iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

ashedarksky.org @ashedarksky.org · 28/09/2026

6 copies of the newly published Transforming Night: The History and Science of Light Pollution by Sara B. Pritchard received! Two copies to Ashe DSC, 3 copies to GLAD and the DarkSky Working Group, and another copy to the Mayor and Aldermen of Lansing. #Science #LightPollution #Night #NorthCarolina

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ashedarksky.org @ashedarksky.org · 27/09/2026

"One of these graphs is not like the others" which lights have the greatest blue wavelengths? Can you identify the LED spectrum vs Hg Vapor, HPS, and Metal Halide? #lighting #lightpollution

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ashedarksky.org @ashedarksky.org · 27/09/2026

Lansing Day was a blast. We shared information about the prospect of Lansing becoming an IDSC and shared different views of the sun which was surprisingly active. #Lansing #DarkSky #Science

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ashedarksky.org @ashedarksky.org · 21/09/2026

Deborah seen helping out with recording the spectral distribution on the few municipality lights in Lansing. This data helps tell a story when Lansing becomes an IDSC. We make impact maps which show the amount of unnecessary and harmful blue wavelengths put out by each fixture. #science #lighting

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ashedarksky.org @ashedarksky.org · 21/09/2026

4k low-light timelapse on David's moonflower tonight to see if anything interesting shows up. Fingers 🤞. #Nocturnal #Night #Flowers

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ashedarksky.org @ashedarksky.org · 20/09/2026

Backside of moonflower captured by David.

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ashedarksky.org @ashedarksky.org · 20/09/2026

Another Bloom on David and Amy's Moonflower. Moonflower (Ipomoea alba) unfurls its luminous, fragrant blooms around dusk, creating a landing beacon for hawkmoths and other nighttime pollinators. By morning, each spectacular flower begins to close. #Moonflower #NightPollinators

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ashedarksky.org @ashedarksky.org · 20/09/2026

Part of the Cygnus X complex, Sh2-101 is a region of active star formation shaped by ionizing radiation and stellar winds from young, massive stars. The bright fronts trace the interaction between ionized gas and the surrounding molecular material. #space #astro #astrophotography

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ashedarksky.org @ashedarksky.org · 19/09/2026

Checks out. Useful, targeted, low-level, controlled, and warm colored. 😆 #Lighting #DarkSky

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ashedarksky.org @ashedarksky.org · 16/09/2026

Leander has been experimenting with 50-130mm focal lengths achieving good Milky Way details. Pictured is an area just north of Aquila with lots of dark pockets using the 70mm end of a 70-200 on a DX body. Photo Credit: Leander Hutton #Astrophotography #astronomy #highcountry

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ashedarksky.org @ashedarksky.org · 11/09/2026

The Lansing Working Group/Ashe DSC assisting the Blue Ridge Rising Project get an outdoor lighting audit on the town of Floyd,VA. Beverly Hill, Public Health Emergency Coordinator New River Health District and Floyd County advocate is seen here taking readings. Thank you, Beverly!

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ashedarksky.org @ashedarksky.org · 08/09/2026

Two views capture opposite sides of the Veil Nebula, glowing remains of a massive star that exploded thousands of years ago which trace the expanding shock front of an ancient supernova as delicate filaments of energized gas stretch across the constellation Cygnus. #Astronomy #NightSky #Space

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ashedarksky.org @ashedarksky.org · 05/09/2026

Last night's results of the Northern Lagoon Neb from David Heflin.

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ashedarksky.org @ashedarksky.org · 05/09/2026

The Sherp says good data! Looking forward to results.

