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International Dark Sky Week is April 13 to 20


Two people pedaling bikes in the country at night for International Dark Sky week.
International Dark Sky Week is April 13 to 20, 2026. Image via IDA.
  • International Dark Sky Week is a worldwide celebration of the dark and natural night.
  • Light pollution is the human-made alteration of outdoor light levels.
  • Go Dark is the 2026 theme.

According to the International Dark-Sky Association (IDA) – founded in 1988 and based in Tucson, Arizona – light pollution is increasing at a rate twice that of human population growth. And about 80% of people around the world live under a light-polluted sky. That’s why IDA has established an International Dark Sky Week, which in 2026 falls on April 13 to 20. The goal for the week is to Go Dark. According to the IDA:

From the darkness needed for a restful night’s sleep to the activities we enjoy beneath the stars, the night is filled with wonder and importance. Dark nights sustain critical wildlife ecosystems, strengthen the well-being of our communities, enable scientific discovery, and preserve shared cultural knowledge and traditions.

The group also hopes you’ll learn the stars and constellations, and teach them to others.

Also, the IDA hopes you’ll join the global dark sky movement to protect and celebrate our shared heritage of dark night skies. DarkSky International promotes solutions that allow people to appreciate dark, star-filled skies while enjoying the benefits of responsible outdoor lighting.

According to the IDA:

For this International Dark Sky Week we invite you to join us as we discover the night together, exploring its importance and the actions we can take to protect dark skies.

Five labeled panels of sky above a city, suburbs, and country, showing less and less light-polluted view.
Poor lighting in cities leads to larger amounts of light pollution. From a dark country sky, you can see the river of stars that makes up our galaxy, the Milky Way. Image via IDA.

Ways to celebrate International Dark Sky Week

Looking for ways to celebrate International Dark Sky Week? Here’s International Dark Sky Week links for Get out at Night suggestions.

Visit EarthSky’s night sky guide to see what you can view in the sky this week. A highlight that week is the moon near Venus from April 18 to 20. For more information visit EarthSky’s night sky guide.

Visit EarthSky’s Best Places to Stargaze page to find a good dark-sky observing site close to home. Share your night sky photos at EarthSky Community Photos.

Paul Bogard has written extensively on the importance of darkness. His book is titled The End of Night. His TEDx Talk focuses on why we need darkness. You’ll find his TEDx Talk here.

Poster with animals and insects around a bright streetlight.
Curbing light pollution also benefits wildlife. Image via IDA.

Dark-sky photos from the EarthSky Community

Submit your photo to EarthSky here

A starry band in a starry sky above a treeline.
View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Muhammad Bilal in Talagang, Punjab, Pakistan, captured our home galaxy on March 6, 2025. Muhammad wrote: “As the summer is approaching, our very own Milky way Galaxy is back in sky.” Thank you, Muhammad!
An old abandoned house on the prairie with a large, cloudy band of stars above.
View at EarthSky Community Photos. | William Mathe made the 100-mile drive to Last Chance, Colorado, for this scene on March 16, 2024. William wrote: “The ranch house is a bit of a fixer-upper. But it has spectacular views of the core of our little Milky Way galaxy.” Thank you, William!

Bottom line: Celebrate dark night skies and help limit light pollution by raising awareness through the annual International Dark Sky Week, April 13 to 20, 2026. Find links here.

Read more: How can I celebrate International Dark Sky Week?

The post International Dark Sky Week is April 13 to 20 first appeared on EarthSky.



from EarthSky https://ift.tt/vXVxFcb
Two people pedaling bikes in the country at night for International Dark Sky week.
International Dark Sky Week is April 13 to 20, 2026. Image via IDA.
  • International Dark Sky Week is a worldwide celebration of the dark and natural night.
  • Light pollution is the human-made alteration of outdoor light levels.
  • Go Dark is the 2026 theme.

According to the International Dark-Sky Association (IDA) – founded in 1988 and based in Tucson, Arizona – light pollution is increasing at a rate twice that of human population growth. And about 80% of people around the world live under a light-polluted sky. That’s why IDA has established an International Dark Sky Week, which in 2026 falls on April 13 to 20. The goal for the week is to Go Dark. According to the IDA:

From the darkness needed for a restful night’s sleep to the activities we enjoy beneath the stars, the night is filled with wonder and importance. Dark nights sustain critical wildlife ecosystems, strengthen the well-being of our communities, enable scientific discovery, and preserve shared cultural knowledge and traditions.

The group also hopes you’ll learn the stars and constellations, and teach them to others.

Also, the IDA hopes you’ll join the global dark sky movement to protect and celebrate our shared heritage of dark night skies. DarkSky International promotes solutions that allow people to appreciate dark, star-filled skies while enjoying the benefits of responsible outdoor lighting.

According to the IDA:

For this International Dark Sky Week we invite you to join us as we discover the night together, exploring its importance and the actions we can take to protect dark skies.

Five labeled panels of sky above a city, suburbs, and country, showing less and less light-polluted view.
Poor lighting in cities leads to larger amounts of light pollution. From a dark country sky, you can see the river of stars that makes up our galaxy, the Milky Way. Image via IDA.

Ways to celebrate International Dark Sky Week

Looking for ways to celebrate International Dark Sky Week? Here’s International Dark Sky Week links for Get out at Night suggestions.

Visit EarthSky’s night sky guide to see what you can view in the sky this week. A highlight that week is the moon near Venus from April 18 to 20. For more information visit EarthSky’s night sky guide.

Visit EarthSky’s Best Places to Stargaze page to find a good dark-sky observing site close to home. Share your night sky photos at EarthSky Community Photos.

Paul Bogard has written extensively on the importance of darkness. His book is titled The End of Night. His TEDx Talk focuses on why we need darkness. You’ll find his TEDx Talk here.

Poster with animals and insects around a bright streetlight.
Curbing light pollution also benefits wildlife. Image via IDA.

Dark-sky photos from the EarthSky Community

Submit your photo to EarthSky here

A starry band in a starry sky above a treeline.
View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Muhammad Bilal in Talagang, Punjab, Pakistan, captured our home galaxy on March 6, 2025. Muhammad wrote: “As the summer is approaching, our very own Milky way Galaxy is back in sky.” Thank you, Muhammad!
An old abandoned house on the prairie with a large, cloudy band of stars above.
View at EarthSky Community Photos. | William Mathe made the 100-mile drive to Last Chance, Colorado, for this scene on March 16, 2024. William wrote: “The ranch house is a bit of a fixer-upper. But it has spectacular views of the core of our little Milky Way galaxy.” Thank you, William!

Bottom line: Celebrate dark night skies and help limit light pollution by raising awareness through the annual International Dark Sky Week, April 13 to 20, 2026. Find links here.

Read more: How can I celebrate International Dark Sky Week?

The post International Dark Sky Week is April 13 to 20 first appeared on EarthSky.



from EarthSky https://ift.tt/vXVxFcb
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