Dark Sky Places has new members on its list, the most recent certifications being the Aenos National Park in Greece as a Dark Sky Park and Ynys Enlli in Wales as the first Dark Sky Sanctuary in Europe.
The Aenos Dark Sky Park offers guided tours where travellers can use the park’s telescopes to observe nebulae, star clusters and planets. Participants are taught to use a laser to name stars and constellations.
The International Dark Sky Places conservation programme recognises locations for contributing towards the reduction of light pollution by practising responsible light policies that conserve wildlife and the climate, as well as educating people about the effects of harsh lighting on the environment.
South Africa and Namibia have two of the only recognised Dark Sky Places in Africa. NamibRand Nature Reserve in Namibia is a certified International Dark Sky Reserve and the !Ae!Hai Kalahari Heritage Park in South Africa holds a certificate as a Dark Sky Sanctuary.
At the !Xaus Lodge inside the !Ae !Hai Park in South Africa, local residents offer tours and tales about the constellations and the indigenous folklore that surrounds them, including the traditional tale of how the sun and the moon ended up in the sky.
