Friends of the Goldendale Observatory

In 2010, the Goldendale Observatory State Park in Washington became the sixth certified International Dark Sky Park in the world, and one of the first state parks in the United States to be so designated by the International Dark-Sky Association.

Washington State now has the unique distinction of being home to...

Dark Sky Defenders exposes the little-known facts and disturbing details surrounding the loss of the International Dark Sky Park status, the inconvenient truths of Washington State Parks mismanagement, and Goldendale and Klickitat County's decades-long betrayal of their promises to protect the Goldendale Observatory's night sky.

"Truth will ultimately prevail where there are pains to bring it to light."

George Washington

According to Troy Carpenter, Administrator of the Goldendale Observatory State Park, providing education about light pollution and advocating for conservation of the Observatory's night sky is a "low priority," an "unpopular politically charged issue," "hippie dippy activism," a "waste of money," and "pandering to amateur astronomers."

In a stunning reversal from Washington State Parks prior support for attaining the prestigious International Dark Sky Park designation for the Goldendale Observatory State Park in 2010 - which included provision of night sky conservation education programs - the Washington State Parks & Recreation Commission now opposes providing night sky conservation education or advocacy - and consequently "would go out of its way" to avoid a designation as an International Dark Sky Park.

Ansel Adams Bristlecone, photo by Mary Elizabeth McGlynn

Across the globe people are living under the increasing nighttime glow of artificial light, and over 95% of North Americans live under some level of a light polluted sky:

Artificial Night Sky Brightness due to Light Pollution in North America - A Preliminary picture of the growth from 1950 to 2025. P. Cinzano, F. Falchi, C. D. Elvidge & the US National Parks Service, 2001.

The light pollution levels previously predicted for 2025 arrived in the 2010s. Light Pollution Map 2015 Atlas.

DarkSky International

Weather satellites which have limited light pollution detection capabilities have previously indicated a 2% annual increase in light pollution. A new comprehensive study using a more accurate method of measurement has established a four times greater annual increase in light pollution - much of which is attributed to the explosion of cheaper and brighter light emitting diode (LED) outdoor lighting.

American Association for the Advancement of Science

In the headlines January 20, 2023

In order to be awarded the prized 24½ inch telescope built by Clark College in Vancouver, Washington, Goldendale and Klickitat County promised to protect the night sky from light pollution which would interfere with its use as an astronomical science education and research tool. They adopted lighting ordinances, but have refused to inform and educate the public of their existence, or emphasize the importance of a dark night sky for the Observatory.

Other small rural communities like Alpine Texas (see video below starting at 4:50) truly value the night sky of their local environment and the need to preserve it not only for the astro-tourism their astronomical facilities can generate, but understand the need to preserve it for future generations to appreciate and enjoy. For decades Goldendale and Klickitat County have perversely exploited the Goldendale Observatory for tourism WITHOUT a genuine desire to actually protect it via their adopted lighting codes.

Washington State Parks, in lockstep with its dishonorable "partners" and insincere local jurisdictions, has now abandoned any mention or education and advocacy for protecting the Observatory's night sky.

No responsible observatory in the world - let alone an alleged science education facility - would take such a perverse position as to oppose providing public enlightenment about the value of conservation and protection of the night sky in general - or its own vitally important night sky environment...

Except the Goldendale Observatory State Park

Now just a stooge for local anti-regulatory political and business interests, Washington State Parks doesn't want to see light pollution, hear about light pollution, or speak about light pollution.

Washington State Parks
De Facto Subsidiary of the Chamber of Commerce

"Tourism is our primary focus."
Goldendale Observatory State Park Administrator Troy Carpenter April 29, 2021

Washington State Parks has deliberately excluded relevant and essential astronomy interests and stakeholders from any role in setting priorities for the Goldendale Observatory State Park, and thereby disregarded what's in the broader statewide public interest.

Instead, Washington State Parks entered a "partnership" with local business interests who view the Goldendale Observatory State Park as an economic "asset to leverage" and an "amusement park," and place little value or importance on a dark night sky for the Observatory. Together they oppose informing the public about light pollution or the existence - let alone enforcement - of outdoor lighting regulations in place since 1979 intended to protect the Goldendale Observatory's night sky.

Therefore it is not surprising that the Administrator of the Goldendale Observatory State Park asserted light pollution from Goldendale and Klickitat County is a "low priority," and education about the subject of light pollution is a "politically charged issue that makes us very unpopular" - with the local political and business interest "partners" of Washington State Parks.

On the other hand, echoing the Chamber of Commerce, Goldendale Observatory Administrator Carpenter declared Washington State Park's "absolute" priority is increasing tourism and economic support for local restaurants and hotels - which coincidentally includes a Goldendale hotel and other businesses owned by a State Representative and her family.

It's all about the money.

Distillation

Getting away from Portland, Oregon's light pollution was a main reason to relocate the massive 24½ inch telescope from Vancouver, Washington's Clark College to Goldendale. In order to obtain this historic telescope for the Goldendale Observatory, promises were made by community leaders in 1971 to protect it from the light pollution coming from Goldendale. Despite the presence of Goldendale and Klickitat County lighting codes put in place in 1979 for that purpose, the night sky of the Goldendale Observatory has been left unprotected from the damaging effects of almost 50 years of unrestricted and increasing light pollution.
Washingtonians acquired the Goldendale Observatory in 1980. An astronomical observatory is an unusual asset for a state park system. A leadership culture apparently adverse to outside input, combined with a bureaucracy that's completely unfamiliar with this type of facility, and which is a relatively small part of the Washington State Parks system, led to the Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission failure to involve any bona fide expertise for the Goldendale Observatory oversight and management. No regional or statewide stakeholder involvement or strategic long-term assessment or planning for the Observatory was apparently developed. Therefore, Washington State Parks failed to honor let alone seriously address the purpose for relocation of the Observatory's telescope away from light polluted skies, or its need for protection from night sky degradation.
This vacuum and deliberate exclusion of stakeholder input and qualified managerial oversight has allowed State Parks personnel to pursue their own unchecked agendas, resulted in the waste of tens of thousands of dollars, and has enabled a small group of local politicians and business interests to influence and dominate the priorities for the Goldendale Observatory State Park.
Facing a financial crisis, Washington State Parks chose to be deferential to and enter into an "economic development" focused "partnership" with these short-sighted and self-interested local business and political interests, and therefore has shown it is unwilling to use any political capital to challenge these interests' agenda when it conflicts with conservation of the night sky. Ignoring what's in the broader statewide public interest, conservation of the Goldendale Observatory's night sky has been relegated to a "red-headed stepchild" status by Washington State Parks.
Despite the importance of a dark night sky for its famous telescope, the night sky conservation education and advocacy requirements for being an International Dark Sky Park were therefore subverted by new Washington State Park management and Goldendale Observatory staff. In lockstep with local political and business interests' opposition to meaningful night sky protection, Washington State Parks personnel demonstrated no desire to provide education or advocacy for conservation of the Observatory's dark night sky due to it being "unpopular" and a "hot-button" issue with these isolated small-town business/political interests. This subservience and absence of leadership ultimately led to the revocation of the International Dark Sky Park designation - the first (and only) International Dark Sky Park in the world ever to be decertified.
This revocation came at the same time Washington taxpayers were about to spend 6 million dollars on facility upgrades for the Goldendale Observatory State Park, including costly enhancements to a telescope that requires a dark night sky for its superb views of the cosmos. The celestial grandeur the telescope was meant to explore will continue to suffer from easily preventable degradation due to a lack of protection by Goldendale and Klickitat County, and Washington State Park's opposition to provide education about or to responsibly advocate for night sky conservation.

