BOULDER, CO -- As of November, it is no longer legal for homes in Boulder to have outdoor lights that point upward or shine brighter than a 60-watt bulb. Local businesses face even more comprehensive upgrades and regulations. The restrictions are part of the city's outdoor lighting ordinance, which aims to restore a view of the Milky Way to those who live in the Boulder Valley.

On April 9, CU's Fiske Planetarium, in partnership with the Sierra Club and the International Dark-Sky Association, will host a community conversation about the importance of the ordinance, and how dark skies can help Boulderites save energy, protect wildlife, improve human health, and reconnect with the cosmos.

The free, kid-friendly presentation will run from 7–9 p.m., and will include planetarium demonstrations of what a darker future would look like in Boulder's skies.