Join the global community of advocates protecting the night sky for Under One Sky 2023 — a 24-hour virtual event that will leave you feeling inspired and empowered to combat light pollution in your region.
You’ll hear from experts and storytellers in the dark sky movement, connect with passionate individuals from DarkSky’s global network, and learn about hands-on activities and tools that you can use to protect the night. Register now! Early Bird pricing ends October 1st.
More speakers to be announced!
Jo Marchant is an award-winning science journalist and author of popular books including Decoding the Heavens and The Human Cosmos. Her writing explores the nature of humanity and our universe, from the mind-body connection to the mysteries of past civilisations and the awesome power of the night sky. This talk will explore the cultural importance of the sky – telling a story of how the Sun, Moon and stars have inspired and guided humanity since Palaeolithic times – and trace how our relationship with the stars has changed as we’ve built a scientific understanding of our universe and become more reliant on technologies from central heating to GPS. Jo will argue that alongside the elegant and powerful explanations of science, our physical, spiritual and ecological wellbeing depend on rediscovering a more personal connection with the cosmos in which we live.
Babak Tafreshi is an Iranian-American science photographer, cinematographer, and National Geographic explorer based in Boston area. Since 2007, Tafreshi has directed The World at Night program with a team of photographers in 20 countries. The program’s mission to reveal the value of natural dark skies and impact of light pollution was captured through The World at Night, a book authored by Tafreshi and published in multiple languages. Tafreshi uses visual stories, timelapse motion, and virtual reality to create an understandable portal to wonders of Earth and sky. His work is recognized by the 2022 National Geographic Wayfinder Award, the Royal Photography Society Award for Scientific Imaging, and the 2009 Lennart Nilsson Award. In addition, the International Astronomical Union named the 2-km minor planet 276163 after Tafreshi.
Ruskin Hartley joined DarkSky International as its executive director in 2019. Ruskin brings more than 20 years of conservation experience to guide DarkSky’s work to protect the night sky. Ruskin has spent his career directing and managing conservation programs that protect the nation’s land, water, and ocean resources–from primeval forests to the iconic beaches of Southern California.
Tom is a retired Washington, D.C., lawyer who spent most of his career representing airlines and railroads in labor and employment matters, including extensive experience translating scientific experts for lay decision-makers. He is a graduate of Harvard College and the Harvard Law School.
His environmental activism included a decade fighting water pollution with local riverkeeper organizations on the Chesapeake Bay in Maryland. In 2013, seeing the Andromeda Galaxy for the first time with his naked eyes from atop Kitt Peak rekindled an interest in astronomy and a desire to eliminate light pollution.
Currently residing in Northern Virginia, he and his wife Chris travel extensively in the Western United States seeking dark sky locations. For several years he has assisted DarkSky as a volunteer on legal and public policy issues at the national level.
Samyukta is an astrotourism consultant and the director of Noctia Institute, a nonprofit organization dedicated to the protection of natural dark skies. With a background in science communication, outreach, astrotourism, and experience design, Samyukta is interested in an interdisciplinary approach to dark sky conservation that integrates science with cultural and environmental preservation.
She received the Dark Sky Defender award from DarkSky in 2022, and is currently involved in the establishment of the Kenyan chapter of DarkSky.
More speakers to be announced soon!
Since 2011, the Astronomical Society of the Jiangsu Tianyi High School has conducted practical exploration around “DarkSky Protection,” forming a popular science education model with a sequential curriculum design including popularization, academic and research courses. Popularization activities such as lectures and exhibitions are carried out mainly to develop students’ interest; the academic courses, including activities like teaching and observation, are primarily offered to consolidate professional knowledge; research activities such as luminous monitoring and remote sensing analysis are intended mainly to improve academic capabilities and cultivate reserve talents. Over the past decade, we have achieved remarkable results. A number of papers on “DarkSky Protection” have been published in SCI-indexed journals and other academic journals in China and internationally, and multiple related projects have won awards in academic competitions in China and abroad.
The Travelling Telescope is a social enterprise dedicated to promoting science and technology using astronomy tools and concepts. We take our computerised portable telescope and mobile planetarium around Kenya and Tanzania educating the public about our universe and emphasizing the importance of protecting our fragile planet. We focus on two main areas, Education and Tourism. We also recently built a permanent planetarium with the dome built out of bamboo. This is the only permanent planetarium in East Africa.
We partner with lodges in Kenya and provide our services to their guests as an added experince. Most lodges we visit are in rural areas with limited light polution, we hope we can encourage this beautiful dark sky resource to be valued and preserved by communities and businesses around these areas. We also hope that we can encourage the next generation of leaders to value the natural unpolluted dark skies and hopefully make informed decisions about this preservation as we move towards more development.
We have been featured on CNN, BBC, Aljazeera and many other local and international media houses. Please visit our website for more information: www.travellingtelescope.co.uk
More information on Engagement Workshops coming soon!
Join us for an unforgettable journey into the cosmos as we explore the captivating world of astrotourism and the magic of dark skies. Our engaging workshop is designed to ignite your passion for stargazing, deepen your understanding of astrotourism’s significance, and empower you to protect and promote the preservation of dark skies through this incredible tool.
Sisco was born in Namibia, a country in Southern Africa which has one of the lowest population densities in the world, which lends itself to unpolluted, dark night skies. She holds a PhD in Tourism Development from the Nelson Mandela University in South Africa. She is currently a researcher at the Namibia University of Science and Technology (NUST). Her research interests are in Dark Sky Tourism, Indigenous Astronomy, and Community Development. She is working with the indigenous communities in Namibia to develop Dark Sky Tourism and bring awareness of the potential of this type of niche tourism to bring benefits to indigenous communities. She is a keen advocate for the preservation of the dark skies, a valuable resource for the sustainable development of Namibia.
