— FEATURED STORY —
Starry, Starry Night
Noctourism Draws Stargazers
to Northern Minnesota
— FEATURED STORY —
Starry, Starry Night
Noctourism Draws Stargazers
to Northern Minnesota
Starry, Starry, Night
Noctourism Draws Stargazers
to Northern Minnesota
WRITTEN BY FELICIA SCHNEIDERHAN
“Battle Lines” takes its name from the way the Milky Way is at odds with the lights and sky glow along the horizon. This photo was taken looking southwest at Leech Lake in 2022. The source of the bright white light on the left is a single yard light 1.6 miles away. The two orange sky glow bubbles directly below the Milky Way are from Crosby and Ironton, forty-five miles away, and the isolated white sky glow about one quarter of the way in from the right side is from a single business twelve miles away (photo by Todd Burlet).
Thirteen-year-old Esther recalls crossing a northern Minnesota lake at night aboard her family’s boat. She was eight years old; it was late September; and as she huddled in a quilt close to her mother, she looked up into the sky and gasped, “What is that?”
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“What’s what?” her mother asked, looking up.
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“That.” Esther pointed to a wide, dense white streak arcing across the sky, from the northeast to the southwest.
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Her mother leaned back, taking in the whole sky. “Ah, that is the Milky Way.”
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It’s an experience many Minnesotans can appreciate: The beauty and awe of a truly dark night sky and all that can be seen beyond our own planet. But we may not comprehend how special it is. The dark night sky is, in fact, increasingly rare. Because of light pollution, 80 percent of people around the world may never experience being outside at night under a truly dark sky in their lifetime. In the United States and Europe, 99 percent of the population can’t experience a natural night sky.
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These findings were announced in the 2016 study “World Atlas of Artificial Night Sky Brightness,” published in the open-access journal Science Advances, and brought to light (sorry, couldn’t help it) by DarkSky International, the worldwide authority on light pollution and night sky conservancy. The organization seeks to increase awareness and advocacy for our dark night skies. It’s not just something beautiful to behold; dark skies and the natural twenty-four-hour light and dark cycle are vital to human, animal, and plant life everywhere.
This reflection of the Milky Way was taken in a park with strong Milky Way alignments. Under clear skies, the stars were brilliant, and the gentle lapping of water filled the quiet. Hayes Scriven, night sky photographer and site manager of Split Rock Lighthouse in Two Harbors, describes it as “one of those nights where everything slows down and the sky takes over” (photo by Hayes Scriven).
A new body of growing scientific research is studying the brightening night sky and its impacts on our ecosystem, wildlife, and human health. For instance, migrating birds, sea turtles, and nighttime predatory animals are negatively impacted by over lighting. Over lighting also affects pollinating insects, which impacts crop health. Controlled studies of indoor lighting on humans show how light exposure at night can disrupt chemical signaling and suppress our production of melatonin, an important signal for sleep. Some studies suggest that disrupting the natural light and dark cycles of day and night can affect our gene functioning. To learn more about the growing body of scientific evidence on the impacts of our brightening night skies, visit the Artificial Light at Night Database, accessed through DarkSky.org.
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Because of advocacy efforts of organizations like DarkSky International and, closer to home, Starry Skies North, people everywhere are learning the importance of preserving our dark night skies. On display through December 2026 at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History in Washington, DC, an in-depth exhibit on the need for dark night skies is educating thousands of visitors every day.
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An unexpected by-product of this advocacy work is that when people know something is rare, they want to see it, for the beauty and the rare experience.
This photo, taken in 2019 in a very dark area in Chile, is packed with stars invisible to anyone living under moderate light pollution (photo by Todd Burlet).
Enter Noctourism
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Also called “astrotourism” or “dark sky tourism,” this new travel trend first gained momentum during the pandemic, inspired by people’s desire to get outdoors.
