Big Cypress dark sky status threatened by growing light pollution

BIG CYPRESS NATIONAL PRESERVE, Fla. (WINK)—When the sun goes down in the Everglades, a whole different world lights up, but even in a place this remote, new threats are starting to show up in the sky.

About 10 years ago, Big Cypress National Preserve was awarded the designation as an International Dark Sky Park by Dark Sky International. Park Ranger Michelle Bonebrake says when people look up here, it opens their eyes and minds.

"You'll hear people exclaim, just say, wow, that's so cool," Bonebrake said. "That just gives me life. That's like fuel for my soul."

But that view is changing. Bonebrake says the preserve now has a night-light dome from Naples and an even larger light dome from the Miami-Fort Lauderdale metro area.

Those light domes are light pollution. Anytime there are unshielded lights shining up into the sky, they begin to reflect off the atmosphere.

"As you move towards any area with a light dome like that, you'll be able to see fewer and fewer stars overhead," Bonebrake said.

The light pollution is putting the Everglades' Dark Sky status at risk. Astrophotographers point toward development as the cause.

"Development is good, but we don't want all this illumination," said Dr. John Warner of the South Florida Amateur Astronomers Association.

"We're going to grow as a society. Florida is growing," said Richard Sherman of the Everglades Astronomical Society. "Light pollution continues to encroach everywhere."

For stargazers like Steve Frank, seeing those city light domes from the Glades is frustrating. Frank says he's never seen so many stars at once and doesn't know if he wants to leave until morning.

"I want them to shut it off when we're out here," Frank said.

Cortney Ferretti, another stargazer, says she could look at the sky for hours as things twinkle and satellites pass by. The skies are filled with new shapes and brighter stars.

"Really unbelievable how bright it can be on both sides," Ferretti said. "We need a balance of some sort, to, you know, from the satellites to light pollution, find a solution to grow as a society."