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Elysian Prairie Conservation

Night Sky
Loess Hills

Iowa's darkest skies, documented and protected. Live measurements, moth ID, nocturnal wildlife, and a real-time star chart for Castana, Iowa.

✦ Darkest sky on record
22.36mag/arcsec²
Bortle 1 · Pristine
~55× darker than a city sky
Dark enough that the Milky Way casts a shadow.
Already darker than our Bortle 3 Dark Sky Sanctuary goal.
measured at South Ridge · 55× less light than Omaha
◆ Pursuing IDA Dark Sky Sanctuary Designation
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Prairie Wildlife
Artificial light disrupts nocturnal species — owls, moths, fireflies, migrating birds. Darkness is habitat.
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Loess Hills Legacy
These ancient wind-blown hills have sheltered dark skies for millennia. We're documenting what remains.
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Scientific Value
Continuous SQM readings create a long-term dataset for light pollution research and conservation planning.
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IDA Sanctuary
We're pursuing International Dark-Sky Association Sanctuary designation — one of the highest honors in sky conservation.
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Astronomy Night Programs

Experience the Loess Hills sky with guided stargazing sessions, live SQM readings, and access to our observation area.

← Elysian Prairie Conservation · IDA Sanctuary Program