Got Stars, Central Oregon? is a project supported by the 2023 Visit Central Oregon Future Fund. This project supports a consortium of nine organizations with a mission to educate residents and visitors about the ecologic and economic value of dark skies to central Oregon. Each of our participating organizations will complete a specific project in support of our mission.
Got Stars, Central Oregon?
DarkSky Oregon
Bill Kowalik, PhD, and Cathie Flanigan, MBA, Founding Board Members
Our goal is to increase community-wide outreach initiatives. We will provide information for news media, social media, websites, and other partner networks between Summer 2023 and Spring 2024. Success will be measured by how many people are reached and their responses. We will also use sky quality meters to support the certification of dark sky places for astrotourism in central Oregon, which will be implemented by February of 2024. We rebranded in June 2023 from the Oregon Chapter of the International Dark-Sky Association.
Oregon Astronomy & Rocketry
Robert Grossfeld, Founder
We will acquire evening viewing equipment to allow locals and tourists to experience the night sky. Evening programs will share the importance of preserving the night sky.
Prineville Reservoir State Park
Chris Gerdes, Park Manager
Goals are to meet IDA requirements and continue/improve on educational opportunities. We will improve lighting fixtures at the Dark Sky Park, and will incorporate signage and teaching supplies to further their capacity for outreach and education. The funding will also provide transportation to programs. The light fixtures will be installed by March 2024 and will be measurable by the difference in light pollution.
High Desert Museum
Hayley Brazier, Curator of Natural History
An outdoor kiosk will showcase the recordings of the previous night's sky. The goal of the permanent structure is to educate locals and tourists about the visibility issues of dark skies at High Desert Museum. The success of the kiosk will be measured by visitor use and feedback, and it will be complete by February 2024.
Deschutes Soil and Water Conservation District
Jena Thomas, Field Office Assistant
We are responsible for grant management and coordination among the consortium members.
Pine Mountain Observatory
Director Scott Fisher, PhD
PMO will install a new camera system to give the public access to PMO webcams and create walkways and safer public access to domes and benches. The goal is to increase public access to PMO viewing online and public safety in person. The success will be measured by feedback from the public. The camera system will be installed by December 2023, the infrastructure will be installed by April 2024.
Sunriver Nature Center & Observatory
Paul Poncy, Observatory Manager
Our main goal is to showcase proper, modern, dark sky lighting. The objectives include modernizing the lights directly outside observatory. The installations will be done by March 2024, and success will be measured by the measurable difference in light pollution.
Pollinator Pathway Bend
Barb Rumer, President
We will build a pollinator garden at Sunriver Nature Center and Observatory. The goal is to increase knowledge of native plants and night insects with dark skies. We will include signage to showcase how the two correlate. The garden will be finalized by spring 2024. The success will be measured by adding night pollinator plants and by visitor engagement.
Worthy Environmental
Grant Tandy, Observatory Director
As a proud partner of the Travel Oregon Future Fund, Worthy Environmental and Hopservatory are dedicated to offering astrotourism experiences and driving outreach and education initiatives centered around dark skies. Our focus lies in organizing enriching events that enable individuals to marvel at celestial objects while emphasizing the critical need to preserve dark skies and reduce light pollution. Through meaningful community collaborations, our ultimate goal is to cultivate an understanding among people about the universe's ecological, cultural, and scientific significance.
