Night Skies

Pecos National Historical Park protects some of the darkest skies in our region.

NPS Photo / Stan Ford

The Organic Act of 1916 created the National Park Service and gave it this purpose: “conserve the scenery and the natural and historic objects and the wildlife therein and to provide for the enjoyment of the same in such manner and by such means as will leave them unimpaired for the enjoyment of future generations.” Night sky scenery has gained importance as it becomes more endangered. What was once commonplace at night – a sky full of stars – is no longer so available where most North Americans and Europeans live. Relatively remote places like Pecos NHP are places where great views of our night sky are still possible. Pecos NHP is actively protecting this valuable resource. The park is working toward certification as an International Dark Sky Park. Read on to find out why.

The Pecos People and the Sky

When was the last time you noticed the phase of the moon? Or where on the horizon the sun is coming up (this changes with the seasons!)? The Pecos People were intimately familiar with their sky. The little mesa or “mesilla” they chose for the location of Pecos Pueblo has an excellent, 360-degree view of the sky. They studied the movements of the stars, the sun, and the moon and their interactions with the mountainous skyline around their home for hundreds of years. Constellations we might now know as Orion, the Big and Little Dipper, the Pleaides and Taurus, as well as the North Star and Venus are all culturally significant to many Indigenous groups across the Americas. For Pecos residents specifically, ceremonies and seasonal activities such as planting were originally timed using observations of the sky. The paths of the sun and moon were important across the Pueblo world.

At Pecos, at least twenty kivas were built with their entrances facing east, the direction where the sun and moon rise in the sky. Today, the Pecos descendants living at Jemez Pueblo continue to keep Pecos cosmology alive. They are aware that each morning the sun rises over Pecos Pueblo, some 90 miles east of Jemez Pueblo. The movements of the sun, moon, and stars from the perspective of Pecos Pueblo continue to hold meaning.

A sky connection is the birthright of all humans. Since we’ve walked the planet, people of all cultures have had lives intertwined with and dictated by sunsets, sunrises, starry skies, full moons, eclipses, and other sky phenomena. The sky has been our storytelling canvas, calendar, first means of navigation, and basis for questions from the scientific to the spiritual. This and so many more reasons are why we are now making efforts to protect the night sky as part of our mutual cultural heritage.

 

Many animal residents of Pecos, such as this fox, are active at night.

Ecological Impact

Did you know that 70% of all mammals and 60% of all known species are nocturnal? This big percentage of our planet’s creatures rely on regular periods of darkness. They use natural darkness for hunting, for cover while being hunted, for reproductive activities or to communicate. Some of the Pecos species that are active at night include ringtails, skunks, bats, mountain lions, and the New Mexico spadefoot toad.

Some diurnal species, those active in the day, also rely on natural dark and light cycles. Many Pecos birds, from the black-throated sparrow to the MacGillivray’s Warbler to the blue grosbeak complete migration flights in spring and fall. Many bird species migrate at night, when many predators are less active and the air is cooler. Brightly lit buildings and skyglow can confuse or even trap birds. Some outdoor lights are purely decorative, or produce more light than needed. Spring and fall are particularly good times to turn off or down-shield lights on your home or business since that’s when so many birds are migrating.

Human Health

But what about us? Are humans impacted by light pollution? In a word, yes. When we are exposed to artificial light at night, we increase our risk for health problems. Some of these problems include depression, obesity, sleep disorders and even cancer. Just like other animals, humans evolved with a natural cycle of darkness and light. Artificial light at night, particularly light toward the blue end of the spectrum, can disrupt our sleep-wake pattern. It can also suppress our body’s production of melatonin. Melatonin does important things for us, such as boosting the immune system and lowering cholesterol. Natural darkness is good for us, and probably in far more ways than we even understand. There is more information on human health impacts on the Dark Sky International website.

 

Help Keep This Window Open

Whether you’re an amateur astronomer or a first-time stargazer, the sky is your window into the universe. Maybe you are gazing to the sky to honor our human legacy, to catch a glimpse of a bat, to photograph celestial objects, or to see into an exciting future of exploration and discovery. All of this is worth protecting!

Light pollution has already blocked the night sky view from most cities and suburban areas in North America and Europe. Unlike with other forms of pollution, we can remove excess or poorly-directed light with flick of a switch. As the population of northern New Mexico grows, we can use responsible outdoor lighting to both save money and save the natural darkness. Join us in protecting the night sky!