The
Headlands Park in Emmet County has received a prestigious astronomical designation, as an International Dark Sky Park.
It's one of only six such parks in the U.S., where visitors can see an unobstructed night sky, not polluted by lights.
The park is located on Lake Michigan just west of Mackinaw City, and has been a popular spot for viewing of celestial events like meteor showers, northern constellations and comets for years.
That reputation is partly what spurred the park's Dark Sky Park Committee to seek the designation, which also protects the park from development that could encroach on the purity of the night sky.
Mary Stewart Adams, a member of the committee, says the designation will put the Emmet County Headlands park on the map for visitors who are concerned with the environment and with quality of life in northern Michigan.
"The designation gives us a place to stand so we can raise awareness about the importance of having a dark night," Adams says. "It's good for the health and well-being of human beings and of nature. We who enjoy the benefit of living in a beautiful natural environment like in Emmet County have a built-in responsibility to steward these areas in ways that protect them for everyone's enjoyment. And we don't only need to be concerned with the quality of our water and our air, but also another resource that belongs to all of us -- the night sky."
The park went through extensive lighting reviews, among other things, to earn the status from the International Dark Sky Association.
"One misdirected light can wipe out a lot of stars. There are many areas in the U.S. where you can't even see the Milky Way! It's a hugely different quality of life in Emmet County, and the fact that you can see the night sky has a lot to do with that quality of life," says Adams.
The park has plenty of 2011 programming lined up to celebrate the dark sky designation this year, from June to December. So if you haven't already seen the night sky as Mother Nature intended it to be, a visit might be in order this year.
Writer: Sam EgglestonSource: Mary Stewart Adams, Dark Sky Park Committee
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