Details

The night sky is as much a part of the natural landscape and ecosystems as trees, mountains, rivers and lakes.

Light Pollution keeps over 80% of Americans from being able to see the Milky Way.

Part of the natural landscape. The stars of our home galaxy the Milky Way seen from Mt Rainier, Washington

Downtown Goldendale.

Fanciful murals on walls do nothing to ensure stars and nebulas remain visible in the sky.

2023 marked 50 years since the dedication of the Goldendale Observatory, and 50 years of broken promises to protect the night sky of the Observatory for astronomical observation, public education, and research.

Friends of Goldendale Observatory honors the amateur astronomers and the community college who built the Observatory’s telescope. As a condition of awarding the telescope to Goldendale, they required that it be protected from the night sky damaging effects of light pollution coming from Goldendale and Klickitat County.

A Golden Anniversary of Broken Promises

"Rather Disappointing"

"The presentation at the observatory last Saturday [October 14, 2023], on the whole, was rather disappointing. We listened to two persons from Washington State Parks who had no real connection to the history of this park, and the slide show that depicted the history was presented at the end, as almost an afterthought. A little wave was given to Steve Stout, whose 30-plus years of service certainly merited at least an opportunity to share some of his experiences as the guide/mentor of this site...

This state park is a boon to our community that has been underappreciated for some time, so I shouldn’t have been surprised at the small turnout..."

Darrell Watson Jr., Goldendale

No surprise indeed.

Despite promises made to Clark College and the amateur astronomers who built the Observatory’s prized 24½ inch telescope, Goldendale and Klickitat County have NEVER valued – let alone promoted – the Observatory as a cherished regional astronomical resource to be celebrated and protected. Instead, the Observatory is regarded as an “asset to be leveraged” – like a brothel – and for the same reasons – to “fill up motel and restaurant parking spaces.” Indeed, the Greater Goldendale Area Chamber of Commerce has referred to the Observatory as an "amusement park" for generating tourism to an otherwise rather dull backwater small town and surrounding Klickitat County.

So why would Washington State Parks "leadership" – which has no organizational interest and has failed to involve any diverse constituencies in astronomy – see it as anything other than as the backward locals see it and act any differently? For Washington State Parks, the Observatory is little more than an 'asset to be leveraged' for generating Discover Pass sales.

Rather than pay homage to the purposes that the community college and amateur astronomers who built the Observatory’s telescope had, and who originally operated the Observatory and without whom there would be no Goldendale Observatory, Washington State Parks now denigrates amateur astronomers, insultingly stating they “devolve observatories into clubhouses.”

The Goldendale Observatory was originally intended to serve multiple constituencies and interests. These primarily included regional school students "from kindergarten to college," and "amateur astronomers" for conducting their own "observing programs."

Under the Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission, these constituencies have been discarded without any stakeholder input or public participation. Washington State Parks now publicly states the Observatory primarily serves the local business interests in Goldendale and Klickitat County for the purpose of generating tourism revenue - "tourism is our primary focus." Additionally, it has prioritized its own organizational self-interest for Discover Pass sales, as well as its Administrator's desire for "popularity" and need for admiration, self-described as being the "Administrator of the Observatory with America's best public telescope."

If the purpose of an Observatory is only to be a Discover Pass sales and "popular" tourism-generating science entertainment "amusement park" (with a wished-for "play structure for kids to play on"), and a compromised large observatory-class telescope located in an increasingly light polluted sky, it could and should have been left in the Portland, Oregon and Vancouver, Washington metropolitan area.

However, a small-town tourism-focused public entertainment sideshow was not the reason for the telescope's construction and intended use.

This large and sophisticated telescope was specifically designed to be able to observe faint stars, nebulas, and galaxies. Built by amateur astronomers for Clark College in Vancouver, Washington, it was meant to provide not only the public with appreciation and education of astronomical science and the night sky; it specifically included astronomical observation and education for primary schools, secondary schools, and regional college students and amateur astronomers use for activities such as spectroscopy, photometry, and imaging. It was explicitly to be available to "advanced amateur astronomers" "for their own observing/research programs."

The telescope needed a dark night sky to do these activities, which is why it wasn't located on the Clark College campus in Vancouver. Without meeting these requirements, there would have been no Goldendale Observatory.

In 1971 The Oregonian newspaper in Portland, Oregon, reported on concerns by Clark College officials that the Observatory's proposed location might be too close to Goldendale due to light pollution from the town’s lights interfering with the telescope's intended uses and potential. Professional astronomers were consulted, who advised the adoption of lighting ordinances to limit light pollution coming from Goldendale and surrounding Klickitat County.

Therefore, as a condition of being awarded the telescope, Goldendale and Klickitat County leaders agreed that they would protect the night sky from light pollution through the adoption and enforcement of outdoor lighting regulations.

Current Observatory Administrator Troy Carpenter wants to rewrite history. In a June 2023 local newspaper article he states that he would change the Observatory's objectives to be "less about stargazing" and "enjoying the night sky" - which he equates to being the priorities of amateur astronomers - and more about Carpenter's Socratic method of science edutainment, along with an "emphasis on tourism." Carpenter alleges this is what the Observatory founders, including Clark College and the amateur astronomers who built the telescope, wanted:

"They wanted it [Goldendale Observatory] to be a science center in an educational facility and less a clubhouse for amateur astronomers" (emphasis added). Carpenter is lying. You couldn't find a better example of Carpenter's deliberate twisting of facts and use of sophistry. The amateur astronomers who spent years building the 24½ inch telescope, which they called "the centerpiece of the observatory," stated the use for the "observatory unlike any other" should include "helping to interest young people still in grade or high school" (as opposed to exclusive institutional use for research "by relatively few people"), and explicitly intended it to be available for "helping the advanced amateur astronomer."

