BCFNS In the News

This article in the Christian Science Monitor discusses the efforts in the Texas Hill Country to help curb light pollution. It mentions efforts by the Blanco County Friends of the Night Sky, and quote our president, Wayne Gosnell.
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This photograph, published in the Blanco County News, shows the Blanco County Friends of the Night Sky and the Blanco Chamber of Commerce presenting a Night Sky Friendly Business certificate to Oro Bianco Italian Creamery.
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This photograph, published in the Blanco County News, shows the Blanco County Friends of the Night sky presenting a certificate of appreciation to the Blanco County Commissioners for their support of the night sky in Blanco Country, especially the Night Sky Friendly Neighborhood Program.
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It takes a group effort to preserve the night sky above the Texas Hill Country. The Blanco County Friends of the Night Sky (BCFNS) has several active partners in this effort. One of the best is the “GEM,” the Gem of the Hill Community Center in Blanco. The BCFNS got its kickstart at the GEM when it hosted our first informational meeting. We had our initial Night Sky Art Contest there. Last year, we co-hosted our first “Star Party Sans Telescopes” event on the GEM's back field. This 7-minute YouTube video is part of the GEM's 2021 membership drive and is excellent. Several of our BCFNS members helped produce the video. Several other members are in the photos. At 3:44 it highlights the BCFNS. The BCFNS recommends that all adults in and around Blanco become members of the GEM!
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The Hill Country Alliance presents certificates to the City of Blanco and Gem of the Hills in recognition their participation in Hill Country Night Sky Month in October in this article in The Blanco County News .
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Our colleagues at the Kendall County Friends of the Night Sky sent us this article from one of their members, Jack Estes, that appeared recently in The Boerne Star. With the Moon, Saturn, Jupiter, and Mars all giving us a show in October, it promises to be one heck of a Hill Country Night Sky Month!
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The Night Sky Friendly Business Recognition Program, pioneered in Blanco, continues to spread. Businesses all across the Hill Country are being recognized for their commitment to night sky preservation. Each award represents a business that we want others to emulate. If we all pull together, we can defeat light pollution in the Texas Hill Country!
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This article in the The Blanco County News provides a nice concise description of the Blanco Country Friends of the Night Sky. Our thanks to Rachel Lumpee for doing this article on our organization and its plans and goals.
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One of the actions BCFNS is responsible for is getting the Texas legislature to pass a law authorizing the use of HOT funds to improve the night sky. Here is one of example of HOT funds being used to improve lighting of hotels, motels, B&Bs, and inns.
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This article from the Hill Country Alliance News announces the 2020 Hill Country Night Sky Song Contest by Blanco County Friends of the Night Sky. Details about this year's contest can be found on this website on the Song Contest page. Read more...

This article from The Blanco County News shows a photo of the crowd enjoying Becky Greathouse performing her “Night Sky Song” at the recent Cold Ones for Conservation event held recently at Real Ale Brewery.
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These two articles appeared in the Hill Country Alliance News. Blanco County Friends of the Night Sky held a song writing contest. They are also working with High School students to get out the word about protecting the night sky.
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This article from the online edition of the Texas Highways magazine reports on efforts around Texas, but especially in the Texas Hill Country, to preserve the night sky. The article has information from Dripping Springs, Wimberley, and Buda and mentions Blanco. It has some wonderful landscape photography beneath a brilliant night sky.
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These two articles appeared in the November 27 issue of the Blanco County News. They show how the Blanco County Friends of the Night Sky continues to work on reducing light pollution.
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This article from The Blanco County News shows a photo of two businesses receiving the Night-Sky Friendly Award from the Blanco Chamber of Commerce. The award is presented to businesses who have night-sky friendly outdoor lighting.
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This article from The Blanco County News shows a photo of several businesses receiving the Night-Sky Friendly Award from the Blanco Chamber of Commerce. The award is presented to businesses who have night-sky friendly outdoor lighting.
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This article from Texas Co-op Power magazine reiterates the commitment of the Pedernales Electric Co-op (PEC) to night sky preservation. The Blanco County Friends of the Night Sky maintains an active, on-going communication with PEC. Our organization, along with the Hill Country Alliance and the Texas Chapter of the International Dark Sky Association support and encourage PEC in their efforts.
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The Blanco County Friends of the Night Sky are mentioned in Rep. Erin Zweiner's legislative update of July 18. We were instrumental in getting HB 4158 passed into law. The bill allows dark sky cities in the Texas Hill Country to use hotel occupancy tax (HIT) dollars to protect the night sky and promote tourism. Click on this link and scroll down the page to read more...

This article from the Blanco County News discusses the night sky party held by the Johnson City Library on July 2, 2019. Our organization, Blanco County Friends of the Night Sky, was invited to present information about light pollution and how it can be eliminated. After the program, guests stepped outside to take a closer look at the heavens through the telescopes provide by the Hill Country Astronomers.
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This article from the The Highlander in Marble Falls announces that the PEC is supplying dark-sky-compliant streetlights to municipalities. They also can supply and install compliant lights on a member's property as well. The article goes on to discuss light pollution and things you can do to help reduce it, some of the same suggestions you can find on our website.
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The PEC (Pedernales Electric Cooperative) announces their support for dark skies on their website. The article states that Texas is home to three International Dark Sky Communities (Dripping Springs, Horseshoe Bay, and Wimberley) and all three are in the PEC service area. Other cities, including the city of Blanco, are working toward that designation.
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In celebration of the International Dark Sky Week, the Blanco County Friends of the Night Sky conducted its First Annual Night Sky Art Contest. Eighty entries were received from the Blanco and Johnson City Middle Schools. The kids did a great job capturing the theme of the contest — Celebrating and Preserving the Night Sky.
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This article from The Blanco County News shows a photo of Los Senderos Studio and Los Senderos Ranch receiving the Night-Sky Friendly Award from the Blanco Chamber of Commerce. The award is presented to businesses who have night-sky friendly outdoor lighting.
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