Michigan state park dark sky preserves now officially open 24 hours

Stargazers will now have 24-hour entry to Michigan’s Darkish Sky Preserves following a brand new land use order handed by the state Division of Pure Sources Thursday.

Darkish Sky Preserves are particular areas inside state parks the place gentle air pollution is proscribed.

Beforehand, entrance to darkish sky preserves in state parks have been restricted to park hours which closed from 10 p.m. to eight a.m.

This technically left guests hoping to expertise areas with restricted gentle air pollution little time to gaze up on the evening sky, although the rule wasn’t strongly enforced.

Regulatory Unit Supervisor Nicole Hunt says the official change raises consciousness concerning the state’s pure sources.

“And particularly darkish sky preserves, they’re in a few of our most lovely places, and so hopefully everybody will capable of get out and expertise the park through the day but in addition at evening.”

She says managers of the preserves have been key to the change.

“Whereas they have been allowing people to return in and consider the evening sky additionally they needed to ensure that in doing that and permitting that, that it was per what our legal guidelines allowed and offered for so far as entry instances.”

There are at present six darkish sky preserves inside Michigan state parks. The brand new ordinance takes impact June 10.