Here's what Don Conner, who made the telescope optics wrote in 1977 after the Observatory first opened up with consistent staffing: "A board of local citizens has built up the equipment and staff so that now the observatory is ready for amateurs to undertake their own observing projects." Emphasis added.

With the Observatory under direction of the previous Interpretive Specialist Steve Stout (an amateur astronomer himself), Carpenter complains upon his arrival, "there was still that element of this is a special place for amateur astronomy."

In reality, this is exactly what the telescope builders and Observatory founders intended from the beginning. Carpenter has made it his mission to eradicate this intention, purpose, and history:

Sky & Telescope April 1977; contributions by, review, and final approval by Don Connor.

Carpenter also habitually references his "alternative facts" reality that the Observatory founders and telescope makers wanted it to be only for public educational activity, and did not want it used for research - another lie. Back in the real world, Conner stated, "the 24½" telescope does have a research potential, and should be reserved for some such use."

Original Goldendale Observatory Corporation brochure.

Carpenter has added amateur astronomers to his anti-research telescope use deceptions. He denigrates the Goldendale Observatory founders well-established and unquestionable desire that in addition to public science education, the Goldendale Observatory telescope should also serve the amateur astronomy community. After all, THEY were amateur astronomers themselves. Without any substantiation, Carpenter belittles involvement of amateur astronomers with an observatory as "devolving" it into a "clubhouse."

Washington State Parks truly wants you to get LOST IN SPACE.

There are many public observatories in the United States, and hundreds around the world, which are successfully managed and staffed by amateur astronomers and volunteers, as was the Goldendale Observatory from 1973 to 1980. When Stout was hired by the Observatory Corporation in 1981 just prior to the purchase by Washington State Parks, he was a member of the Seattle Astronomical Society, who Washington State Parks chose to retain as the Goldendale Observatory State Parks' Interpretive Specialist.

Prior to being hired by Washington State Parks, Carpenter had no association or employment with any observatory, no affiliation with amateur astronomers, nor formal education in astronomy. He therefore has no qualifications or experience to make an "amateurs devolve observatories into clubhouses" statement. Carpenter got a simple 8 inch Dobsonian telescope 20 years ago and apparently as a teenager had an internet connection by which to learn his astronomical science. This very likely explains his bizarre statement that, "Amateur astronomy made more sense before the internet."

Using the same twisted logic, why would you need Carpenter's astronomy "science center" for an astronomy education experience? Today anyone can find astronomy education presentations by more talented and knowledgeable amateur and professional astronomy educators, as well as real scientists, on the internet, and become a self-taught astronomy "expert" like Carpenter. Perhaps 'science centers made more sense before the internet.'

What you can't get on the internet or listening to Carpenter is a first-person live view of star clusters, the ring nebula, a spiral galaxy, craters on the moon, cloud belts on Jupiter or the rings of Saturn through a large observatory-class telescope under a truly breathtakingly dark night sky filled with stars, nebulas, and the stardust clouds of the Milky Way containing uncountable billions of stars.

Sagittarius Star Cloud. Tomas Mazon

Carpenter states he wants to downplay observational astronomy - "enjoying the night sky" and "stargazing" - opining that they are more the priorities of amateur astronomers and relics of the Observatory's past he wants to distance from, and that the Observatory should now be more about his "Socratic method science education." While the Goldendale Observatory "Heritage Site" was only possible due to the dedication of amateur astronomers, and has a rich legacy of amateur astronomer involvement. Carpenter is intent on erasing this heritage because it allegedly "devolves observatories into clubhouses."

Without any stakeholder involvement, or any knowledgeable or informed oversight of his decisions by Washington State Parks, Carpenter's habitual pattern of deceit is to invent his own alternate reality, distort facts, change events, and make things up that justify his personal agenda and hope the less knowledgeable recipient will believe him, as with his 'amateurs devolve observatories into clubhouses' nonsense.

For a prime example, Carpenter talked a clueless Washington State Parks into the need to spend over $25,000 on a "discounted" uselessly lightweight ~ 30 lbs. complex 24½ inch "NASA-DARPA" "research grade," rocket-fuel-saving cellular primary mirror to replace the "deteriorated" original 24½ inch 205 lbs. solid Pyrex mirror* - even though the telescope would never be launched into Earth orbit, and Carpenter conflictingly claims the telescope was never intended for research use.

The real purpose of choosing this mirror was to make it appear how special Carpenter was to be able to secure such a high-tech high-cost telescope mirror, for which he could claim to be the "Administrator of the Observatory with America's best public telescope." After two years, the multiple complex cellular mirror casting attempts remained a failure, and Washington State Parks lost its over $12,000 non-refundable 50% deposit when it was forced to cancel the order near the end of the Washington State funding biennium. Curiously, Washington State governmental agencies are generally prohibited from making such risky prototype purchases and non-refundable capital expenditures.

* Stripping the original mirror's decades-old deteriorated aluminum coating and recoating it - a commonly needed practice for aged telescope mirrors - was apparently not considered. Nor was the mirror tested or evaluated as to the accuracy of its optical figure or significant surface defects, as recommended in 2014 by the Friends of Goldendale Observatory President - a long-time amateur astronomer and experienced telescope maker (who also proposed the possible reconfiguration to a Newtonian telescope to Carpenter and Washington State Parks). There is no reason the original mirror's optical figure wouldn't be just as good as the day it was made, and a new coating of aluminum (~ $800 to $1500) would likely have restored it to its original condition.

IF a new mirror was deemed necessary, a modern fused quartz telescope mirror from Lockwood, Ostahowski, or Zambuto was also recommended. However, these options would have made Carpenter's agenda to replace it with something more "unique," by which he could make the grandiose claim to being "Administrator of the Observatory with America's best public telescope," untenable. That hasn't stopped him from making this delusional marketing claim, and along with Washington State Parks, that it is "one of the largest publicly accessible telescopes available in the nation." While true 50 years ago, today it's not even close, as there are dozens of larger - and thanks to Carpenter - better telescopes available for public use.

Nearby in central Oregon is the Sunriver Nature Center Observatory's 30 inch f4 Newtonian telescope dedicated to public use.

Original Goldendale Observatory 24.5 inch Cassegrain mirror.

A similarly deteriorated coating of an 8 inch Newtonian mirror.

The same 8 inch mirror with a fresh aluminum coating.

