In working on the Dark Sky initiative, we’ve become accustomed to meeting so many enthusiastic supporters. Recently, Supervisor Dennis Rodoni’s staff forwarded a letter from dark sky photographer Marsha Kirschbaum.
“I … saw where West Marin is supporting a dark sky preserve. I am ecstatic about this. Though I do not live in Marin County, I have been traveling to Point Reyes National Seashore for 10 years to photograph the night sky. At one time, this was the closest Bay area site where one could travel to and still see the stars. I had some favorite spots to photograph, but over the years, I now have to wait until the Milky Way is in a more westerly direction before I can see it due to the lights from Point Reyes Station and Novato. I have images that were taken at Tomales Bay looking at the Milky Way as it spans Tomales Bay. Yet you can barely see it because of the Light Pollution from San Francisco. Point Reyes, with its relatively dark skies in the Bay Area, is such a wonderful resource, and I am so happy that there is an effort to try and protect it and bring back the dark. How else will we teach our school children about the stars and how our planet fits in this universe? I wish you much success, and if any of my images can assist you, please let me know.” – Marsha Kirschbaum
We were fascinated by not surprised after reading about Marsha’s interactions with light pollution here in West Marin. We can learn a lot about our area from photographers and commit to featuring their work on DarkSkyPointReyes.com.
Stories like this put the fire under us to keep on keeping on!
Peggy & Laura
Please note the LED lights coming from the Inverness Yacht Club in comparison with the yellow lights terminating from Marshall, California.
Published courtesy of ©Marsha Kirschbaum