Joshua Tree National Park is located where the Colorado and Mojave Deserts meet, just east of Palm Springs, California. During the day, Joshua Tree is famous for its iconic trees that carpet the rocky landscape, but at night attention turns upward to the stars that carpet the sky. In 2017 Joshua Tree was recognized as an International Dark Sky Park, despite being just a few hours’ drive for more than 22 million people. An EarthSky users describes the experience at Joshua Tree: “Dark skies and quiet nights with many campgrounds if you wish to spend the night under the stars. Zero mosquitoes. The further east you go in the park, the darker the skies. A favorite spot in spring and fall.”
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.