By failing to have the new primary mirror made with a central hole, Carpenter has rendered the 24½ inch telescope unusable in the original Cassegrain configuration. And while Carpenter claimed the new telescope mirror would result in "enormously better contrast," the Newtonian implementation he chose uses a contrast-degrading oversize 6 inch secondary mirror, necessitated by needlessly making the new mirror with the same focal point of the original f5 Cassegrain mirror, and retained the original Cassegrain secondary holder, which places the focus at a large distance from the Newtonian secondary mirror. This would only have been done to re-implement the original Cassegrain configuration and secondary mirrors, which was made impossible by Carpenter. Adding insult to injury, to reach the excessively extended focal point, it also uses an offset cantilevered ~ $25 surplus photographic enlarger bellows mechanism which lacks the absolute stability needed for a Newtonian telescopes' focuser base. While denigrating amateur astronomers, Carpenter is responsible for one of the most 'amateurish' telescope optics and focuser implementations one can find anywhere in the world.

A "uniquely" implemented Newtonian secondary mirror and bellows-mounted focuser. Wrongly positioned secondary mirror and mirror support, resulting in extended focal position, obstructed optical path, and unstable focuser implementation.

Subject matter expert? No one other than a complete neophyte would design something this "uniquely" unsuitable for an observatory-class telescope's critically important focuser. And who would combine these contraptions with horrendously expensive "NASA-DARPA" primary and secondary mirrors, and with equally extravagantly expensive custom fabricated carbon-fiber mirror structural supports? How much money did WSPRC waste on these multiple trial and error - and still conceptually defective - secondary mirror and focuser implementations?

An optimally positioned secondary mirror support with an appropriately sized secondary mirror, and extremely stable low-profile focuser implementation. This would have been easily accomplished by anyone who knew what they were doing.

Carpenter was and remains dubiously designated by Washington State Parks as a "subject matter expert," which allowed bypassing State requirements for obtaining qualified outside expertise for such an out-of-the-ordinary large telescope mirror purchase and other "improvements." Carpenter, who had no telescope making experience let alone expertise, publicly stated a fused quartz mirror would cost a "quarter million dollars" in order to pursue and justify the cost of the "NASA-DARPA research quality" mirror, which Washington State Parks apparently swallowed hook, line, and sinker. With long delays and the eventual failure and cancellation of Carpenter's ultralightweight "NASA-DARPA" cellular mirror, the Friends President once again recommended the aforementioned mirror suppliers, including the Zambuto Optical Company in Rainier, Washington, to Washington State Parks for acquisition of a premier quality monolithic fused quartz mirror for about half the cost of the "NASA-DARPA" cellular mirror - just in time to avoid losing the remaining allocated funds at the end of the funding biennium.

After the Zambuto fused quartz telescope mirror was purchased and installed following the failure to obtain Carpenter's preferred mirror, Carpenter stated he hadn't considered the Zambuto fused quartz mirror because he didn't realize the company was located in the United States - claiming he made the ridiculous assumption the company was located outside the United States because the company's name sounded foreign! Yet, Carpenter claims he had known about Zambuto Optical “since I was a teenager" because "if it's not the best, it's one of the three best mirror makers in the world." Carpenter was channeling his inner Tommy Flanagan.

Washington State Parks East Region Manager Scott Griffith stated "Troy is great at explaining things at a 6th grade level, and that's all we need." This is apparently what Carpenter refers to as "quality education." Washington State Parks apparently couldn't care less about Carpenter's devious financial chicanery, ludicrous excuses, or the inept and deleterious telescope implementations because his undeniable popularity with the general public, assumed to be only capable of a 6th grade level of astronomy understanding for which Carpenter excels, brings home the Discover Pass sales bacon, and the Chamber of Commerce is delirious with the out-of-town tourism revenue.

On the other hand, even after a recent 6 million taxpayer-dollar renovation, the Observatory remains closed and its prized and expensively upgraded 24½ inch telescope goes unused 3 or 4 days a week. There is no shortage of real science activities that advanced amateur astronomers and science educators and their students - as was originally intended - could be involved in utilizing the otherwise idle telescope.

Additionally, despite the crystal-clear intent of Clark College and the telescope makers, college instructors who do actual astronomy science education have had their phone calls to the Observatory go unanswered. They are thereby excluded from using the Observatory facility as was originally intended during these extensive "down times" by Carpenter, who appears opposed to such participation. At the same time Carpenter hypocritically claims the facility is more about "quality education."

Despite Carpenter's fabrications to the contrary, "research observing programs" were one of the telescope's original purposes attested to by the telescope makers, publicly stated and encouraged at the Observatory's 1973 dedication, its 1976 brochures, and specifically referred to in the 1979 lighting codes adopted for protection of the telescope's night sky.

Amateur astronomers have long been involved in scientific research data gathering, such as measuring the brightness of variable stars, comet hunting, supernova searches, and sunspot counting. If anything, amateur astronomer research in collaboration with professionals has exploded in the decades following the Observatory's construction. However, doing research is unglamorous and won't get you much public attention, and generally requires a dark night sky for getting the best data.

Amateur astronomer Phiilip Scott used his homemade 12.5 inch telescope to possibly discover a new exoplanet – GJ 3470 c. Scott works with a group of Spain's Habitable Zone Exoplanet Hunting Project.

Irish amateur Eamonn Ansbro uses his 0.9-m (36-in.) reflector to search for Edgeworth–Kuiper Belt objects in collaboration with the Planetary Space Science Research Institute in the UK.

Amateur astronomer Dale Mais does real science, including stellar spectroscopy, from his backyard observatory near Mt. Palomar in southern California. His equipment includes a Celestron 14-inch Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope and a Astro-Physics 5-inch refractor. The entire setup is controlled by computers running off-the-shelf software. Sky & Telescope photo by Dennis di Cicco.

As with the Goldendale Observatory founders, most amateur astronomers are acutely aware of light pollution issues because of its damaging effects for astronomy. Light pollution is the reason why the 24½ inch telescope wouldn't be located at Clark College in Vancouver, Washington.

Amateur astronomers are not shy about advocating for light pollution mitigation, to the great irritation of Carpenter, who states education about light pollution is "unpopular... pandering to amateur astronomers." Discussing light pollution or education on how to prevent it also earns the enmity of Carpenter's business community "amusement park" promoting "partners" and local anti-environmental protection regulation politicians. According to former Washington State Parks Ranger and Goldendale Area Manager Lem Pratt, education about light pollution and advocating for conservation and enforcement of the lighting codes adopted to protect the night sky of the Observatory was not only part of a "hippy-dippy" and "environmentalist agenda," but also is "a hot-button issue for the Klickitat County and city of Goldendale governments." Therefore, both Washington State Parks and local governments prefer to just ignore them and act as if they don't exist.

Washington State Parks "partner" and the then current Chamber of Commerce's Director Dana Peck led a previous effort in 2003 that shut down the Friends of Goldendale Observatory because its Board consisted of mainly amateur astronomers who advocated for lighting code enforcement to conserve the night sky of the Goldendale Observatory. Almost every amateur astronomy organization is a member of DarkSky International, and participates in or endorses conservation of the night sky.