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Northern Minnesota is especially good for dark sky viewing. Seeing is believing: We can step right outside our doors, or drive ten minutes out of town, and see that dark sky firsthand. What we have right here is also recognized by the International Dark Sky Places program, an independent review process operated by DarkSky International, which certifies outstanding dark sky sites and commends communities for responsible lighting practices and public education. International Dark Sky Sanctuary Designation Guidelines specify light use and practices in the protected area. There are currently more than 196,000 square kilometers of protected land and night skies in twenty-two countries around the world; more than 250 places have been officially certified since 2001 for their preservation and protection of dark skies through responsible lighting policies and public education. Minnesota has two designated International Dark Sky Places, both right in our backyard: Voyageurs National Park and the Boundary Waters Canoe Area, which are among the darkest places left on Earth. Other good locations to view the dark night sky include the North Shore as well as the northwest, northcentral, and southwest parts of the state, says Todd Burlet, a Maple Grove-based night sky advocate and photographer.
Research and chance combined here. Scriven had never been to this location before—a risk in night photography—but after a ten-day work stretch, he needed time under the stars. Quick scouting showed him the Milky Way core might align with the lake, and he set out to capture its reflection in the water. “Walking down the path, I came upon the boat as the Milky Way reflected brightly across the lake. It was one of those rare nights when everything lined up” (photo by Hayes Scriven).
As a volunteer and president of the nonprofit Starry Skies North, Burlet educates and inspires others about the value of preserving our night skies.
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“Minnesota has more dark skies than the entire rest of the eastern half of the US,” says Burlet. “Some people have to travel hundreds or even thousands of miles to see skies as dark as ours, and they’re doing exactly that. It’s become common to meet people from across the country at Minnesota star parties.” Star parties and dark sky festivals, like the Ely Dark Sky Festival held during the Spring Equinox this year, bring together expert and amateur stargazers to celebrate the joy and knowledge of our night skies.
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What’s the payoff for coming all that way? Burlet names off a long list: Dazzling stars fill the sky from horizon to horizon. The Milky Way arcs overhead (the brightest part can be seen in summer, but it’s actually visible all year). If conditions are right, northern lights are dancing. And there’s the zodiacal light—a glowing pyramid of light in the west after sunset or in the east before sunrise, caused by dust in the asteroid belt reflecting sunlight back to Earth. One or more of the five bright planets—Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, or Saturn—are usually visible. With a bit of planning, visitors can schedule their visit during an annual meteor shower, notably the Perseids around mid-August.
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Hayes Scriven, night sky photographer and site manager of Split Rock Lighthouse in Two Harbors, meets many astrotourists seeking dark skies. He recalls a recent dark sky event when parents from the metro area brought their kids to see the night sky. “The kids literally said, ‘This is real? The number of stars we can see now?’ Yes, we all said, this is what darkness looks like.”​
Night Sky Photography
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Hayes Scriven notes that an interest in night sky photography is increasing along with dark sky tourism. “There’s a lot more interest lately in night photography because of the aurora,” he says. “We [Split Rock Lighthouse staff] have been hosting workshops the last two years on night sky photography—they’re always the more popular workshops. Many of the people who attend are like myself who fall into it and really love it.”
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Eager to try it? Todd Burlet suggests stabilizing your camera with a tripod, a stand, or a convenient surface. For a smart phone, make sure the camera is set on night mode. Hold the camera steady until the exposure is complete. For a digital camera, focus at infinity, open the lens all the way, such as f/2.8; start at ISO 1600 and a ten-second exposure. Check the resulting image and adjust as needed.
It may be a little ironic that Scriven, a prolific night sky photographer, manages one of our state’s most significant landmark lighthouses (though the light itself has been decommissioned due to modern navigation technology and is only turned on at certain times of the year). The lighthouse does not add to light pollution on a nightly basis, he says, and what lights are used at the park are dark sky friendly. This means that light products and designs minimize glare and don’t pollute the night sky. (The DarkSky Approved program for certified lighting manufacturers can be found on its website.) This all helps make Split Rock Lighthouse a significant destination for seeking a dark night experience.
