Officials push Hehuanshan as Asia’s second ‘dark sky’

By Tung Chen-kuo and William Hetherington / Staff reporter, with staff writer





Nantou County officials have applied for the International Dark-Sky Association to recognize Hehuanshan’s (合歡山) night sky, which they argue is ideal for skygazing.

The officials expect the recognition process to take one-and-a-half years, they said, adding that if successful, the county would be the first in the nation and the second in Asia to receive recognition from the association.

Application documents were electronically submitted to the association on Monday, which coincided with the closest approach of Mars to Earth in 15 years, as well as the century’s longest blood moon, the officials said.

Nantou County government officials apply to have Hehuanshan’s night sky recognized by the International Dark-Sky Association at a ceremony at the county’s Cingjing Farm on Friday. Photo: Tung Chen-kuo, Taipei Times

Chingjing Official Travel Guide members celebrated the application’s submission at an event held on Friday near Cingjing Farm (清境農場) to watch the blood moon, which they broadcast live online for the association.

Another blood moon viewing, which was also broadcast live online, was held by a group of professional Taiwanese astronomers yesterday.

Nantou Tourism Office Director Wang Yuan-chung (王源鍾) and other tourism officials on Friday participated in beating gongs and drums as part of a traditional festival held during lunar eclipses.

Sinan Elementary School students perform at Cingjing Farm in Nantou County’s Puli Township on Friday, during a ceremony to mark the county’s application to have Hehuanshan’s night sky recognized by the International Dark-Sky Association. Photo: Tung Chen-kuo, Taipei Times

In Chinese and Japanese lore, it is believed that a dog in the sky named Tiangou (天狗) eats the moon, causing the eclipse. The beating of gongs and drums symbolizes beating Tiangou to make him spit the moon out.

The county received NT$10 million (US$326,883) from the Ministry of Transportation and Communications’ Tourism Bureau, which it will use to improve facilities at Hehuanshan’s Yuanfeng Visitor Center, Wang said.

Planned renovations include safety improvements and an observation platform for stargazing, he said.

Hehuanshan’s night sky has been regularly rated as “silver tier,” and even achieved a “gold tier” ranking on several occasions, Taipei Amateur Astronomers Association president Liu Chih-an (劉志安) said.

If human-sourced light pollution could be reduced, the park would greatly benefit, he added.

The only park in Asia that has been recognized by the association is South Korea’s Yeongyang Firefly Eco Park, he said, adding that Japan’s Iriomote Island, in Okinawa Prefecture, applied for recognition in July last year.

Given that Iriomote is largely privately owned, while Hehuanshan is national land removed from most sources of light pollution, Nantou officials are confident that the county will be the second in Asia to be recognized, he said.