Flagstaff Celebrates 25th Anniversary as the World's First International Dark Sky City

Flagstaff is celebrating the 25th anniversary of its designation as the world’s first International Dark Sky City. The recognition was awarded by DarkSky International (formerly the International Dark-Sky Association) on October 24, 2001.

A Pioneer in Dark Sky Protection
- Flagstaff has a long history of protecting its night sky.
- In 1958, it introduced the world's first outdoor lighting ordinance aimed at reducing light pollution.
- In 1989, the city and Coconino County adopted the world's first comprehensive outdoor lighting code.

Home to Major Astronomical Institutions
- Flagstaff is home to:
- Lowell Observatory, where Pluto was discovered in 1930.
- U.S. Naval Observatory Flagstaff Station.

Birth of the Dark Sky Places Program
- The Flagstaff Dark Skies Coalition, formed in 1999, proposed recognizing an entire city for protecting dark skies.
- This idea led to the creation of the International Dark Sky Places Program.

Global Impact
- What began with Flagstaff has grown into a worldwide movement.
- The program now includes 277 certified communities, parks, reserves and protected areas across the globe.
- Certified locations protect more than 237,000 sq. km of dark-sky landscapes.

Benefits of Dark Sky Preservation
- Reduces light pollution.
- Supports wildlife and ecosystems.
- Saves energy.
- Preserves cultural connections to the night sky.
- Promotes growing dark-sky tourism.

Continuing Leadership
- In 2026, Flagstaff upgraded 4,000 streetlights to narrowband amber LEDs.
- The city remains one of the few urban areas where the Milky Way is visible to the naked eye from downtown.

Anniversary Celebrations
- While the designation anniversary is being marked now, Flagstaff's 25th Anniversary Celebration is planned for International Dark Sky Week (April 5-11, 2027).

About DarkSky International
- DarkSky International works to protect the nighttime environment through responsible outdoor lighting and public education.
- Its mission is to preserve dark skies as a natural resource for future generations.