Yellowstone National Park
The enormous sky of Montana is legendary. These vast, open areas are breathtaking, and at night they are much more so. We'll use night photography to explore areas of the park that are rarely visited by people and will get to experience the park in a completely different way.
As we observe the Milky Way move across the sky, we will also learn about different constellations and stars and the uses they were given throughout history to navigate and tell stories of different cultures. People have been looking at the stars for as long as humans have existed; the ancient practice of stargazing connects us to cultures past and present around the world - and what better place to enjoy the peace of the night sky than in Yellowstone!
The National Park Service started monitoring (and protecting) the night skies within the parks in 1999 after realizing that more than 60% of national parks were affected by light pollution. They started by monitoring the nighttime sky's brightness at numerous parks, including Canyonlands, Arches, Death Valley, and Organ Pipe National Monument, among others.
With the growth of civilization, the bulk of the populous places in the United States (and around the world) have lost their pristine views of the night sky. We may be able to make out a planet or a few conspicuous stars of a disjointed constellation, but the true splendor of the night sky is lost for most people. The dark skies of Yellowstone provide the perfect opportunity to be awed by truly natural lightscapes and to reconnect with the stories of our past while listening to the gentle bubbling of mud pots, the distant howling of wolves, or the bellows and grunts of bison.
So join us for a truly unique nighttime experience in Yellowstone. Your expert guide is experienced in exploring Yellowstone safely after dark, so you can relax, enjoy, and photograph this wonderful landscape. In partnership with Yellowstone Wildlife Profiles, I'm able to take you in the park and explore the park at dark, star-gaze and learn about how the nights influence our wildlife, Tours are available year-round, learn more about it and book your next adventure with me here.
About Dark Skies
A sky without artificial lighting is referred to as a natural lightscape. The Bortle Scale, which John E. Bortle developed in 2001, is a handy nine-class scale that helps us distinguish between a clear night sky and one that is seriously light-polluted. The most natural night skies are Class 1, whereas Class 9 skies are influenced by urban areas in big cities. With the growth of civilization, the bulk of the populous places in the United States have lost their pristine views of the night sky. What is a typical Bortle Scale rating for a major city? Under these conditions, we may be able to make out a planet or a few conspicuous stars of a disjointed constellation, but the true splendor of the night sky is lost for most people. The National Park Service started monitoring (and protecting) the night skies within the parks in 1999 after realizing that more than 60% of national parks were affected by light pollution. They started by monitoring the nighttime sky's brightness at numerous parks, including Canyonlands, Arches, Death Valley, and Organ Pipe National Monument, among others. How does YNP measure on the Bortle Scale? Or are there other measurements, recognitions, etc for YNP that we can mention? During this tour, we will learn how the night sky contributes to wildlife throughout the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem and the planet, how light pollution affects wildlife, and how we can help to protect the skies in our areas, as light pollution harms wildlife, destroys our cultural ties to our past, and impedes our scientific investigations of the night sky. The intrusive skyglow of artificial light confuses many nocturnal creatures who depend on the night's natural darkness to hunt or travel. Their innate search for this illusory light sends them on an abnormal path that frequently ends in death. Photo: Bright areas on this map show sky glow from artificial light scattering into the atmosphere from North America. Visit https://cires.colorado.edu/artificial-sky for an interactive map. The dark skies of Yellowstone provide the perfect opportunity to be awed by truly natural lightscapes and to reconnect with the stories of our past while listening to the gentle bubbling of mud pots, the distant howling of wolves, or the bellows and grunts of bison. Nightsky programs schedule Schedule Milkyway April through October 2023 Evening night sky programs are usually presented during the summer when the core of the Milky Way galaxy is visible. Dates below are between the crescent and new moon offering the perfect settings to observe the skies. April 13th to 20th May 12th to 19th June 9th to 18th July 8th to 17th August 8th to 16th September 14th to 22nd October 14th to 21st Photo credit: Angela Tempo- Roosevelt Arch Photo credit: Angela Tempo - Paintpots Photo credit: Angela Tempo- lake Yellowstone Full Moon April through October: Full Moon programs are offered to enjoy the light of this celestial object. Small hikes under the moonlight will give us the perfect setting to listen to wildlife across the park and capture the magic of it. April 6th May 5th June 3rd July 3rd August 1st September 6th October 6th