TUCSON, Ariz. — Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument in southern Arizona has been officially certified as a “Dark Sky Park.”
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The National Park Service and DarkSky International announced Friday the large section of desert land had earned the designation as being a place for incredible night skies.
“This recognition reflects focused efforts to modernize park infrastructure in ways that support the surrounding natural environment,” Superintendent Raquel Montez said in a statement. “National parks remain among the most valuable places in the country to experience the clarity of star-filled skies, from distant galaxies to the planets that define our shared night.”
The monument consists of 330,000 acres located near the Arizona-Mexico border and the area was originally set aside in 1937 to preserve a piece of the Sonoran Desert.
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DarkSky has certain criteria that must be met for a place to earn one of the organization’s certifications. The Arizona monument is now one of over 400 places to earn the dark sky recognition.
The Organ Pipe Cactus monument was praised for taking steps to protect its nocturnal ecosystems, updating lighting fixtures and holding outreach events to promote healthy dark skies.
In addition, the monument began an astronomer-in-residence program in 2025.
A celebration of the designation is planned to take place in the winter of 2027.