Mayor Rachel Lumpee and Blanco County Friends of the Night Sky President, Wayne Gosnell, with the new sign at the BCFNS event on April 26.

The City of Blanco also shared the news via their Facebook Page reporting that “International Dark Sky Week is April 22-30. This year was extra special for the City because it officially became an International Dark Sky Community. In fact, Blanco became the 5th International Dark Sky Community in Texas.” In fact, it became the 37th International Night Sky Community in the entire world! Read more about this great accomplishment at Blanco Receives International Dark Sky Community Designation"

“The process was a long one for us, but the end goal was worth it,” stated Blanco Mayor Rachel Lumpee. “The City of Blanco sits at the ‘edge of darkness,’ with light polluted large cities to our east and south. We view our still beautiful night sky as a treasured natural resource that deserves protection from light pollution. We want to protect the darkness we have and actually reclaim the even more beautiful night skies enjoyed by our predecessors here in the Texas Hill Country.”

“BCFNS President, Wayne Gosnell was the driving force behind the recognition of Blanco as an International Dark Sky Community” said Vice President, Vicki Guidry. “He worked very hard for many years to help the city achieve this status! Thank you, Wayne and Congratulations, to the City of Blanco!!!!”

The City of Blanco was supported through the certification process by many partners including the Texas Chapter of the International Dark Sky Association and the Hill Country Alliance (HCA), a non-profit created to build awareness and community support for the natural resources and heritage of the Central Texas Hill Country.

Blanco joins the four neighboring IDSC-designated communities in the Texas Hill Country: Fredericksburg, Dripping Springs, Horseshoe Bay, and the Wimberley Valley. Additionally, Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park (Ranch Unit), Enchanted Rock State Natural Area, and Milton Reimers Ranch, all a short drive from Blanco, have been designated as IDA International Dark Sky Parks.

Wayne has this to say to our members:

“Howdy! Those of you who attended the Annual Gathering of the Blanco County Friends of the Night Sky (BCFNS) on Tuesday already know this news but may not have yet seen the Press Release issued by the International Dark Sky Association. If you weren't able to attend the Gathering, this might be entirely new news for you. Either way, we're excited! After 15 years of work, the City of Blanco has earned the designation by the International Dark Sky Association (IDA) as an International Dark Sky Community (IDSC)! As of Jan. 2022, there were only 195 designated IDA Dark Sky Places in the world. Blanco is one of only 37 communities worldwide to have earned this distinction. The City was officially notified of the award at the Annual Gathering of the Blanco County Friends of the Night Sky at the Los Senderos Ranch on April 26th.”

Board Member and Secretary, Barbara Hudson, expresses our gratitude to “BCFNS Treasurer, Larry Seiler and his wife, Terri for opening their Los Senderos Ranch for the Annual Gathering and Star Party. Your hospitality was most appreciated. Your ranch is a beautiful place and perfect for a star party. Thank you!” Over 70 members and guests attended the event. Additionally, a very special “Thanks” goes out to the Hill Country Astronomers! We would not have been able to have a star party without their expertise and their telescopes. Just as we were about to give up hope, the clouds cleared, and we were gifted with a beautiful, clear night sky. It was so awesome to view star clusters and double stars through the telescopes.

This photo was taken by BCFNS member and Rockin’ J Ranch resident, Mike Lundy. IDA used the photo in their announcement with the following caption:

The starry skies above Blanco, Texas is one of the things that draws more and more people to visit there. A dedicated group of volunteer night sky advocates work on a variety of night sky preservation and light pollution abatement initiatives to keep the stars at night “big and bright.” Photo credit: Mike Lundy.

The Annual Gathering was kicked off with social time where members and guests visited and enjoyed refreshments. This was followed by a program which included introduction of the Board and acknowledgment of Advisory Board members and key helpers. The first-place winner of our 2021 Essay contest, Kelly Karnes was introduced by Board Member, Linda Whitlow and then Kelly verbally shared her essay. Art contest winners were announced and those present received a certificate for their work which used the theme “Under One Night Sky”. Awards will be given at the schools next week. Elizabeth Miller, Board Member, asked the artist to share the inspiration for their art with all of us.



The program continued with an update on the state of our organization, including our activities and initiatives. Just before a short light demonstration by Wayne, we were surprised with a visit from the Wizard of the Night Sky (aka Bob Heinonen). The Wizard shared his concerns and lamented on his loss of control over our night sky. He implored us to help him and offered words of wisdom and advice.

Other News This Month

High School and Middle School Art Contest

The following photo and article were published in the April 27, 2022, edition of the Blanco County News and the Johnson City Courier:

“Members of the Blanco County Friends of the Night Sky (BCFNS) admire the winners of its 2022 Night Sky Art Contest for Blanco County middle and high school students. The April 23 judging at the Gem of the Hills saw more than 60 entries. “We were very pleased with the enthusiasm of the students and somewhat amazed at the quality of the art submitted” said BCFNS Vice President Vicki Guidry. “These students truly understand the importance of preserving our night sky and they expressed that very well in their art.” Judging the art, from left, are: Guidry, Elizabeth Miller, Wayne Gosnell, Bob Heinonen, Barbara Hudson, Linda Whitlow and Leta Garcia.”

Watch our Facebook page for pictures of the winning art pieces. We will also share the winning art in the May newsletter.

Next Board Meeting

Wednesday, May 18th @ 9 am, at El Charro Restaurant in Johnson City. Everyone is welcome to attend. If you would like to attend via Zoom, just let us know ahead of time and we’ll make it happen.

More Other News

The BCFNS 2022 Night Sky Song Contest is ON!!!

“Preserving the Night Sky!“ is the theme and may help you with some ideas but we won’t hold you to only songs of this sort. Any song about our night sky will be accepted. The entry deadline is September 15th. Don’t wait; start working on your song today!!! For all the details, check out BCFNS Song Contest.

Stat Report

Type	February	March	April
Lifetime Members	4	4	4
Paid Households	84	91	89
Household Members	167	181	165
Business Members	7	7	7
Signs Displayed	77	77	77
Facebook Group Members	558	568	575
Facebook Reactions	396	138	60
Instagram Followers	284	298	312
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Website Visitors (Unique)	1120	1000+	1163