The concerns that amateur astronomers usually have over light pollution is therefore the primary reason Carpenter needs to denigrate amateur astronomers as "devolving observatory's into clubhouses," and shift focus from the original astronomical observation purposes with a dark night sky for the Observatory, and make it solely a "popular" "science center" "amusement park" for experiencing a primary school level of science education and entertainment.

Experienced amateur astronomers could serve well as volunteers and docents that could expand the Observatory hours of operation. Volunteers figure prominently in the Washington State Parks Strategic Plan in order to "leverage resources and make parks welcoming to visitors." Carpenter will have none of it - and invents absurd self-aggrandizing rationales for opposing significant amateur astronomer involvement.

While most public education observatories and professional observatories with public education programs, and even the National Park Service are appreciative of and grateful to have amateur astronomers for assisting with their public education programs, Washington State Parks is not.

When Margaret McCrea, the President of the Rose City Astronomers based in Portland, Oregon offered availability of RCA volunteers in exchange for off-hours telescope use in November 2016, Carpenter arrogantly and chauvinistically rebuffed her, stating that the 24½ inch telescope "is not a toy." This statement is even more offensive when one considers it was amateur astronomers from Portland and Seattle who helped operate the telescope for the public in the first three years of the Goldendale Observatory's existence when no funds were provided for it to otherwise be open.

Amateur astronomy is also a gateway for women to enter into professional scientific careers in astrophysics and astronautics.

Washington State Parks is apparently unable to accept that there can be multiple shared purposes for an observatory, as was originally intended and accomplished at the Goldendale Observatory, and for which there remains more than ample opportunity. Under Washington State Parks the Observatory is now only open 3 days a week in the winter months, and 4 days a week in the summer. When first operated with paid amateur astronomer primary staff and utilizing amateur astronomers for volunteer ancillary staffing, it was open 5 days a week, and during the summer it was open daily. It also welcomed educators, students, and amateur astronomers to use the facility.

Any other public observatory and science center would relish involvement of amateur astronomers and guest presentations by other experts in the fields of astronomy and related sciences. In addition to amateur astronomer's concerns with light pollution, it appears Carpenter is petrified by college level educators, advanced amateur astronomers, and those who would be more knowledgeable subject matter experts or skilled communicators of science than he is. You will no longer find guest lecturers, qualified amateur astronomers, science experts, or specialists of any kind being invited to speak as presenters at the Observatory. Carpenter apparently sees himself and his personally trained "Socratic method" assistants as the only ones able to provide "quality education," and doesn't want anyone else playing in his sandbox.

The reality is that without legitimate education and amateur astronomer stakeholder involvement, under Washington State Parks the Goldendale Observatory has indeed devolved into a self-proclaimed tourism-focused "amusement park" for which astronomical observation, stargazing and enjoying a night sky - especially a dark night sky - isn't necessarily required, let alone a priority.

The Clark College administrators and amateur astronomers who funded and built the Observatory's prized telescope intended it to be, and were promised it would be protected and unhampered by light pollution. This was to ensure the intended beneficiaries of the Observatory's prized telescope - school students and educators, amateur astronomers, and the public, could understand, see, and appreciate the magnificent beauty of the night sky and all its treasures without hindrance in awe and wonderment.

They must now be rolling in their graves.

Amateur astronomers in the 80's setting up their telescopes to assist public enjoyment and stargazing at the Goldendale Observatory.

It wasn’t until six years after the Observatory's completion in 1973 – spurred by amateur astronomers who came from around the world to see the February 26, 1979 total solar eclipse (yours truly included) – that Goldendale and Klickitat County got around to adopting bare-bones outdoor lighting codes intended to protect the night sky of the Observatory.

Goldendale and Klickitat County have failed from the beginning to inform the public of their existence, or provide education to the public about the importance of conserving a dark night sky, let alone enforcing the lighting codes, for protection of the Observatory's night sky. Therefore, protecting the telescope's views of the cosmos has never been a priority, and prohibited lighting is found today on City, County, and other publicly owned properties.

History shows the promises to protect the night sky of the 24½ inch Clark College reflecting telescope were little more than a bait-and-switch scam.

Looking north towards Goldendale at the increasing number of unshielded LED outdoor lighting within the Klickitat Co. "Illumination Control District," with the Simcoe mountains in the distance, and Yakima Valley and the Tri-Cities beyond. The arrow marks the location of Goldendale Observatory. Photo: Mike McKeag

Looking south from the Goldendale Observatory. A damaged nightscape coming from the brighter, whiter, and lighting code violating unshielded lights of nearby Goldendale and the Klickitat County Illumination Control District. Photo: Bob Yoesle.

An “asset to be leveraged” and exploited for tourism – not protected for astronomy. The Goldendale Chamber of Commerce sees the Observatory as an "amusement park" and "key to getting people to stay at the hotels." Recently installed and grossly excessive unshielded bright-white blue-rich LED motel lighting shines directly at the Observatory 1 mile away - violating the decade’s old lighting codes to protect the Goldendale Observatory’s starry night sky. Photo: Bob Yoesle.

Washington State Parks:

De Facto Subsidiary of the Chamber of Commerce

The root cause: A Failure In Management.

Washington State citizens acquired the Goldendale Observatory in 1980 with its purchase by Washington State Parks. However, Washington State Parks was ill-equipped for leading and managing such a specialized facility, and critically failed to formally maintain the involvement of relevant stakeholders in science education and amateur astronomy in the planning and oversight for the State-owned Observatory.

Due to institutional bureaucratic inertia and lack of familiarity and importance, for decades the Goldendale Observatory remained largely "out of sight and out of mind" by Washington State Parks. Without any formal statewide science education and amateur astronomer stakeholder involvement, the Goldendale Observatory then became vulnerable to the strengths, weaknesses, whims, and prejudices of the local staff, and the informal untoward influences of local parochial political and business interests.

Despite the importance of locating the Clark College 24½ inch telescope in a dark sky location, it doesn't take having an astronomical observatory to care about night sky conservation and protection. Many communities and state and national parks have since embraced sincere advocacy for night sky natural resource conservation through an International Dark Sky Place designation.

Due to the initiative of the Goldendale Observatory State Park's (retired) Interpretive Specialist Steven Stout, this included Goldendale Observatory State Park. This was a no-brainer - and completely within keeping the intent of the Goldendale Observatory founders for maintaining a dark night sky for the Observatory's telescope, and the promises made by Goldendale and Klickitat County to adopt and enforce their light pollution ordinances.

