International Dark Sky Association Annual Report, September 2017 Capitol Reef National Park, Utah

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1 International Dark Sky Association Annual Report, September 2017 Capitol Reef National Park, Utah General Summary Capitol Reef National Park continued its commitment to the preservation of dark night skies and to the education of the visiting public and communities. Visitation As anticipated in last year s report, visitation to Capitol Reef National Park exceeded one million during the 2016 calendar year. While a few months remain of calendar year 2017, monthly statistics gathered January-through- August suggest that year-to-date park visitation is up 11 percent compared to Lighting Capitol Reef has continued to make improvements to its lighting, replacing and removing fixtures that do not comply with IDA standards. Many more fixtures that had initially been made IDA-compliant using temporary solutions such as special bulbs and hand-built shields have also been replaced, though these changes do not impact percentages of compliant versus non-compliant lights. 13 seldom-used, non-compliant light fixtures have yet to be changed or removed. Of these 13 non-compliant fixtures, 3 had been misidentified as being in compliance during previous lighting inventories and 4 are sparingly used stage lights for the campground amphitheater. Capitol Reef will continue to work on replacing non-compliant lighting in fiscal year September 2017 Total Lights Dark night sky compliant Non-compliant (90.4%) 13 (9.6%) January 2015 Total Lights Dark night sky compliant Non-compliant (68.1 %) 45 (31.9 %) July 2014 Total Lights Dark night sky compliant Non-compliant (36.1 %) 90 (63.8 %) Sky Quality During fiscal year 2017, park staff were able to collect sky quality data park-wide in June, August, and September using hand-held Unihedron Sky Quality Meters (SQM). Results are presented in the tables below. Note that some fields are empty. This is due to unsuitable weather conditions for those times/locations. Conditions otherwise were in compliance with IDS guidelines for sky quality data collection after astronomical twilight, no interference from moonlight, less than 20 percent cloud cover, etc. though skies were slightly hazy for some readings. Park staff plan to collect sky quality data with greater frequency during fiscal year 2018 to increase annual sample size and to track seasonal variations in sky quality. 1

2 Recalibration Three hand-held Sky Quality Meters were returned for recalibration after August data collection. Anthony Tekatch from Unihedron indicated the following: Meter 1 is reading lower/brighter by 0.01mpsas, which is within the spec. Meter 2 is reading higher/darker by 0.08mpsas, which is within the spec. Meter 3 is reading higher/darker by 0.11mpsas, which is outside the spec. The units were recalibrated and returned in September. Two additional SQM units were purchased so more staff can participate in data collection. Hwy 24 West Boundary Panorama Point Hwy 24 East Boundary Visitor Center Parking Lot Date June 20-21, 2017 June 21, 2017 June 20, 2017 June 21, 2017 Set 1 23:54 MDT 00:21 MDT 23:0 MDT 00:31 MDT SQM Serial # SQM 1 SQM 1 SQM 1 SQM Set 2 12:00 MDT 00:32 MDT 23:06 MDT 00:39 MDT SQM Serial # SQM 1 SQM 1 SQM 1 SQM Data Average Date August 22, 2017 August 22, 2017 August 22, 2017 August 22, 2017 Set 1 23:27 MDT 23:38 MDT 23:00 MDT 23:46 MDT SQM Serial # Set 2 23:29 MDT MDT 23:01 MDT 23:47 MDT SQM Serial # SQM 1 SQM 1 SQM 1 SQM Data Average Date Sep. 19, 2017 Sep. 19, 2017 Sep. 19, 2017 Sep. 19, 2017 Set 1 21:09 MDT 21:25 MDT 22:18 MDT 21:59 MDT SQM Serial # Set 2 21:11 MDT 21:26 MDT 22:19 MDT 22:00 SQM Serial # Data Average

