Accomplishments

In May 2024, the Save Starry Skies specialty license plate debuted. As of spring 2026, nearly 5,500 are on Nevada's highways, byways, and backcountry roads! Each plate provides funding that supports dark sky education and preservation as well as astrotourism. Here are just a few of the Starry Skies program achievements:

  • Printed and distributed Save Starry Skies brochure - available in both English and Spanish - at community outreach events across the state
  • Customized and printed Save Starry Skies brochure in coordination with Nevada State Parks Division for Spring Valley State Park
  • Completed Massacre Rim Wilderness Study Area annual recertification to maintain its Dark Sky Sanctuary status from DarkSky International
  • Purchased Dark Sky Meters for Nevada Division of Outdoor Recreation to collect data for their state-wide Starry Skies certification program and monitor key state-managed lands for their darkness qualities
  • Developed dark sky monitoring plan for Gold Butte National Monument, building on data collected under a 2020-2023 statewide BLM agreement
  • Hosted a Save Starry Skies Plate Party at our Reno/Sparks office during International Dark Sky Week 2026 to help inform the community about the negative impacts of excessive artificial light and how we can all work to mitigate it
  • Helped secure formal proclamations recognizing International Dark Sky Week 2026 from the Ely City Council, the Lincoln County Commission, and the Washoe County Commission as well as a declaration from the Genoa Town Board
  • Continue to co-lead a statewide group of dark sky advocates, including members of the Astronomical Society of Nevada, to form a Nevada Chapter of Dark Sky International