This Remote Little Town In West Virginia Is One Of The Darkest Places In The Nation
“Dark towns” are becoming somewhat of a trend. The term refers to a community that has the greatest visibility of their night skies. Green Bank is one such community.
The town of Green Bank is home to the Green Bank Telescope, the largest fully-steerable telescope in the world. Green Bank is also within the National Radio Quiet Zone, a 13,000 square mile area in the state where the usage of electronics is severely limited.
Because of the federal restrictions placed on areas within the National Radio Quiet Zone, not one of the 143 residents of Green Bank have cell phone service, Wi-Fi service, a microwave oven or anything that emits a strong remote signal. The government restrictions on this area are strongest in Green Bank so that nothing interferes with telescope transmission.
Although it may seem strange in this day and age for a town to exist without these technologies, some people prefer it, such as people with electromagnetic hypersensitivity, or folks who simply prefer a life free of heavy technology.
Green Bank also has the distinction of being one of the darkest towns in West Virginia. Perhaps it's the presence of the telescope that engenders a greater interest in the night sky, or maybe it's because folks there are not distracted by their smartphones or laptops.
The only other areas that are considered among the darkest are Spruce Knob Summit, Calhoun County Park and Cranberry Glades. The only town on the list is Green Bank, with the observatory being the center of the dark nexus.
In the summer, the observatory and the Central Appalachian Astronomy Club host their annual Green Bank Star Quest: Optical "Star Party" & Conference, a four-day event comprised of astronomy seminars, lectures, walking tours, vendor booths, and group meals and banquets for attendees.
Dusk until dawn is observation time of the skies, in which amateur or professional astronomers may observe the universe without the distraction of modern lights and technology.
Although anywhere in town is ideal for seeing the night sky, people do have electricity, so the best spot is in and around the observatory.
From there, wide open fields that surround the telescope allow for an unobstructed view of the Milky Way Galaxy from our viewpoint in the western spiral arm. No distractions, no bright lights, just you and the universe.
