With the notable exception of the IDA-certified dark sky park at the PARI in Transylvania County — one of only two such facilities in the state — no sky in Western North Carolina is untouched by light pollution. Central Asheville can reach as high as a 6 on the Bortle Scale, in which 1 is complete darkness and 9 is the Las Vegas Strip.
“You see that? That’s bad.” Bernard Arghiere pulls his SUV off Swannanoa River Road in Asheville and gestures toward a nearby bridge. After spanning the river, it touches down on the acres of pavement surrounding the Wal-Mart Supercenter. Dark knight: East Asheville resident Bernard Arghiere sees a future with less light pollution. Photo By Jonathan […]