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ashedarksky.org @ashedarksky.org · 05/09/2026

Not great conditions for the Sherpa, but good enough. Imaging some faint nebulae with a new camera on a f/2.8 hyperbolic newtonian. #Astronomy #astrophotography

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ashedarksky.org @ashedarksky.org · 30/08/2026

200th post! One of our more seasoned astrophotographers had fun using a late 70s/early 80s vintage Reflex-Nikkor 1000mm lens which is basically a tiny Maksutov for Thursday night's lunar eclipse: www.mir.com.my/rb/photograp... Photo credit: Leander Hutton #astrophotography #astronomy

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ashedarksky.org @ashedarksky.org · 27/08/2026

Saturn taken with a used DSLR! Not bad. Not bad at all. #Astronomy #Saturn #Astrophotography

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ashedarksky.org @ashedarksky.org · 23/08/2026

Another good evening at the DSO. David is helping visitors appreciate some of the faint objects out there under a moonlit sky. #AppState #Astronomy

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ashedarksky.org @ashedarksky.org · 20/08/2026

We can always depend on our local astrophotographer, lead DarkSky consultant, and outreach specialist David Heflin to supply us with striking images of the night sky from Ashe County. Thank you, David! #astrophotography #astronomy

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ashedarksky.org @ashedarksky.org · 14/08/2026

Knights of the Round Table! Lansing's very own DarkSky Working Group hard at work making the very first International DarkSky Community in North Carolina. #DarkSky #NorthCarolina

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ashedarksky.org @ashedarksky.org · 10/08/2026

The Plumage of Shroomage!: A collage of macroscopic shots of mushroom "plumage" collected by Julie Mullis of the NPS. #Lightpollution #Fungi #Mushrooms Artificial Light at Night can disrupt plant-fungal interactions and alter mycorrhizal communities: www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...

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ashedarksky.org @ashedarksky.org · 07/08/2026

Two metrics worth measuring when informing communities about their lighting situation: Melanopic Equivalent Daylight Illuminance (M-EDI) which measures circadian disruption potential in humans and the percent of blue wavelengths in the spectral distribution x luminosity which describes eco impact.

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ashedarksky.org @ashedarksky.org · 06/08/2026

The New River's nocturnal salamander (E. Hellbender) is a great influence to this initiative. Please follow and share. #health #nature #animals

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ashedarksky.org @ashedarksky.org · 05/08/2026

Major Shroomage in the high country this week. Check out Mount Jefferson, Price Lake, and Doughton Park this weekend. We are hoping to see bioluminescent "Foxfire" species. Happy hunting. #mushrooms #darksky #ecology

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ashedarksky.org @ashedarksky.org · 26/07/2026

DSI-NC and a few members of the working group helping to promote DarkSky practices at Moth Mania at the Daniel Boone Native Gardens. Next year we will consider holding a moth/nocturnal pollinator appreciation event in Lansing during Moth Week. Thanks guys! #Moth #DarkSky #NorthCarolina

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ashedarksky.org @ashedarksky.org · 25/07/2026

ADSC would like to thank a good man. Retired photojournalist, Gene Dalton of the Roanoke Times. Gene spent ample time with his friends and family at Mount Rogers from which his son gained an appreciation for that area which led him to become a strong advocate for this initiative. #Virginia #NC #VA

Gene seen here with a lovely group of ladies enjoying the 2024 Solar Eclipse in Ohio.

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ashedarksky.org @ashedarksky.org · 24/07/2026

Moth displays at the VA Natural History Museum in Martinsville, VA are wonderful. We would like to get some literature on display citing recent research regarding the adverse effects of light pollution on nocturnal pollinators. #Mothweek #Pollinators #Nocturnal

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ashedarksky.org @ashedarksky.org · 23/07/2026

Finish strong with National Moth Week with an Inaturalist entry. #Moths #Invertebrates #Nocturnal

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ashedarksky.org @ashedarksky.org · 21/07/2026

An Abbott's sphinx stopped by at work, wearing perfect bark camouflage. These quiet nighttime pollinators remind us that darkness is habitat—and every porch light changes their world. 🌙🦋 #Moths #DarkSky

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ashedarksky.org @ashedarksky.org · 15/07/2026

