Great Falls community is celebrating International Dark Sky Week (April 22 to April 30) by participating in a “One Dark Hour” experience on Friday, April 22 from 9pm to 10pm. Simply turn off your outdoor lights an enjoy the splendor of a truly dark sky.

Light pollution affects most of us in Great Falls, preventing us from seeing the Milky Way, lunar eclipses and meteor showers. Artificial light adversely affects the natural world by blurring foraging routes, upsetting eating habits and confounding migration for birds, moths and bats, leading to many deaths of these creatures. Too much artificial light at night also harms humans by altering natural circadian rhythms.

To learn more about the effects of light pollution and dark sky friendly outdoor fixtures, visit the International Dark Sky Association website at https://www.darksky.org/.