This undated photo shows an image of the Milky Way as seen from the Warner Valley Overlook in Southern Oregon. In March 2024, a 2.5 million-acre swath in Southern Oregon was named the world's largest dark sky sanctuary by DarkSky International.
Joey Hamilton/TravelOregon
A section of southeastern Oregon is now home to the largest “dark sky sanctuary” in the world.
The area spans 2.5 million acres of Lake County. It was certified this month by DarkSky International, a U.S.-based nonprofit that aims to reduce light pollution.
Travel Southern Oregon director Bob Hackett said this new title recognizes the sanctuary’s pristinely clear skies, and the commitment of its landowners to preservation.
“It’s not a no-light movement,” he said. “It’s a good light movement.”
Hackett said to get here, project partners have had to develop a lighting management plan. He said eight state and federal agencies have agreed to follow it.
Hackett said within 10 years, every light source in the sanctuary will need to comply with DarkSky International’s standards. That means installing timers or motion detectors, shielding the light from shining skyward, and using light sources that aren’t excessively bright.
Listen to natural resources planner Dawn Nilson describe the project on OPB’s “Think Out Loud”:
Dawn Nilson, a natural resource consultant and project manager for the sanctuary, said these measures will protect nearby wildlife.
“Every being evolved with a day and a night,” said Nilson. “So when we light up the sky, we disrupt all those basic circadian rhythms, mating, breeding, foraging.”
Nilson said dark skies are also an important resource for stargazers. She said galaxies and nebulas are visible to the naked eye in the sanctuary.
“It’s something that most people really don’t experience unless you’re in the Australian Outback or parts of South America, Alaska or Africa,” said Nilson. “It’s just rarer and rarer.”
The Oregon Outback International Dark Sky Sanctuary includes the unincorporated communities of Plush, Adel and Summer Lake. More than half of the area is under the control of the U.S. Bureau of Land Management.
Project leaders said they’re already working to expand the sanctuary into nearby Harney and Malheur counties. The projected final footprint would surpass 11 million acres.