Being an authentic astronomy enthusiast, Stout also hoped the prestigious International Dark Sky Park status would lead to the local business and political community's support for night sky conservation and lighting code enforcement.

Stout was sadly mistaken.

The entrenched powers that run Goldendale and Klickitat County behind the scene couldn't care less about protecting the Goldendale Observatory for astronomical observation - indeed they are opposed to protecting it. All they care about is exploiting the Observatory for the tourism money it can generate for local business interests. This is claimed by the Greater Goldendale Area Chamber of Commerce to be at least 5 million dollars a year.

Three years after attaining the International Dark Sky Park designation, a change in Washington State Parks leadership and local Observatory management led to a "partnership" with the Goldendale Chamber of Commerce, who's anti-regulation Director Dana Peck was explicitly opposed to enforcement of the lighting codes intended to protect the Goldendale Observatory's night sky. This "partnership" led to an unprecedented absence of support for night sky conservation by Washington State Parks.

Fitting right in, not only did Washington State Parks new local management fail to put up required signage about the Observatory being an International Dark Sky Park, and install non-compliant lighting at the Observatory, former Washington State Parks Area Manager Lem Pratt and current Goldendale Observatory State Park Administrator Troy Carpenter went so far as to disparage education and support for night sky conservation as being part of an "environmentalist agenda," "hippie dippy activism," a "waste of money," and "pandering to amateur astronomers."

The irrationality of these statements from those operating an astronomical observatory cannot be over emphasized. They are profoundly ironic considering the Observatory's telescope was specifically located in a rural area to get away from night-sky-damaging light pollution, and the Observatory wouldn't exist without the 24½ inch telescope painstakingly built over many years by dedicated amateur astronomers. With the Goldendale Observatory historically being a mere afterthought for Washington State Parks, these statements and sentiments are a direct consequence of Washington State Parks managerial failures to engage with the astronomy and science education community, nearby amateur astronomers, and other relevant stakeholders.

Moreover, the night sky natural resource, especially important for an astronomical observatory which was located where it is because of its telescope's need for a dark night sky, seems to have been dropped from the universe of natural resources Washington State Parks seems to recognize, value, or cares to provide education about:

"Provide stewardship protection for an outstanding array of natural, cultural, and historic resources... Provide opportunities for the public to learn how parks contribute to everyone, even those that don’t visit them. Specifically, educate people about the benefits of natural resources like clean air, clean water, native habitat, carbon sequestration, water, filtration, storage and flood protection." Emphasis added.

Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission
2021-2031 Strategic Plan - Achieving a healthy, sustainable park system.

Instead of providing education that promotes the general environmental, ecological, and societal importance of night sky conservation, or the especially important protection of the Goldendale Observatory "Heritage Site" night sky natural resource for astronomical purposes, Washington State Parks now prefers to "pander" to the conflicting goals of the local business community's opposition to night sky conservation advocacy and lighting code enforcement. Goldendale Observatory Administrator Carpenter echoes the statements of Jonathan Lewis, the former Chamber of Commerce Vice President who stated that the business community sees the Observatory as an "amusement park," its primary objective being "to getting people to stay at the hotels." Note that the Greater Goldendale Area Chamber of Commerce is directly subsidized by the City of Goldendale via hotel occupancy taxes.

Therefore, Washington State Parks has adopted this "amusement park" tourism-focused concept for the Goldendale Observatory State Park and preference for local economic exploitation over protection of the night sky natural resource. This is counter to what most people would consider important, especially those who visit the Goldendale Observatory from more heavily light-polluted urban and suburban areas of Washington State and who desire a dark night sky experience.

Washington - being a predominantly Democratic state - one might assume conservation and protection for the night sky would be a priority at Washington State Parks, especially for its historic "Heritage site" observatory. Instead, Washington State Parks has abandoned advocacy for night sky conservation and protection of its former - and only - International Dark Sky Park, becoming the first state to have an International Dark Sky Place revoked.

On the other hand, adjacent Idaho, a predominantly Republican state, has multiple small communities which have embraced and promote night sky conservation and protection through adoption and enforcement of outdoor lighting regulations. These communities have recently achieved the prestigious accomplishment of having the first designated International Dark Sky Reserve in the United States.

The initial and subsequently approved International Dark-Sky Association (IDA) application for designation as an International Dark Sky Park includes a November 2008 statement from then Washington State Parks Director Rex Derr that as part of the Goldendale Observatory's educational efforts, "people are encouraged to be aware of how to preserve the dark night sky environment." Derr added that the Goldendale Observatory's dark night sky was considered part of Washington State Parks "premier destinations of uncommon quality, including state and regionally significant natural, cultural, historical and recreational resources that are outstanding for the experience, health, enjoyment and learning of all people." Because of this support, in 2010 the Goldendale Observatory State Park became the sixth International Dark Sky Park designated in the world.

Several years later, the recently installed Goldendale Observatory State Park Interpretive Specialist Troy Carpenter failed to submit a required annual report to the IDA that was due in October 2016. In November at a meeting of the Rose City Astronomers in Portland, Oregon, Carpenter failed to even mention that the Goldendale Observatory State Park was the only International Dark Sky Park in the Pacific Northwest. In fact, Carpenter publicly stated that light pollution at the Observatory was "a low priority," and claimed dark sky education was a "politically charged issue" and "makes us very unpopular" – without a shred of evidence to support this assertion. David Ingram of the Dark Skies Northwest Chapter of the IDA was particularly not impressed by Carpenter, noting that previous Goldendale Observatory Interpretive Specialist Steve Stout championed achieving one of the first International Dark Sky Park designations in the world, and was "a strong and unapologetic advocate for protecting the skies over GOSP." In contrast, Ingram noted Carpenter "does not seem to have the heart or will to acknowledge the historical dark sky stewardship of Goldendale Observatory State Park... In fact, he seems clearly willing to step away from that heritage."

Carpenter's late November 2016 annual report to the IDA listed the Goldendale Chamber of Commerce Vice-President Jonathan Lewis as a Goldendale Observatory State Park contact for the IDA, failed to include any required night sky quality measurements, and claimed the Observatory provided tens of thousands of people the requisite dark-sky education programs. This was a lie - for the third year in a row. Carpenter himself wrote to a potential visitor to the International Dark Sky Park who specifically inquired about having a presentation on light pollution: "we normally don't do presentations specifically on light pollution." In reality, the required dark-sky programs were non-existent, and not a single person received the benefit night sky conservation enlightenment under Carpenter's tenure. This terse, incomplete, and falsified report was deemed inadequate by the IDA, and the Goldendale Observatory was suspended as an International Dark Sky Park in December 2016.

