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Wilderland has two websites, one always-on, higher resolution website that is heavier to run, and one experimental, situated site, that is solar powered, and in the Nephin Park
The solar site might not always be on or available, it also has other quirks, and will be slower. Adjust your expectactions for this Permacomputing + Small Web alternative.
Community Constellations for Dark Skies is a new project for 2025, funded by the Heritage Council. This exciting initiative builds on the success of Mayo Dark Sky Park (awarded International Dark Sky Place of the Year in 2024) and aims to provide a heritage interpretation plan for communities participating in dark sky preservation and restoration projects in County Mayo.
As the county is working towards becoming a dark sky reserve, this plan will assist the understanding and importance of dark sky preservation. It will work directly with communities to develop a customised interpretation of dark skies that is specific to their own unique location and identity. It will help visitors to appreciate better quality lighting practices and educate on how small changes can enhance biodiversity and include climate action measures.
The project will develop a template for dark sky interpretation which will be tailored for up to 19 communities, providing supporting data through sky quality measurement and connecting a network of dark sky communities linked under the concept of community constellation.
Kerem Asfuroglu of Dark-Source will design the interpretation pieces based on community input; creating insightful aspects of interpretation to engage visitors with the natural nightscape of the area.
These individual pieces will be consolidated into one overall interpretation plan for County Mayo's dark skies, providing a strategic direction for the development of an International Dark Sky Reserve for the county. In joining the dots of the participating communities, a new constellation shape will be created as the icon of the project.
Each participating group will form part of a county-wide Constellation…a symbolic and community-guided network of Star Points, united in their commitment to protecting the night skies over their locality. As the constellation of Star points grow… so too will the public’s understanding of the value of dark skies, not only for stargazing and tourism, but for biodiversity and cultural heritage.
Amy Flanagan, Friends of Mayo Dark Skies
Find out more on Mayo Dark Sky Park's website
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