SQM REQUIREMENT: Having an on-going system to measure the quality of the night sky using a Sky Quality Meter (SQM) is a requirement for Blanco to retain its status as a recognized International Dark Sky Community. We are grateful to BCFNS Board Member Elizabeth Miller and member David Loose for faithfully taking sky quality readings in and around the City of Blanco for the past several years. Thank you, Elizabeth and David!

COURTHOUSE READING: We also want to give a shout out to another BCFNS member, Matt Lewis. Because Matt serves as a Board Member of the Old Blanco County Courthouse Preservation Society, he was able to get us up onto the roof of the old Courthouse on January 5th to take long-delayed Sky Quality Measurements. Readings from the top of the courthouse are ideal because it is in the geographic center of Blanco and it is free from the ambient light present around the Courthouse Square.

GOOD NEWS: In 2007, the zenith sky quality measurement above the Courthouse was 19.71. The latest reading was 20.02, which is a substantial improvement in (the higher the number, the darker the sky).

REALITY CHECK: This improvement could be real or simply a function of changing from the old Sky Quality Meter (SQM) with a 42 degree field of measure to the new SQM-L with a 10 degree field of measure. The older SQM could have been measuring more of Blanco's sky glow and, hence, gave an artificially brighter reading at the zenith than was true in 2007, hence the apparent improvement.

BAD NEWS: Of the 14 locations in and around Blanco for which sky quality measurements have been taken since 2007, only the courthouse roof shows a darker zenith today compared with the baseline established in 2007. Based on Elizabeth and David's latest readings, The average zenith night sky brightness reading for the 9 measuring locations within the City Limits of Blanco proper went from 20.43 in 2007 to 20.28 in 2024. This is not good news.

BOTTOM LINE: The night sky above Blanco is slowly becoming brighter.

CALL TO ACTION: We can arrest the slow brightening of Blanco's night sky if we are persistent in our efforts at night sky education and light pollution abatement. This is not rocket science! Our task is very doable. Working together, we can reverse the slow slide to brightness and regain the pristine dark night sky of our predecessors. There's lots to do but, collectively, we can do it!

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THIS NEWSLETTER

We hope you enjoy our newsletter and we are always looking for ways to make it better and more enjoyable. To that end, we invite your suggestions, comments and ideas for articles. In fact, if you would like to write an article to be published in our newsletter, we will certainly consider including it. Please send them to: newsletter@blancocountynightsky.org

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NEXT BOARD MEETING

Our regular Board meeting, which is open to everyone, will be Wednesday, February 21st @ 9 am, at El Charro Restaurant in Johnson City. If you would like to attend via Zoom, just let us know ahead of time and we’ll make it happen.

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CONSIDER BECOMING A MEMBER

We have been successful with our Membership Sign Promotion! The more signs we can get out in the public, the more people we can reach with our message about “saving the stars”.

For those of you thinking of joining BCFNS or renewing your membership, we are offering a free one-year membership ($20) with the purchase of a sign ($35 tax included). A membership sign is the best publicity the night sky can have. Here’s the link: BCFNS Membership Signs

For more information on all our membership options click here: Membership Options

Remember we are a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization. Please consult your accountant or tax adviser for details regarding deductibility for your donation