By Miriam Raftery
August 4, 2009 (Borrego Springs) -- On Friday, July 31, Borrego Springs was designated by the International Dark-Sky Association (IDA) as only the second official International Dark Sky Community on earth—and the first in California.
“It’s taken us nearly two years to make this happen, and we’re all pretty excited about this achievement,” said astronomy author and lecturer Dennis Mammana. (photo: Northern Lights viewed from Anza Borrego by Dennis Mammana)
The certification recognizes Borrego Springs’ exceptional commitment to dark sky protection and restoration throughout the community, long a haven for stargazers. Rated by USA Today as one of the top ten stargazing locations in the nation (http://www.usatoday.com/tech/2003-07-31-star-gazing_x.htm), the Anza-Borrego Desert prides itself on its dedication to the whole desert experience. Read the IDA’s full announcement at:
http://docs.darksky.org/PR/PR_BorregoSprings.pdf
“This is a particularly special achievement to me since our 44th annual Borrego Days Desert Festival this October has an appropriately-celestial theme: “Starry Starry Nights” ,” said Mammana, who has been named the festival’s Grand Marshal.
For info on the festival and parade, see (http://www.borregospringschamber.com/BorregoDays/)
For ECM’s previous profile on Mammana, see: http://www.eastcountymagazine.org/?q=452_mammana
For information on his upcoming August 15th event, Magnificent Milky Way at the Borrego Springs Resort, see http://www.dennismammana.com/events/lectures.htm or call 888.826.7734 for reservations. Additional info: http://www.borregospringsresort.com/featuredpromotions.asp
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