work at www.wnpf.org.
Washington’s National Park Fund is the official philanthropic partner to Mount Rainier, North Cascades, and Olympic National Parks. We raise private support to preserve and protect Washington’s national parks by funding scientific research, youth and family experiences, and projects that will keep these parks strong and vital now and forever, for everyone.
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