Committed to Reducing Light Pollution, This Town Is a Stargazer’s Haven

In many ways, stargazing is an odd hobby to take up, but it’s still pretty popular. With obvious advantages, such as de-stressing and spending more time in nature, getting involved in stargazing is almost ridiculously easy. All you have to do is step outside and lean back in your chair. You’re now stargazing. There is something magical about looking up at the night sky and those sparkling stars. It is not just soothing but also fascinating. But, more importantly, how much of it are you really able to see? If you live in a big city, you’re probably seeing very little of what is actually above your head. This is because the city lights at night obscure whatever light is coming from the sky. Luckily, in some places in the world, people are making an effort to make sure stargazers can gaze at full-blown starlight if they so choose.

Jelsa  — The Best Place to Stargaze in the World

Jelsa, the second-largest town on Hvar, is the latest place to be designated as an International Dark Sky Community — it is the first town to do so not only in Croatia but in all of southern Europe. The International Dark-Sky Association is a body that aims to protect the night skies for the present and future generations to come. The International Dark-Sky Association has designated over 195 locations around the world as pristine stargazing spots. The association most commonly recognizes parks and reserves, but it also recognizes towns that are committed to reducing light pollution. Jelsa is the world’s 37th Dark Sky Community, dedicated to protecting dark skies from light pollution.

How Did It Happen?

To earn the title, Jelsa converted 82 percent of its unshielded public lighting to fully shielded, 3000K lighting, which helps prevent light pollution from obstructing nighttime views. The town is unusually dark at night, especially in the surrounding pine forest, and in its lavender and rosemary fields. In addition, wildlife is safer, energy consumption is reduced, and people now have front-row seats to the Milky Way above southern Europe. Looking up to the stars is always a good idea. Make your own schedule and do it your way. Simply take a step outside and look up!