Being in the Phoenix area has really made me appreciate LYJO, particularly because there is so much more light pollution here. It’s hard to try to tackle such a big project as dark sky preservation in just a matter of weeks, especially when it is something that relies on collaboration amongst communities. However, I think that I have made significant contributions to this effort. By monitoring sky quality at the LBJ Ranch and suggesting light retrofits to further improve the dark skies, I am helping prevent light pollution at LYJO and hopefully helping set an example for other places in the Hill Country. Additionally, through outreach like my night hike and viewing party for the first James Webb Space Telescope images, I am helping foster an appreciation for dark skies within the community.

Most importantly, dark sky preservation at LYJO did not begin and will not end with me. Much of my work this summer was built upon work that previous NPS employees started and will be continued by current future NPS employees. The International Dark Sky Association requires their Dark Sky Parks (which includes LYJO) to regularly report their lighting compliance and sky quality measurements and to host night sky related events, so this work will continue! Additionally, I designed the night hike to be repeatable and to be adaptable to other locations, so even programs I made will outlast my time at the park.

I am so incredibly grateful for everyone who has helped make this experience so special for me. I will always treasure my time at LYJO and I look forward to hopefully returning someday!

Part of my internship at the Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park has been creating programs to share science with the general public. The first of these focused on the release of the first images

from the James Webb Space Telescope. I wrote a script for and filmed a video about the telescope and the connection that it has to LYJO. We also showed the live-stream of the image release in our visitor’s center. During this live-stream, I was present to talk to visitors about the image releases and any questions that they might have. Astronomy is a field where science communication is important because so much of astronomy happens on scales we rarely have to think about on Earth. It can be hard to wrap your head around, but effective communication that avoids jargon and confusing language can help!

At the park, I also lead a night hike around the Johnson Settlement. We began our walk just after sunset and concluded as the stars were starting to come out around the park. This provided an opportunity to discuss the effects of light pollution on the Hill Country, and especially the effects it has on animals. While the LBJ Ranch is a dark sky park, the Johnson Settlement is located in the town of Johnson City, TX and experiences the effects of light pollution more than the the Ranch. On our night hike, I talked about how animals have a relationship with the night sky and use it to regulate their behavior, and the detrimental effects light pollution has on them. Ecology is an area where science communication is especially important because of the effects climate change and the environment have on everyone. Dispersing this information in an understandable way helps allow everyone to understand what exactly is happening.

I also had the privilege to be sent by my park to visit the Space Center Houston to see how they were sharing information about astronomy and space exploration with the public and bring that

information back to our park. Science is collaborative, and so science communication should be collaborative as well. There’s always room to improve, and this trip gave me an excellent chance to become a better science communicator by learning from others! I love science and I want others to love it as well, and science communication is crucial for that.

When many people hear that I studied both astronomy and biology, they assume that I study astrobiology, or the study of life beyond Earth and the origins of life. As interesting as astrobiology is, it is not the only intersection between astronomy and biology! Light pollution most noticeably affects our ability to see the stars, which can prevent astronomers from collecting necessary data, but also makes it harder for people to access dark skies to view the stars under. But did you know that some birds need the stars to use as a guide during migration? Or that artificial light alters the behavioral patterns of many nocturnal species? The issue of light pollution is one that is far reaching and must be addressed. This is where my project comes in.

The Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park, where I am located, is split into two districts: the Johnson Settlement in Johnson City, Texas, and the LBJ Ranch in Stonewall, Texas. Both districts are home to many historical sites, including Lyndon B. Johnson’s boyhood home in Johnson City, and his birthplace and the Texas White House at the LBJ Ranch. The LBJ Ranch is also an International Dark-Sky Association (IDA) certified Dark Sky Park, meaning that it is recognized for having incredibly dark skies! A lot of work went into getting the LBJ Ranch certified as a Dark Sky Park, and there’s still plenty of work to maintain this certification.

As part of my internship, I am cataloging all of the outdoor lighting at the LBJ Ranch and assessing if it is compliant with IDA regulations. Then, I am able to make recommendations for how to retrofit lights that aren’t compliant. This presents a particularly interesting challenge at a historical park, because we need to preserve the historical fixtures around the park.

I am also responsible for taking sky quality meter readings to measure how dark the skies around the LBJ Ranch are. This is one of my favorite parts of my job, because it is when I get to drive around the Ranch at night, see the incredible stars, and collect data! This data is also used to maintain our Dark Sky Park certification, and it is an excellent way to track the light pollution at the LBJ Ranch over time.

Through my work, I’m also planning several events for the community. This includes a watch party for the James Webb Space Telescope’s first science image release this summer and a night hike, where I will take visitors around the Johnson Settlement and talk to them about astronomy and the importance of dark skies for local flora and fauna. Events like the night hike can be repeated and will allow for this knowledge to be shared with the  community even after the end of my internship.

It’s hard to believe it’s been over a month since I arrived at the park, but I’ve enjoyed every second of it. Stay tuned for more on my work as the summer progresses, and I wish you all clear skies!