Dark Sky Week in April will highlight – or lowlight – five state parks with the darkest skies. The week of special events begins April 15, and celebrates the parks’ participation in the Dark Skies Program.

Stephanie Garcia of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department says the week is dedicated to preserving and observing Texas night skies, and the stars that are visible in the absence of man-made light. Five parks will participate, and will hold events for all lovers of the outdoors.

“Big Bend Ranch State Park is the largest state park that we have in the Texas State Park system,” Garcia says. “So it was really great when they started the application to become a dark sky park because together with its neighbor, which was Big Bend National Park, they have the biggest continuous dark skies in the nation. And that darkness is an area larger than the state of Rhode Island.”

Elizabeth Ucles.