Oracle State Park Center for Environmental Education International Dark Sky Park (Silver Tier) Nomination Package Prepared by the Oracle Dark Skies Committee (ODSC) Proposal to the International Dark-Sky Association Revision 1.0 18 July 2014 Page 1 of 128 Table of Contents 1. LETTER OF NOMINATION ...............................................................................................................5 2. LETTERS OF SUPPORT .....................................................................................................................6 3. ORACLE STATE PARK HISTORY AND INFORMATION ......................................................... 27 3.1 HISTORY OF ORACLE STATE PARK - CENTER FOR ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION.............................27 3.2 PARK INFORMATION.......................................................................................................................................30 3.3. ORACLE STATE PARK ENVIRONMENTAL/CULTURAL EDUCATION EVENTS .......................................33 4. ORACLE STATE PARK DARK SKY EVENT LOCATIONS......................................................... 36 4.1 ORACLE STATE PARK MAPS..........................................................................................................................36 4.2 DAY SKY PANORAMA PHOTOGRAPHS..........................................................................................................39 5. ORACLE STATE PARK NIGHT SKY QUALITY........................................................................... 41 5.1 CONTOUR MAPS...............................................................................................................................................41 5.2 SATELLITE IMAGES..........................................................................................................................................43 5.3 ARIZONA DARK SKY MAP ..............................................................................................................................46 5.4 SKY QUALITY MEASUREMENTS ....................................................................................................................47 5.5 NIGHT SKY PHOTOGRAPHS............................................................................................................................48 6. ORACLE STATE PARK LIGHTING INVENTORY....................................................................... 55 7. ORACLE STATE PARK STAR PARTIES AND OTHER RELATED EVENTS ......................... 63 7.1 SELECTED PAST EVENTS................................................................................................................................63 7.2 FUTURE EVENTS..............................................................................................................................................70 8. ORACLE STATE PARK OUTDOOR LIGHTING POLICY .......................................................... 71 8.1 ORACLE STATE PARK LIGHTING MASTER PLAN 2000............................................................................71 8.2 ORACLE STATE PARK POLICY .......................................................................................................................72 9. PINAL COUNTY CODE 2.195 OUTDOOR LIGHTING .............................................................. 73 10. LIGHT POLLUTION CONTROL/RESTORATION COMMUNITY PROJECTS.................... 91 10.1 PUBLIC OUTREACH AND EDUCATION........................................................................................................91 10.2 FORD DEALERSHIP .......................................................................................................................................97 10.3 CIRCLE K CONVENIENCE STORE ............................................................................................................. 100 10.4 SOUTHERN ARIZONA EQUESTRIAN CENTER......................................................................................... 101 10.5 FORMER LIBERTY PARK ........................................................................................................................... 103 10.6 JONES OUTDOOR ADVERTISING BILLBOARD ........................................................................................ 106 10.7 TRIANGLE L RANCH .................................................................................................................................. 108 10.8 TRIANGLE Y RANCH .................................................................................................................................. 108 10.9 LOCAL RESIDENTS ..................................................................................................................................... 109 11. IDA INTERNATIONAL DARK SKY PARK PROGRAM.........................................................113 11.1 PROGRAM CRITERIA COMPLIANCE CHECKLIST.................................................................................... 113 11.2 PROGRAM CRITERIA TIER COMPLIANCE ............................................................................................... 114 12. MISCELLANEOUS MATERIALS................................................................................................115 12.1 HISTORY OF ORACLE’S STEWARD FAMILY SUPPORT TO ASTRONOMY............................................ 115 12.2 MEDIA COVERAGE ..................................................................................................................................... 119 13. ORACLE DARK SKIES COMMITTEE .......................................................................................127 14. DOCUMENT REVISIONS ............................................................................................................128 Proposal to the International Dark-Sky Association Revision 1.0 18 July 2014 Page 2 of 128 List of Figures Figure 3.1 Kannally Ranch Home in 1985.................................................................................... 27 Figure 3.2 Planning Committee in 1986 .......................................................................................28 Figure 3.3 Map by the Arizona Trail Association (used with permission).....................32 Figure 4.1 Main Park Map ................................................................................................................... 36 Figure 4.2 Arizona Trail Walk-In...................................................................................................... 37 Figure 4.3 Satellite Day Image Main Park Area.......................................................................... 38 Figure 4.4 Satellite Day Image Arizona Trail parking lot.......................................................38 Figure 4.5 Kannally Ranch House parking lot panorama: West (left), North (center), East (right) ....................................................................................................................................... 39 Figure 4.6 Kannally Ranch House parking lot panorama: East (left), South (center), West (right)...................................................................................................................................... 39 Figure 4.7 Arizona Trail Walk-In parking lot panorama: West (left), North (center), East (right) ....................................................................................................................................... 39 Figure 4.8 Arizona Trail Walk-In parking lot panorama: East (left), South (center), West (right)...................................................................................................................................... 40 Figure 4.9 Group Use Area panorama: West (left), North (center), East (right)......... 40 Figure 4.10 Group Use Area panorama: East (left), South (center), West (right) ...... 40 Figure 5.1 Area Contour Map.............................................................................................................41 Figure 5.2 Oracle Area Contour Map .............................................................................................. 42 Figure 5.3 Satellite Night Image of Arizona................................................................................. 43 Figure 5.4 Satellite Night Image Tucson to Oracle.................................................................... 44 Figure 5.5 Satellite Day Image Oracle ............................................................................................45 Figure 5.6 Night Sky Brightness Arizona......................................................................................46 Figure 5.7 Sky Quality Chart vs IDSP Tiers .................................................................................. 47 Figure 5.8 Arizona Trail Walk-In parking lot: All Sky (North at top, West at right)..49 Figure 5.9 Group Use Area: All Sky (North at top, West at right) ...................................... 49 Proposal to the International Dark-Sky Association Revision 1.0 18 July 2014 Page 3 of 128 Figure 5.10 Kannally Ranch House parking lot: All Sky (North at top, West at right) ...............................................................................................................................................................50 Figure 5.11 Arizona Trail Walk-In parking lot night panorama: View to Northwest 50 Figure 5.12 Arizona Trail Walk-In parking lot night panorama: Southern Sky...........51 Figure 5.13 Group Use Area night panorama: View to Northwest.................................... 51 Figure 5.14 Group Use