This forced the Washington State Parks Administration to submit a more detailed revised annual report in April 2017. This included night sky quality measurements made by Carpenter that were grossly inaccurate, and falsely indicated it no longer met any International Dark Sky Park night sky quality criteria. Given Carpenter's well-established history of making false statements in his annual reports to the IDA, and obvious lack of interest in an International Dark Sky Park designation which resulted in the suspension to begin with, it's flabbergasting that the Washington State Parks administration would gullibly trust Carpenter and submit these obviously defective night sky quality measurements - again demonstrating a complete lack of knowledgeable and qualified Observatory consultation or oversight. And while it acknowledged Carpenter had previously failed to provide dark sky education programs or conservation advocacy, it listed no subsequent dark sky education programs or advocacy required to meet clearly described IDA standards.

Commendably with this attempt to lift the suspension of the International Dark Sky Park designation, Washington State Parks Climate and Sustainability Coordinator and Interpretive Program Manager Ryan Karlson stated “We certainly value the [Dark Sky Park] designation. Preserving the dark sky at the Goldendale Observatory is part of our mission. We do see it as unique and meaningful." Emphasis added. Karlson added "we will promote the value of preserving our dark skies and support educational outreach to reduce the impacts of light pollution and other threats to this vulnerable natural resource.” Emphasis added. Furthermore, Washington State Parks Director Don Hoch told the IDA that Carpenter's "low priority" comments did not reflect Washington State Parks position, and that Washington State Parks supported and would be "providing educational experiences that help raise awareness of the impacts of light pollution on this valuable resource - the dark sky experience." Emphasis added.

Observatory Administrator Carpenter's popularity as a public entertainer, which has led to increased visitation and Discover Pass sales, also has resulted in The Tail Wags the Dog: Washington State Parks bureaucracy is apparently so poorly managed that after the above statements were made by Washington State Parks leadership, Carpenter "didn't get the memo." Solidly in the pocket of the local business interests and politicians, and seemingly defiant of Washington State Park's top management officials - he continued refusing to provide any night sky conservation education or advocacy during the several months following the International Dark Sky Park suspension.

At the same time, and in direct conflict with Karlson's and Washington State Parks Director Hoch's statements to the IDA regarding provision of "educational outreach" and "experiences," Steve Brand, Washington State Parks Partnership and Planning manager referred to a dark night sky at the Goldendale Observatory as a "concept," and required the Friends of Goldendale Observatory to remove night sky conservation education and advocacy from their official Operating Plan, stating it was "not part of operating the Park."

These statements are inconsistent with and inappropriate for an International Dark Sky Park or an astronomical observatory - let alone both. It's the equivalent of a hospital's surgical services manager stating that a sterile operating room environment is only a "concept" for a hospital, and not a part of actually providing surgical services. The result of Brand's directive was that there would be no officially sanctioned night sky education or conservation advocacy from anyone associated with Washington State Parks.

Removing night sky conservation education and advocacy from the Friends Operating Plan also nullified Carpenter's previous public praise for - and total reliance on - the Friends of Goldendale Observatory to do what Washington State Parks was obligated to do as an IDA certified International Dark Sky Park. As opposed to himself, Carpenter publicly stated "Our Friends group, however, does care very much about light pollution and they do work hard." Prior to this, however, Carpenter condemned in writing the Friends for their light pollution and night sky education activities as "wasting money" and "hippy dippy activism."

The ongoing failure of Carpenter to provide any dark sky education activity or support for night sky conservation for several months following the suspension, along with Brand's statements and directions explicitly contradicting Hoch's and Karlson's assurances to the IDA that night sky conservation education would be provided and encouraged by Washington State Parks – ultimately and deservedly resulted in the removal of the Goldendale Observatory State Park's prestigious International Dark Sky Park designation on September 29, 2017 – the first and only International Dark Sky Park certification ever revoked:

“There’s a consensus view that the local management and staff have not shown sufficient commitment to the maintenance of the [International Dark Sky Park] designation through words or actions. To the extent that WSPRC does or does not exert supervision of park managers and their staff, it seems unable to change the culture at the Park in this regard. While I think the Committee recognizes the interest of WSPRC in maintaining the Dark Sky Park designation for GOSP, it seems unconvinced that the desire is reflected locally at the Park or in the community of Goldendale.”

International Dark Sky Association Program Manager John Barentine

There are now over 200 certified Dark Sky Places around the globe, 27 of which are State Parks in the United States.

Goldendale Observatory State Park is no longer one of them.

The Washington State Parks entrenched bureaucracy is unfamiliar with all things astronomical, and apparently has a management culture incapable of engaging broad stakeholder involvement or enlisting and consulting authentically knowledgeable and qualified outside expertise for such a unique (for them) facility. Its managerial personnel therefore have no unified vison or values, or consistent goals and objectives for matters which they are inexperienced in dealing with. This resulted in difficulty determining whether conservation of a dark night sky for the Goldendale Observatory State Park and "Heritage Site" is:

1. Part of an "array of natural resources," and a "vulnerable" and "valuable natural resource" for which education and conservation advocacy takes place as part of Washington State Parks "mission” to “provide stewardship and protection" for Washington's citizens "cherished natural heritage" for "future generations."

OR

2. Some sort of highfalutin, "low priority" "concept" for which education and advocacy is "not a part of its mission or operations," but instead is considered part of an "environmentalist agenda" which only interests "hippy dippy activists," and constitutes a "waste of money" and "unpopular amateur astronomer pandering."

Washington State Parks could have justifiably and responsibly "leveraged" its position as the owner of the Goldendale Observatory State Park (and representing the interest of all Washingtonians), to conditioning additional Washington taxpayer investments in the Goldendale Observatory State Park to be predicated on Goldendale and Klickitat County honoring their promises and enforcing their lighting codes to protect the Observatory's night sky, or alternatively relocating the soon to be demolished Observatory to a much better location such as the nearby and much darker Brooks Memorial State Park:

Goldendale Observatory State Park (Bortle 4) v. Brooks Memorial State Park (Bortle 2) overhead light pollution levels. Light Pollution Map

The Bortle Scale of overhead intensity of Light Pollution

Brooks Memorial State Park currently has minimal light pollution interference coming from Goldendale. Photo: Seattle Astronomical Society, Mark de Regt

A tremendous and missed opportunity: Given the concerns Clark College had about light pollution from Goldendale, had Washington State Parks been the original recipient of the Clark 24½ inch telescope, the College would very likely have insisted its telescope be sited at Brooks Memorial State Park - a well-known dark sky location for night sky enthusiasts - verses anywhere near the town of Goldendale.

Given Goldendale and Klickitat County's well-established disregard for night sky conservation and protection for the Goldendale Observatory State Park and its telescope, the failure to consider this alternative with the Observatory's 2018 demolition and subsequent reconstruction is another indicator of Washington State Park's unsuitability to operate an authentic observatory, and again shows its subservience to local business and political interests at the expense of the public's interest.