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Scriven began his role at Split Rock six years ago and, inspired by the pandemic’s downtime, steered his creative energies toward the study of dark sky photography. He learned from both online tutorials and direct nightly experience. Posting his photos of the Milky Way gave him a sense of accomplishment, especially helpful during the pandemic, which soon led to a larger personal purpose and mission. “Learning why it’s important to have dark skies, what it means, and how most of the population doesn’t get to see a dark night sky encouraged me to get out and document it.”
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His photographs inspire awe and wonder from online audiences. “I hear it quite often: ‘Are there really that many stars in the sky?’ Yeah, there really are. It’s shocking how many people don’t know what the night sky looks like.”
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Night sky photography has also given him a deeply personal artistic experience. “It’s a very relaxing exercise. I can go out, be by myself, and stare at the skies for two or three hours. There’s a lot of history up there. Some of that light has been traveling for thousands and thousands of years to reach our planet. That’s a humbling experience. It helps put things into perspective.”
Tips for Planning Your Dark Sky Trek
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From Todd Burlet:
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Moonlight: Engage in a full moon hike, find peak starlight during the new moon, or enjoy a bit of both with a quarter moon.
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Stargaze: Spring and fall are both excellent seasons for stargazing. Temperatures are mild, there are no bugs, and it’s dark by dinner time. Winter can also be great. Some of the brightest stars make up our bright winter constellations.
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Gear: Plan for cooler nighttime temperatures and bring a red-light headlamp or flashlight to preserve night vision.
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From Hayes Scriven:
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Milky Way: Online sites and apps can allow you to plan far in advance, but make sure to check the local cloud forecast.
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Northern Lights: “A lot of times I don’t know I’m going out until two or three hours ahead of time. I want to wait for the data, rather than waste my time going out. I’ve been burned on that.”
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Time of Year: Winter is always good, because you get longer time; it’s darker longer. I can go out at 6 p.m. and shoot till 3 a.m.”
The “Red Green Show” was taken in November 2025 near Zimmerman, Minnesota. Look carefully: the Orion constellation is visible about one-quarter from the bottom and one-third from the right. The Pleiades (or Seven Sisters) can be seen if you draw a line from just below the last line of text above until it hits the left side of the intense red arc (photo by Todd Burlet).
Finding Hope in the Darkness
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Light pollution is not irreversible. While LED lights are great at saving energy, they have tempted us to over-light the outdoors. Better options, according to DarkSky International, are hooded lights that restrict the amount of upward-directed light, the use of dimmers and sensors, and products that minimize short-wavelength (bluish) light in the night, which can disrupt human circadian rhythms.
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Some light in the night is a good thing, right? Doesn’t it make our roads, our homes, and communities safer? Yes. But how much is needed? Studies show that cutting the lighting up to 75 percent on streets has no impact on driver and pedestrian safety. “We want everyone to be safe, but we can be just as safe with one quarter of the lighting we currently have. We really can have our cake and eat it too,” says Burlet.
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While visitors may have to travel far to experience dark skies, Scriven emphasizes that for people living in Minnesota, it requires very little effort. “It doesn’t cost anything but your time and gas. People would be amazed at how easy it is to experience dark skies.”
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In fact, he challenges people to experience true darkness. “Even with years of experience photographing dark skies, there are times the darkness gets to him. “Really experiencing true darkness is extremely dark. It’s almost deafening how dark it is. All your other senses are heightened. It’s one experience I wish everybody could have.”
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Editor’s note: For more information on the effects of and solutions to light pollution,
visit darksky.org/what-we-do/international-dark-sky-places/conservation.
For Burlet, “Split Rock Moonrise,” taken in 2014, represents the deep connections we have with the night sky and how we are all part of the vast cosmos (photo by Todd Burlet).