AAS Resolution on Society Endorsement of International Dark Sky Week

Adopted 5 January 2003, Revised 7 June 2025

International Dark Sky Week, originated in 2003, and endorsed by DarkSky International and the Astronomical League, is a grassroots effort to highlight the beauty of the night sky and to draw attention to the ever-increasing levels of light pollution across the United States caused by poorly designed lighting. The American Astronomical Society (AAS) originally endorsed National Dark Sky Week in 2003 and hereby endorses International Dark Sky Week.

The AAS believes that the opportunity to experience the natural night sky should be available to every citizen of our Nation. This natural resource, which inspires our attempts to understand the cosmos, should be protected through the use of well-designed lighting systems that put light where it is needed and not waste energy through unnecessary illumination of the sky. Properly designed lighting systems provide safety and convenience without polluting one of our greatest natural assets.

The AAS encourages people everywhere to use the evenings during the week of new moon each April to attend public star parties, visit their local planetarium or public observatory, participate in citizen science programs that assess night sky brightness, or simply go outside to a safe, dark location to enjoy the wonder of the night sky. Learning the constellations, observing the planets, and wondering about the stars and the Milky Way are some of the most basic of human experiences and should be enjoyed by all.

More information on International Dark Sky Week is available at this website.