Finding Peace in the Darkness 🌌
Discover sanctuaries, find safe spaces, and uncover peace and inspiration under the dark skies.
Hello, stargazers, travelers, and changemakers,
Some days, it feels like I got run over by a truck. This week felt like an entire fleet of 18-wheelers plowed over me, over us. The daily changes, challenges, and crises are overwhelming.
So, take care. Take care of yourself, your family, and your community.
Helping helps. Serve, volunteer, and share expertise, experience, and evidence of truth.
Find peace. Find a safe space, a shelter from the storm, a sanctuary.
Where do I find peace? In the darkness.
Finding Peace in the Darkness 🌑🧘♂️
We live in a world with many threats, crises, and dangers—including too much light.
Yep, light pollution surrounds us, and it’s not healthy. Our lives, homes, and communities are lit to the max by artificial lights. Dark places have become a rare treasure. Light pollution is everywhere—in our cities, next to us at night, our phone screens lighting up the dark and impacting 83% of the world’s population.1
Light pollution obscures our view of the stars and disrupts wildlife behavior, sleep cycles, and ecosystems.2
Dark skies offer more than just stunning views for stargazers—they reconnect me with the universe and remind me of my purpose. Exposure to natural night skies can reduce stress, inspire creativity, and provide peace, safe spaces, and sanctuaries away from the light.
So, let’s explore the night. Where? Dark sky places, parks, and sanctuaries.
A Journey to the Dark Skies 🌠
My trip plan comes from DarkSky International, an organization restoring the nighttime environment and protecting communities from light pollution. They certify and help conserve spaces with search resources and maps.
Communities in 22 countries across six continents are combating light pollution in parks, reserves, and protected areas. These sanctuaries preserve the natural beauty of the night sky and offer unique opportunities to experience the stars as our ancestors once did.
Oregon has many Dark Sky Places. I have visited some of these places (Sisters, John Day) and hope to experience them all.
Sisters International Dark Sky Community, January 2025
Cottonwood Canyon State Park International Dark Sky Park, December 2024
Antelope International Dark Sky Community, December 2024
Oregon Caves National Monument and Preserve International Dark Sky Park, November 2024
Oregon Outback International Dark Sky Sanctuary, March 2024
Prineville Reservoir State Park International Dark Sky Park, May 2021
Sunriver Oregon International Dark Sky Development of Distinction, August 2020
International Dark Sky Places in Oregon | © Kacey Carpenter
My favorite dark sky is Joshua Tree National Park. I visited with my family in 2023 for my birthday and wrote about it in my new mystery-thriller, Do Not Die Today. In Chapter 15, Mitch, Ben, and Alex venture to the eastern side of Joshua Tree National Park to stargaze and recover from the dangers in the desert.
Planets and Stargazing in the New Year 🌌🔭
As we face 2025 with all of its changes, challenges, and crises, the night sky offers a spectacular treat.
Six planets will line up in an impressive row sky—Mars, Jupiter, Uranus, Neptune, Venus, and Saturn. Four planets (Mars, Jupiter, Venus, and Saturn) will be visible to the naked eye.
February 12, the moon will pass close to Venus, creating a striking visual pairing in the twilight sky. February 24, Mercury will be easier to spot just after sunset. And on February 28, there will be a chance to see seven planets in a row, with Mercury joining the lineup.
Take care of yourself, find peace, and turn off your phone at night. Get outdoors and experience a dark sanctuary soon.
Light Pollution, DarkSky. Accessed January 30, 2025. https://darksky.org.
National Geographic Society. "Light Pollution." National Geographic Education. https://education.nationalgeographic.org/resource/light-pollution/.