International Dark Sky Week is April 13 to 20

What’s Happening

Let’s talk about Celebrate dark night skies and limit light pollution by raising awareness with International Dark Sky Week, April 13 to 20, 2026.

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The Details

For our free for daily night sky updates, as well as the latest science news. According to the International Dark-Sky Association (IDA) founded in 1988 and based in Tucson, Arizona light pollution is increasing at a rate twice that of human population growth.

And about 80% of people around the world live under a light-polluted sky. Thats why IDA has established the International Dark Sky Week, which in 2026 falls on April 13 to 20.

Why This Matters

The goal for the week is to Go Dark. According to the IDA: From the darkness needed for a restful night’s sleep to the activities we enjoy beneath the stars, the night is filled with wonder and importance. Dark nights sustain critical wildlife ecosystems, strengthen the well-being of our communities, enable scientific discovery, and preserve d cultural knowledge and traditions.

This could have implications for future research in this area.

Key Takeaways

• The group also hopes youll learn the stars and constellations, and teach them to others.
• Also, the IDA hopes youll join the global dark sky movement to protect and celebrate our d heritage of dark night skies.

The Bottom Line

Visit EarthSkys Best Places to Stargaze page to find a good dark-sky observing site close to home. Your night sky photos at EarthSky Community Photos.

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