3 Cathedral Valley Campground Slickrock Divide Burr Trail Pleasant Creek Trailhead Date June 21, 2017 June 20-21, 2017 June 20-21, 2017 June Set 1 22:50 MDT 23:52 MDT - 23:05 MDT SQM Serial # RM Set 2 23:07 MDT 00:04 MDT - 23:12 MDT SQM Serial # RM Data Average Date August 22, 2017 August 23, 2017 August 22, 2017 August 23, 2017 Set 1 22:04 MDT 00:05 MDT 23:03 MDT 00:23 MDT SQM Serial # Set 2 22:08 MDT 00:06 MDT 23:05 MDT 00:04 MDT SQM Serial # Data Average Date Sep. 18, 2017 Sep. 19, 2017 Sep. 18, 2017 Sep Set 1 21:17 MDT 20:52 MDT 20:02 MDT 23:20 MDT SQM Serial # Set 2 21:22 MDT 20:53 MDT 20:05 23:21 MDT SQM Serial # Data Average Halls Creek Overlook Cedar Mesa CG at Notom Road Date June 20-21, 2017 June 20-21, 2017 Set 1 SQM Serial # 3

4 Set 2 Data Average Date August 22, 2017 August 22, 2017 Set 1 21:50 MDT 23:55 MDT SQM Serial # Set 2 21:55 MDT 23:58 MDT SQM Serial # Data Average Date Sep. 18, 2017 Sep. 18, 2017 Set 1 20:59 MDT 20:50 MDT SQM Serial # Set 2 21:01 MDT 20:52 MDT SQM Serial # Data Average Conservation and Research One germane research project, described in the 2016 report as well, is currently underway at the Capitol Reef Field Station, which is operated in conjunction with Utah Valley University and located approximately 10 miles south of the park Visitor Center. The Midlatitude Allsky-imaging Network for GeoSpace Observations (MANGO). This project, which studies airglow produced by geomagnetic storms at the 630 nanometer wavelength, began in early 2014 and is ongoing. The investigation focuses on large-scale features that naturally exist in airglow and propagate over long distances. Understanding how these features form and propagate are active areas of research in ionospheric physics, and studying these features for long durations over various seasons and geophysical conditions will help in understanding the global nature of ionospheric dynamics. To study these phenomena, an array of all-sky cameras have been installed in various locations across the United States, including at the Capitol Reef Field Station. Within this network, the Capitol Reef camera boasts the largest number of clear observing nights. Research based on data gathered by this camera network is frequently shared with the scientific community, including at the 2016 American Geophysical Union conference in California and 4

5 the 2017 International Space Weather Meridian Workshop in China. More information on this project can be found at the following address: Education Funding In 2014, Capitol Reef partnered with the Entrada Institute for a grant to support a citizen science project in the community of Torrey. They were funded approximately $1, The project is on-going and meets twice per year to collect sky quality data in the Torrey-Teasdale region 10 to 20 miles west of the park. Capitol Reef received a grant of $ to support travel costs to host a volunteer astronomer position to work in the park for autumn The park will cover the cost of housing, approximately $ Volunteer John Allsopp will work from September 20, 2017 to October 21, 2017, providing daytime and night time astronomy programs at Capitol Reef three days per week and at the Entrada Institute in Torrey one day per week. Art and Culture Capitol Reef began an Artist in Residence (AiR) program in For the inaugural AiR session, visual artist Kit Frost spent four weeks in Capitol Reef creating works in a variety of media, including night sky photography and video. Future artists in residence will likely include those interested in projects related to the park s dark sky resources. Outreach at Capitol Reef Interpretive Programming During fiscal year 2017 (October 1, 2016 and September 30, 2017), Capitol Reef rangers presented 26 formal nighttime astronomy presentations at our amphitheater and 27 full moon hikes and stargazing programs attended the formal nighttime astronomy presentations attended the full moon hikes and informal stargazing programs. In addition to these regularly-scheduled programs, Capitol Reef also hosted a special eclipse viewing event for the Eclipse Across America. This event featured a recently-acquired H-alpha solar telescope, which was purchased for the park by the Capitol Reef Natural History Association. We estimate that a total of 175 visitors participated in the special eclipse event. Eclipse glasses donated by the Capitol Reef Natural History Association and by Petrified Forest National Park were made available to visitors too. Astronomy Volunteer In October 2016, Capitol Reef hosted an astronomy volunteer who presented an array of daytime and night time astronomy programming. The volunteer presented 22 programs to over a 1,000 visitors in October We anticipate that volunteer-led programs will continue to be very popular in October 2017, when Capitol Reef will host volunteer astronomer John Allsopp. Social Media Capitol Reef maintains a Facebook and Twitter page and started an Instagram account in 2017 and regularly posts on topics related to astronomy and night skies. Community and Media Relations Heritage Starfest Capitol Reef National Park and the Entrada Institute partner to present annual Heritage Starfest celebrations each autumn. Heritage Starfest includes star gazing in the park one day and in the town of Torrey, Utah on a second day. Daytime astronomy programs and evening programs with guest speakers are also components of the festival. The 7 th Annual Heritage Starfest in October 2016 attracted 450 participants. The 8 th annual Starfest is scheduled for October 20 and 21, 2017, and hundreds of participants are anticipated once again. This year Matt Toder from NBC Universal reached out to Mary Bedingfieldsmith, the lead for the Torrey Dark Sky Community designation 5

