Dry Tortugas National Park is a national park in the United States about 68 miles (109 km) west of Key West, Florida, in the Gulf of Mexico, accessible only by boat or sea-plane. The park preserves Fort Jefferson and the seven Dry Tortugas islands, the westernmost and most isolated of the Florida Keys. The archipelago’s coral reefs are the least disturbed of the Florida Keys reefs. A skywatcher said in 2016: “One of the darkest night sky regions on the U.S. East Coast, though you have to apply for a permit in advance to camp overnight. I don’t think many people know this place but, given little to no light pollution, it should be ideal for serious astrophotography and night sky observing.”
Deborah Byrd
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About the Author:
Deborah Byrd created the EarthSky radio series in 1991 and founded EarthSky.org in 1994. Prior to that, she had worked for the University of Texas McDonald Observatory since 1976, and created and produced their Star Date radio series. Today, she serves as Editor-in-Chief of this website. She has won a galaxy of awards from the broadcasting and science communities, including having an asteroid named 3505 Byrd in her honor. In 2020, she won the Education Prize from the American Astronomical Society, the largest organization of professional astronomers in North America. A science communicator and educator since 1976, Byrd believes in science as a force for good in the world and a vital tool for the 21st century. "Being an EarthSky editor is like hosting a big global party for cool nature-lovers," she says.