Arches National Park, Utah • Arches National Park in southern Utah is now certified as an International Dark Sky Park.
The National Park Service and the International Dark-Sky Association said in a joint announcement Friday that the designation recognizes the park's "quality night skies and a commitment to protecting and sharing natural darkness."
Steps taken by park officials to receive the designation include replacing light fixtures with fully-shielded bulbs to minimize glare and light emissions.
According to the announcement, the designation will help Arches grow astronomy programs and encourages astronomy-based tourism in nearby communities.