Fertile Ground for Astronomy in National Parks

摘要

Light pollution has relegated the non-virtual experience of seeing a starry sky to national parks and other remote areas. Thus, national parks offer an excellent opportunity to advance understanding of and inspiration for astronomical sciences. We relate the experiences of a park ranger, a park scientist, and an astronomy professor who attest to the tremendous public interest in seeing the starry night sky and learning about the cosmos, not in a lab or classroom, but in the natural setting of a park. We review an overall strategy for sustaining this source of inspiration, enhancing public understanding through interpretation, and focusing partnerships toward this untapped potential.