{"version":"1.0","type":"rich","provider_name":"Acast","provider_url":"https://acast.com","height":250,"width":700,"html":"<iframe src=\"https://embed.acast.com/$/68117c6753ed555148b0c2af/6a30a1860592e82545d3c609?\" frameBorder=\"0\" width=\"700\" height=\"250\"></iframe>","title":"Dark Sky Parks ","thumbnail_width":200,"thumbnail_height":200,"thumbnail_url":"https://open-images.acast.com/shows/68117c6753ed555148b0c2af/1781571884250-efa28837-23cf-44cd-aa27-c056914a6605.jpeg?height=200","description":"<p>Have you ever actually seen the Milky Way with your own eyes? Not a photo — the real thing, overhead, arching across a pitch-black sky? If not, this episode is for you.</p><p><br></p><p>Susan and Monica dive into the world of Dark Sky Parks — what they are, how places earn that designation, and what it actually takes to visit one and see something that will genuinely blow your mind.</p><p><br></p><p>🌠 IN THIS EPISODE:</p><p>• What a Dark Sky Park actually is (and why 99% of Americans have never seen a truly dark sky)</p><p>• The 5 types of Dark Sky designations — parks, reserves, sanctuaries, communities &amp; urban night sky places</p><p>• How a park becomes certified — the 1-3 year process, the Bortle Scale, and what it all means</p><p>• How many dark sky places exist in the US and worldwide</p><p>• Why 70% of wildlife species are nocturnal — and why protecting dark skies matters for animals too</p><p>• The visitor protocol: moon phases, red lights, dark adaptation, what to pack &amp; what NOT to do (Susan's headlight story 😬)</p><p>• McDonald Observatory's Star Party near Alpine, TX — a great local option!</p><p>• Book recommendation: \"Stikky Night Skies\" by Laurence Holt — a beginner-friendly star guide we loved</p><p>• App recommendation: Stellarium Mobile </p><p>• Plus: telescope farms, buying a star, and a book giveaway coming soon!</p><p><br></p><p>⏱️ CHAPTERS: See below ↓</p><p><br></p><p>📚 MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:</p><p>→ Stikky Night Skies by Laurence Holt (part of a series of books)</p><p>→ Stellarium Mobile Star App (free)</p><p>→ McDonald Observatory Star Party — Fort Davis, TX (~$25/person)</p><p>→ DarkSky International: darksky.org</p><p><br></p><p>🏕️ NOTABLE US DARK SKY PARKS:</p><p>Joshua Tree · Arches · Bryce Canyon · Death Valley · Big Bend · Zion · Great Basin · Mammoth Cave</p><p><br></p><p>🎙️ Two Chicks with Hiking Sticks covers the cultural, historical, and natural wonders of the world around us. New episodes regularly — subscribe so you don't miss one!</p><p><br></p><p>Don't forget to check out the Stikky Night Skies</p><p>https://stikky.com/</p><p><br></p><p>#DarkSkyParks #Stargazing #NationalParks #MilkyWay #NightSky #Astronomy #HikingPodcast #TwoChicksWithHikingSticks #BigBend #McDonaldObservatory</p>","author_name":"Monica Gonzalez and Susan Resendez "}