Starry Skies North

Better Lights for Better Nights

We need YOUR help!

Across Minnesota, Light Pollution is stealing our views of the aurora, the Milky Way, and the stars.   But light pollution doesn’t just steal our stars -it steals the deep restorative sleep we need for good health, harms lakes and fish, kills migrating birds, prevents fireflies from finding mates, reduces crop pollination, and its blinding glare can even make us less safe.

Starry Skies North, Minnesota’s chapter of DarkSky International, is a nationally recognized, all-volunteer 501(c)(3) non-profit working to combat light pollution through educational outreach, advocacy, and innovation.

As EDUCATORS we support local, regional, state, Indigenous, and national partners, including Minnesota’s two Internationally recognized Dark Sky parks, as well as environmental non-profits, civic organizations, schools, libraries, artists, writers, educators, and more.

As ADVOCATES we work with governments, state and regional agencies, professional organizations, and businesses to promote win-win lighting solutions that save money, increase sustainability, equality, and public safety, and protect human health and wellness, our lakes rivers, and wildlife, and Minnesota’s ecosystems.

As INNOVATORS we’ve launched our Dark Sky Friendly Business initiative, which provides education, guidance, and certification to businesses that understand that good outdoor lighting is good for business, good for their community, and good for the environment.

People from all across our region have a vision of a nightscape full of stars. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if people everywhere could once again experience the beauty of the Milky Way in our dark night skies?

Give To the Max Day, Thursday November 20th.  It’s our only fundraiser of the year, and we hope to raise $6000 to fund:

• Creating Educational Outreach Materials
• Advocating with government agencies and elected officials statewide
• Building Light Pollution Demonstration units for K-12 outreach
• Supporting Citizen Science through light pollution research
• Certifying more businesses as Dark Sky Friendly
• Promoting more Urban and Rural Night Sky Places in Minnesota

 

"Mni Sota Makoce" (Minnesota) translates to "land where the waters reflect the skies." We want our waters to continue reflecting our starry skies now and for future generations!