Have you ever gone stargazing, looked up and realized there were no stars to see?

That’s something the city of Ketchum is working to change.

“The city of Ketchum has really been a leader in preserving and enhancing the dark skies that are in this area,” said Dani Mazzotta, the Central Idaho director for the Idaho Conservation League.

Ketchum upgraded light ordinances this year to put it on the track to be a dark sky community.

The rules put limits on your man-made outdoor lighting to help emphasize nature’s outdoor lighting.

“Basically, it’s just a way of just preserving what we have as a resource here in a time where light pollution is becoming more and more common, and people aren’t able to see the stars in these urban areas,” Mazzotta said.

Ketchum’s effort could make it easier for the area, from Stanley to Bellevue, to be the country’s first Dark Sky Reserve, a mission for the Idaho Conservation League.

Not only making the area more attractive to tourists but for everyday community members.

“The opportunity to also be acknowledged year round for the sky resources, the star resources, I think it’s just a good thing,” Mazzotta said, “and it’s yet another feather this area can put in their hat to say hey, this is a really great aspect of the community.”