Night Lights: Preserving the View from Baraboo

Have you ever noticed how bright and close the stars in the night sky seem when viewed in the country, or how the lights of many businesses dominate the night sky in the city? The public is invited to explore these phenomena in “Night Lights - Preserving the View from Baraboo” with Cliff Nieuwenhuis on Thursday, September 10 at 7:00 pm, beginning at First Presbyterian Church of Baraboo, 416 Ash Street, Baraboo, WI. After Cliff presents a brief background about light pollution, including the effects of light pollution that we see in Baraboo, he will explain how our decisions about lighting will impact future generations. Following the presentation, attendees who wish to star gaze will carpool out to Steinke Basin, where Cliff will lead a stargazing experience. This program is sponsored by Powered Up Baraboo (PUB), a local nonprofit promoting energy efficiency, clean energy and sustainable practices.

“Light pollution can have negative effects ranging from causing sleep disturbances in humans to causing the deaths of millions of migrating birds each year,” said Cliff Nieuwenhuis, a Powered Up Baraboo volunteer. “Light pollution also leads to unnecessarily higher greenhouse gas emissions in the atmosphere. By reducing light pollution around our homes and communities, we can save money through conserving electricity and help keep the night sky beautiful in Baraboo.”

Steinke Basin is part of Devil’s Lake State Park, where parking stickers are required. For those without a valid parking sticker, it is necessary to arrange transportation ahead of time. To request transportation by carpool through Powered Up Baraboo, please call 608-843-9641 by September 8 at 5 pm. Attendees are asked to bring their own lawn chair and water bottle. In case of rain on September 10, the rain date for this program will be at 7:00 pm on Friday, September 11. Check the Powered Up Baraboo Facebook page to see if the event is postponed because of rain. Light snacks will be provided at the church.

This is the second of three “Energizing Events” PUB is planning for late summer/early fall 2026. More information about Powered Up Baraboo and upcoming events is available at poweredupbaraboo.org.