• Darkness of nature and dark skies

    The aesthetic experience of darkness can be defined in two ways. Darkness can be defined as the physical condition of total absence of light, meaning total darkness like during power outages or being in a room with no light at all. In this case, darkness can be an experience of nothingness, meaning a painful experience with no connection to surrounding environment (Tainio 2023).

    On the other hand, natural darkness - the period from sunset to sunrise - is a physical condition of absence of artificial lighting at night (ALAN), or physical condition of darkness of nature and how it presents itself in different lit environments depending on the scale and intensity of artificial lighting at night. This latter interpretation, the darkness of nature, forms the foundation of this module.

    Northern lights and stars by Noel Bauza

    Photo: Pixabay, @Noel Bauza

    The Value of Natural Darkness

    Fear of the dark is a natural biological characteristic of humans, as humans are diurnal species. Since the invention of fire making, artificial light has provided humans with safety and extended our active hours. Most significantly, the invention of electric lighting has transformed the transition between day and night, enabling work and other activities to continue beyond daylight hours. While total darkness can be intimidating, natural darkness can also awaken imagination, offer meaningful experiences, and create safe spaces for humans and tourism.

    The night sky has always inspired and guided human. Prehistoric people painted cosmic objects and events in their cave art. For centuries, people relied on the night sky for navigation, tracking time, animal migrations, and planning harvests. Across cultures and history, the stars and the night have been a part of human mythology and storytelling, inspired works of art, folktales and movies. Many cultures have place-based stories, narratives and connections to the night sky. The night sky has evoked countless myths, art, literature, and music from cultures around the world (National Park Service 2024).

    The following activities are intended to help you understand the difference between “darkness”, the physical condition of total absence of light, and “natural darkness”, the condition of night-time in nature without artificial lighting, and how it appears in various environments depending on the scale and intensity of artificial light at night. Activities in this module are best done on a clear, dark night.

    Activity: Experiencing Natural Darkness
    Find the darkest room in your building or home. Take a piece of paper and a pen with you. Close the doors and windows or draw the blinds, and make sure the room is completely dark (no light at all). Set a timer for three minutes. Close your eyes and remain still until the timer goes on.

    Open your eyes and move to a well-lit area. Write down your experience and feelings while you were sitting in the dark.

    What did the experience of darkness evoke? A sense of nothingness? Fear or unease? A feeling of connection? Perhaps beauty or contemplation? Or something else entirely?

    Repeat the process, this time keeping your eyes open throughout. Write down your experience and feelings, and how it differed from the first.


◄Embracing the Night I
►The Unintended Consequences of Artificial Lighting