Cardinal Conversation: City lights are compromising dark skies

RADIO IQ | By Fred Echols

Published April 13, 2026 at 4:02 AM EDT

Dark skies – the kind good for stargazing – are getting harder to find. A recent survey along the Blue Ridge Parkway found that increasing light from cities and towns is seriously compromising night views of the heavens even in rural areas.

Randy Walker wrote about the problem for Cardinal News and he talked with Fred Echols.

Cardinal News is a nonprofit, online, independent news organization covering Southwest and Southside Virginia.