It's a line in a song. The stars at night are big and bright, deep in the heart of Texas. For the longest time, it was a given. The stars really were big and bright. But the song was written in the forties and in the intervening years our state has grown. Along with the growth have come the lights. They're shining bright, often to the detriment of the stars.
Here in Blanco County we live on the leading edge of Central Texas development. Austin is coming from the east and San Antonio from the south. We can still see the stars, for now, but the day is coming when that may no longer be the case. Unless we act... and this is why we're here. Blanco County Friends of the Night Sky want to protect the dark sky so we can see the stars, our heavenly neighbors.
Development is inevitable, but development with an eye on the heavens, can give us all good lives enriched even further by being able to look up and see the stars. Because looking up and seeing them gives us a sense of our place in the universe and helps us dream of the future. So, if you're interested, please join us, spread the word, and help us protect those stars. We have monthly meetings and everyone who is interested is invited to attend.
Our mission is to promote and encourage the preservation and protection of the Night Sky in Blanco County and beyond; to support communities, businesses, and organizations within Blanco County to obtain and sustain various Night Sky Friendly designations; and to provide education and information to citizens of Blanco County of all ages in support of long-term night sky preservation and light pollution abatement.
LIGHT BULB EXCHANGE PROGRAM
We have received a grant of $1,000 from the Brown Foundation in Houston to develop a program that will make it possible for individuals and businesses in Blanco County to replace poor light bulbs that cause glare and light pollution with ones that don't. We have purchased flat-bottomed 2700 Kelvin LED bulbs and motion detecting bulbs to provide free of charge to those wanting to protect the night sky simply by changing out their bulbs.
We have already given out many of these bulbs, but there is more to be done. Unfortunately, we can't do this by ourselves. We need a volunteer (preferably two...North Blanco County and South Blanco County) to take this on. If you think this is something you might be able to do, please drop an email to president@blancocountynightsky.org and we'll make it happen!
Light Pollution Map of Blanco County
Light Pollution Map of Blanco County Note: Click on map to see light pollution map of the whole world.