Ahmed Althaher is an amateur astronomer with Mechanical Engineering degree from King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals (KFUPM).
Ahmed is an enthusiast with vast knowledge in many areas. During his study, he has been granted two patents for inventions that combine health with engineering in electronics devices, and luxury with the economy in consumable products, both of which were supported by KFUPM. As a multidisciplinary, Ahmed has many skills that consist of prototyping, ideas experimenting, product development, and patenting.
Eng. Ahmed has worked for The Arabian Robotics Company, where he managed the production of the first commercial batch of The Saudi Aramco Inspection Robot (SAIR) and gained experience in transferring products from the laboratory to the operational readiness level. He then worked for BAE Systems Saudi Arabia.
Equivalent to engineering, Ahmed is also passionate about astronomy and stargazing. About a decade ago, he started accompanying professional and academic astronomers during islamic crescent observations and astronomical phenomenon observations, like meteor showers and comet passages. Through his years of experience, he gained knowledge in astronomical observation methods and light pollution assessment, which makes him qualified to organize several interesting trips for stargazing and astronomical observation.
Eng. Ahmed is currently operating remarkable astronomical tourism by mixing both outdoor adventures and stargazing sessions at his small business; Judai Stargazing, which was designated as one of the most unique touring experiences in Saudi Arabia. Up to date, he delivered 34 stargazing sessions and 4 workshops in Astrotourism and Light Pollution Assessment in 6 cities around the kingdom. He also supported dark sky place program applicants in governmental and private sectors. In 2021, He was selected to be a Delegate of DarkSky International in Saudi Arabia. As of today, Eng. Ahmed is starting a new journey in astrotourism as he is joining Red Sea Global Company to design and lead Stargazing Experiences on the Red Sea Islands.
Join us for a workshop dedicated to the principles and practices of dark sky lighting. This workshop will empower participants with the knowledge and skills to design and implement lighting solutions that not only reduce light pollution but also enhance safety, security, and aesthetics in our communities.
Stephen Hummel is the Dark Skies Initiative Coordinator with the University of Texas’ McDonald Observatory. Stephen works with communities, oil and gas companies, parks, governments, and other organizations in far western Texas to adopt better lighting practices and reduce light pollution. Stephen is committee chair for the Greater Big Bend International Dark Sky Reserve, the largest certified Dark Sky Place in the world. In his spare time, Stephen is an award-winning photographer of the night sky and has been featured by National Geographic, NASA, Smithsonian Magazine, and more.
Join our enlightening workshop on enacting dark sky policy, where we will delve into the critical realm of preserving natural nightscapes and combating light pollution. Join us for a comprehensive exploration of the policies and practices that can help safeguard our skies for generations to come.
David is an award-winning campaigner and environmental advocate. He has worked on a range of policy issues including plastic pollution, water quality, land use change and species recovery programmes. He currently works as Social Change and Advocacy Officer at Buglife – the Invertebrate Conservation Trust. David leads policy work to help save the small things that run the planet. His focus at the moment is on Invasive Non-Native Species, chemicals in freshwaters and light pollution. David is working to ensure that light pollution is recognised as an environmental pollutant with legally binding targets to lower pollution levels and relieve the pressure light pollution puts on the natural world.
Sessions will happen across 24 hours beginning with a global opening on Friday, November 3rd at 2:00 PM PST (10:00 PM UTC). Then, the conference will move to three regional sessions loosely based on timezones on Saturday, November 4th. Each regional session will be followed by engagement workshops. Then, conference attendees will come back together for a global closing session at 2:00 pm PST (10:00 PM UTC). There will also be networking opportunities and an awards ceremony during the conference.
Global Open
Friday, November 3
3:00 PM PDT
6:00 PM EDT
10:00 PM GMT/UTC
9:00 AM AEDT (November 4)
Global Networking Session
Friday, November 3
4:20 PM PDT
7:20 PM EDT
11:20 PM GMT/UTC
10:20 AM AEDT (November 4)
Regional Session #1
E & SE Asia, Australia, and New Zealand
Saturday, November 4
8:00 PM PDT (November 3)
11:00 PM EDT (November 3)
3:00 AM GMT/UTC
2:00 PM AEDT
Engagement Workshops Session #1
Saturday, November 4
9:45 PM PDT (November 3)
12:45 PM EDT
4:45 AM GMT/UTC
3:45 PM AEDT
Astrotourism Engagement Panel
Regional Session #2
Europe, Middle East, Africa, India
Saturday, November 4
3:00 AM PDT
6:00 AM EDT
10:00 AM GMT/UTC
9:00 PM AEDT
Engagement Workshops Session #2
Saturday, November 4
4:45 AM PDT
7:45 AM EDT
11:45 AM GMT/UTC
10:45 PM AEDT
Good Lighting Practice Engagement Workshop
Regional Session #3
North, Central and South America
Saturday, November 4
10:00 AM PDT
1:00 PM EDT
5:00 PM GMT/UTC
4:00 AM AEDT (November 5)
Engagement Workshops Session #3
Saturday, November 4
11:45 AM PDT
2:45 PM EDT
6:45 PM GMT/UTC
5:45 AM AEDT (November 5)
Policy Engagement Workshop
Virtual Awards Reception & Cocktail Hour
Saturday, November 4
1:45 PM PDT
4:45 PM EDT
8:45 PM GMT/UTC
7:45 AM AEDT (November 5)
Global Closing
Saturday, November 4
3:00 PM PDT
6:00 PM EDT
10:00 PM GMT/UTC
9:00 AM AEDT (November 5)
Night Reveals A Universe
T-shirts & sweatshits
Available in several colors & styles
November 3-4, 2023
Register Now!