6 process requesting to film a 12-minute piece on the community s efforts and may include an interview with park staff. Capitol Reef Natural History Association The cooperating association for the park has continues to dedicate a section of the park bookstore for selling night sky focused products including: numerous books, a puzzle, stickers, a tote bag and a Tyler Nordgren poster. Planospheres and postcards continue to sell well. A new night sky photography book is popular with park visitors. The association donates funds to the park, and this year funds were used to purchase a solar telescope, solar filter, four Kestrel 3000 units for SQM collection, Capitol Reef Field Station The Capitol Reef Field Station has one 12-inch Dobsonian-style telescope and offers night sky presentations to visiting groups. Because so many of these visitors mentioned night sky viewing as a highlight of their stints at the field station, the field station procured two more telescopes a 90mm refractor and an 8-inch CPC telescope. Between October 2015 and September 2016, the field station hosted 46 groups comprising a total of 578 visitors. The vast majority of visitors to the field station take part in formal night sky viewing opportunities. A specific count of individuals is not kept, but field station staff estimate that approximately 500 individuals haven taken part in night sky viewing events. The Capitol Reef Field Station will also be hosting a star party of December 16, 2017, which will be open to the public. This event will be led by Brigham Young University physics and astronomy professor Dr. Denise Stephens and Dr. Tom Stephens, who is a contracted software developer with NASA. Torrey Dark Sky Community Application After Capitol Reef National Park was designated an International Dark Sky Park in 2015, residents of Torrey, Utah expressed a desire to work toward their own Dark Sky Community designation. This would make Torrey the only Utah community recognized as such. The Entrada Institute has launched the Dark Skies Over Torrey campaign to (1) replace all of Torrey s city-supported streetlights with fully shielded, dark-sky friendly LED lights, (2) help Torrey residents replace privately owned lights that are out of compliance with Torrey s new outdoor lighting ordinance, and (3) present an education effort to provide information to local businesses, residents, and tourists about the multiple benefits of dark sky lighting. This year, the city of Torrey submitted their application to become listed as a Dark Sky Community. Assistance Capitol Reef has provided written comments regarding proposed oil and gas lease sales by several Bureau of Land Management (BLM) offices in southern and central Utah. In the comments the park staff stressed that if oil and gas exploration and development occurs, BLM should include effective language protecting dark night skies in the permits it writes for leaseholders. Park staff have also offered to conduct educational outreach regarding dark night skies to one BLM office. Capitol Reef has provided assistance to Petrified Forest National Park in AZ onsite with SQM and remotely with the process for building the night sky application to IDA for consideration as a dark sky park. Staff will provide additional onsite assistance in October Contacts Acting Superintendent: Pam Rice, Pam_Rice@nps.gov Report drafted by: Ben Alford, Seasonal Interpretive Park Ranger, Benjamin_Alford@nps.gov 6

7 IDA contacts: Terry Fisk, Chief of Resource Management and Science, Capitol Reef NP, Lori Rome, Chief of Interpretation, Capitol Reef NP, Capitol Reef Field Station: Joseph Ceradini, Capitol Reef Field Station, Capitol Reef Natural History Association: Sky Quality Measurements obtained by: The dedicated staff of Capitol Reef NP and friends including: Amy Ireland, Lori Rome, Ben Alford, Michael Fehr, Allison Moist, Adam Lavender, Lauren Degennaro, Angela Oppelt, Matt Wang and the cactus crew. For more information about Capitol Reef National Park please visit: 7