Drifting through the heart of the Milky Way, the Lagoon and Trifid Nebulae glow as stellar nurseries where new stars are born from clouds of gas and dust. The Lagoon shines with vast emission regions, while the Trifid’s striking dark lanes divide it into three lobes. #Astronomy #Astrophotography

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ashedarksky.org @ashedarksky.org · 15/07/2026

The night's are getting longer! Just warming up. #Astronomy #Outreach #Starstuff

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ashedarksky.org @ashedarksky.org · 13/07/2026

Shrooms are fairly rain dependent, according to NPS Ranger Julie Mullis, who is holding programs every couple of weeks at Doughton Park. Mt. Jefferson had plenty today after the rain. The ghost pipe was a nice find which is a non-photosynthetic plant not a fungus. #mushrooms #ashecounty #circadian

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ashedarksky.org @ashedarksky.org · 12/07/2026

A couple of months ago we intercepted some through hiker friends on the AT and enriched their experience. They sent a card in apprciation. Thank you! The AT is such a nice place to appreciate dark skies. We wish you a safe and happy rest of your journey Caitlin and Stone. #AT #TrailDays #Hiking

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ashedarksky.org @ashedarksky.org · 07/07/2026

Fireflies were partying pretty heavily in areas on the Parkway away from artificial light during the heat dome. Photo credit: Leander Hutton #fireflies #invertebrates #darksky

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ashedarksky.org @ashedarksky.org · 05/07/2026

Plenty of natural fireworks this 4th of July night, if you know where to look. More images to come. #fireworks #fireflies #nature

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ashedarksky.org @ashedarksky.org · 28/06/2026

Nocturnal inverts of Ashe County.

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ashedarksky.org @ashedarksky.org · 28/06/2026

ALAN cuts nocturnal pollinator visits by 62% and fruit set by 13%, impacts cascade to daytime pollinators. Night and day pollinators are complementary—loss of one can't be offset by the other. Pics taken at NRSP in Ashe. Knop et al. Nature 2017; doi:10.1038/nature23288 #Pollinators #Lightpollution

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ashedarksky.org @ashedarksky.org · 21/06/2026

Wow! Thanks to the Greater Lansing Development (GLAD) for putting on an excellent Solar/Lunar show! Lansing is setting up nicely to be the first International DarkSky Community in Appalachia. #DarkSky #Lunar #Appalachia

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ashedarksky.org @ashedarksky.org · 18/06/2026

Excellent article in the June 2026 issue of Nightscape. Apologies for any portions cut off by our scanner. #Darksky #Bats #Nature

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ashedarksky.org @ashedarksky.org · 18/06/2026

GLAD's Friday event is pushed to Saturday due to poor weather predictions. See the weather predictions page on our website.

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ashedarksky.org @ashedarksky.org · 10/06/2026

Star Party (The Sun) in Lansing, NC on the 19th! Lunar observing to follow.

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ashedarksky.org @ashedarksky.org · 08/06/2026

David Heflin and Mike Dawson assisting with finalizing the pre-mitigation lighting audit for Lansing, NC. This information can be used for future mitigation efforts and to know the impact of any modifications for the town. #Darksky #AsheCountyNC #NorthCarolina

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ashedarksky.org @ashedarksky.org · 08/06/2026

A typical configuration for a good evening out. Photo credit: Leander Hutton.

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ashedarksky.org @ashedarksky.org · 07/06/2026

Volunteer spotlight: John Boston, aka "Star Sherpa." John keeps us all posted on astronomical events and has been and excellent mentor and collaborator for this initiative. Here he relaxes before June's DSO event where he provides informative digital views to guests. #Darksky #Astro #Astronomy

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ashedarksky.org @ashedarksky.org · 31/05/2026

#AI #Astronomy #Photography. Shown here are plates annotated by AI. Users of AI should be cautious of the seemingly confident results given. Of these photos, one has completely wrong annotations. Can you Identify it at first glance, any seasoned astronomer should.

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