Park in Quzhou named world-class dark sky protected area

The starry sky is seen over Kaihua Dark Sky Park, located in Kaihua county, Quzhou, Zhejiang province. [Photo/WeChat ID: quzhoufb]

With the release of the World List of Dark Sky Protected Areas, Kaihua Dark Sky Park in Kaihua county, Quzhou, Zhejiang province was among the eight sites in China to be recognized, according to local media on Oct 22.

This marks a significant achievement for Zhejiang, as it is the first time the province has been included on the world list.

The World List of Dark Sky Protected Areas, established by the International Union for Conservation of Nature's Dark Sky Advisory Group, aims to protect areas with significant astronomical value, offering clear night skies free from urban light pollution.

Kaihua Dark Sky Park, located in Gaotiankeng village, Changhong township, is a natural haven for stargazers. Surrounded by mountains with thin cloud cover and virtually no light pollution, it offers excellent conditions for observing the Milky Way, meteor showers, and starry skies.

Originally a near-abandoned village with 88 traditional mud houses, Gaotiankeng has been revitalized. Leveraging its ecological advantages, Kaihua county spent 60 million yuan ($8.43 million) enhancing the village's infrastructure and developing astronomical tourist attractions.

The county spent an additional 30 million yuan on building the Kaihua Dark Sky Park Astronomy Museum.

Now a vibrant destination for stargazing, cultural tourism, and educational activities, the village has attracted over 20,000 visitors from cities like Shanghai and Hangzhou this year, generating over 1 million yuan in revenue from local accommodations and eateries.