FOUNTAIN HILLS, Ariz. - Arizona just got another dark-sky community — and it’s in the Phoenix metropolitan area.
Fountain Hills was given the distinction of being an International Dark-Sky Community earlier this week, as per the International Dark-Sky Association.
Currently, there are only just over a dozen Dark-Sky Communities in the U.S., and now, Arizona has four. Flagstaff, Sedona and the Village of Oak Creek are the other three.
Fountain Hills is one of only two Dark-Sky Communities near a major metropolitan area.
Being designated as a Dark-Sky Community takes careful planning, and making some changes within the community. Cities must change their current lighting situation to minimize light pollution and enact ordinances to prevent the worsening of light pollution as the city grows.
To learn more about the Dark-Sky designation, click here to visit the International Dark-Sky Association's website.