Dear Editor,
I came to Tucker County almost a year ago as an AmeriCorps member. I graduated from Georgia State University. Coming from a big city where so many things are open 24/7, I had few chances to experience what so many in Tucker County take for granted—dark skies. The skies in the Atlanta area are usually hazy. They glow reddish-orange at night because of lights from homes, streets, parking lots, and 24-hour businesses.
I came to Blackwater Falls State Park last September and attended the Star Party put on by Kanawha Valley Astronomical Society, and I remember feeling so disoriented looking at the sky. I could see so many stars that I didn’t know where any of the constellations were. Then I remember noticing a strange cloud glowing across the sky. I saw this only once before in the middle of Lake Titicaca while on a study abroad trip in Peru—it was the Milky Way!
There are so many people in our country who go their whole lives without ever seeing the Milky Way. They live in cities where they need blackout curtains just to get a decent night’s sleep.
In Tucker County, we are so fortunate to have true wilderness. We can walk outside and see numerous stars, nebulae, and other objects in the night sky. And, we don’t have to see the ominous red haze that “light pollution” creates, which disorients both us and the animals.
Since I’ve been in Tucker County I’ve heard mixed opinions about the Corridor H and where it will go next; however, most tend to agree that we need to make sure that Tucker County is prepared for the coming changes. As someone from a well-populated area, I want to remind the people of Tucker County not to take the dark skies for granted.
Please be mindful of light usage. It’s not necessary to keep the outside lights on all night. I know I never want to see LED Billboards on the Corridor, nor do I want to see wasteful upward-facing lighting outside new developments. If the people of Tucker County don’t want this either, businesses will comply to the people’s standards.
Tucker County is so unique. This County has some of the darkest skies on the East Coast. If you want your children and grandchildren to be able to look up at the sky at night and marvel at the immensity of our Universe, make sure you do what you can to keep Tucker County dark.
On Tuesday, July 25th at 7:30 pm at the Canaan Valley Resort State Park Main Lodge, The Tucker County Planning Commission will host Astronomer Diane Turnshek for “Stars Above,” a free educational talk about Astronomy and dark sky preservation immediately followed by a guided stargazing at Canaan Valley Resort State Park’s Nature Center.
In case of rain or excessive cloud cover, the talk and star gazing event will be moved to Friday, August 25th at 7:30 pm.
Katie Teems
Thomas, WV