Washington taxpayer's multi-million-dollar near-total rebuilding of the Goldendale Observatory.

Goldendale Observatory State Park Administrator Carpenter reassured his primary constituency - Goldendale Mayor Canon and the Goldendale Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Peck - that despite the loss of the International Dark Sky Park status appropriately becoming public knowledge, Washington State Parks would reward decades of night sky neglect by giving the Goldendale Observatory an architecturally gorgeous and costly 6-million-dollar state-taxpayer-funded facility upgrade no matter what. In April 2018 Carpenter wrote: “Our status with a third-party organization [the IDA] with which we are no longer affiliated (and should not have been) has no bearing on our policies or capital project objectives.” Emphasis added:

Spin Control: No one ever implied a "false narrative" that an observatory "requires an IDA badge" in order to operate "the way a tavern requires a liquor license." This statement is simply another bit of sophistry and distortion Carpenter invented to manipulate others to believe his way of thinking. For Carpenter there's apparently no need to be embarrassed about anything - including playing the pivotal role for the only International Dark Sky Place in the world ever to be revoked. But he does need to convince his Washington State Parks superiors and the local tourism beneficiaries of this "no need to be embarrassed" view as well.

However, in contradistinction to Carpenter's April 2018 anti IDA declaration, in April 2019 Karlson stated Washington State Parks would correct its previous deficiencies and seek reinstatement of an International Dark Sky Park designation, including provision of night sky conservation education, with a pledge to "work with the local community to ensure that is accomplished."

However, by April 2021 Washington State Parks apparently chose not to buck Carpenter and Washington State Park's local business 'partners' opposition to meaningful night sky conservation, and dropped pursuit of an International Dark Sky Park reinstatement or provision of night sky conservation education.

When publicly asked by a citizen about Washington State Parks commitment to seek community support for dark skies as part of regaining an International Dark Sky Park status, Carpenter stated: “We’re not going to be reapplying for that status; I would go out of my way to avoid doing so actually." Emphasis added.

Refuted by years of night sky conservation advocacy provided by his predecessor Stout, and officially sanctioned by Washington State Parks as an International Dark Sky Park "famous for its dark skies," Carpenter now writes “the requirements attached to the [International Dark Sky Park] status were not a good fit with WA State Parks operating policy,” stating they would “require parks staff to behave in an activist or legislative capacity.” Emphasis added.

Carpenter's propagandistic negative connotations that providing education regarding conservation of the night sky is being "activist," and that supporting already existing outdoor lighting codes is acting in a "legislative capacity," is simply more of Carpenter's deliberate deceptions, absurd obfuscation, and well-practiced sophistry. That Washington State Parks leadership would gullibly buy into such nonsense is shocking - but apparently successful. Contradicting previous statements from Karlson, former Washington State Parks employee and Goldendale Observatory interpretive staff James Day stated to a visitor from Seattle in August 2022 that an International Dark Sky Park status "is not within the mission or scope of Washington Parks." Emphasis added. Day is now the President of the Washington State Parks affiliated Friends of Gorge Area Parks.

Washington State Parks has a Climate and Sustainability Coordinator who promoted conservation and education about the Goldendale Observatory's "vulnerable night sky natural resource" as part of its "mission," a Director who called the night sky a "valuable resource," and a Strategic Plan which promises to "educate the public about the benefits of an array of natural resources." Yet Washington State Parks has apparently implemented new "operating policies" that removed night sky conservation as part of its mission, and precludes providing education about, or advocating for, the sustainability of the Goldendale Observatory State Park Heritage Sites' "vulnerable and valuable night sky natural resource."

Therefore, the night sky of Washington apparently is no longer considered a suitably vulnerable or valuable natural resource worthy of education, conservation, and protection by Washington State Parks. Otherwise, if the night sky remained such a resource, the WSPRC Strategic Plan which promises education, stewardship, and protection of an "array of natural resources" wouldn't be worth the paper it's written on.

Violating its own alleged "core value" of "Involving the public in our policy development and decision making," and without the benefit of knowledgeable and qualified management or consultation, Washington State Parks leadership abandoned both pursuit of a restored International Dark Sky Park status and provision of "educational experiences" concerning part of its "mission" of conservation of the Goldendale Observatory's "valuable" and "vulnerable" night sky natural resource, completely devoid of any public notice - let alone involvement.

Proving that the tail does indeed wag the dog, Washington State Parks apparently came to believe it's more important to surrender to the nearsighted local political and business interests and their unwillingness to engage in any meaningful night sky conservation - or even have it as a publicly discussed issue - rather than give priority to what's overwhelmingly in the public's interest, and the protection of a dark sky astronomy experience at an observatory facility which has proudly claimed to be "famous for its dark skies."

More significantly, Carpenter's disparaging "activist" label and ludicrous "behaving in a legislative capacity" rationales regarding the IDA's night sky conservation education and advocacy requirements apply to any Washington State Park, not just those in Klickitat County and Goldendale.

Apparently what's not only acceptable but beneficial for other public observatories, other state park systems including the adjacent state of Oregon, and the U.S. National Park Service is somehow not so good for Washington.

Thanks to the local political and business community's antipathy for outdoor lighting codes, and its subservient "partner" Washington State Parks aversion for night sky conservation education or advocacy, here's a sign you haven't seen in Washington State:

And never will.

On the other hand, the adjacent States of Oregon and Idaho have chosen to embrace conservation of their irreplaceable night sky natural heritage:

Note the numerous small towns and communities in rural Idaho which support night sky conservation and have implemented lighting regulations to protect the night sky in order to first achieve - and then maintain - their International Dark Sky Reserve designation.

Since 1980 Washington State citizens and taxpayers have provided many millions of dollars for the operation of and upgrades to the Goldendale Observatory State Park and its historic telescope. Yet the Park's most important asset – the quality of its night sky – is continuing to be degraded for future generations at the behest of the local political and business establishment, while Washington State Parks now stands by and watches without saying a word.

Therefore, the failure of Washington State Parks to promote night sky conservation and protect taxpayer investments in the Goldendale Observatory State Park are a betrayal not only of the founding principles of the Observatory, but of the fiduciary responsibility to care for public assets the State of Washington has stewardship and responsibility for.

Make-Believe Public Policy

You can't fix what you don't know about. Most people in Goldendale and Klickitat County remain completely unaware of the issue of light pollution, the negative effects on the Goldendale Observatory State Park, or the decades-long existence of the lighting codes intended to prevent light pollution and protect the Observatory. Local political and business interests want to keep it that way.

Washington State Parks is their willing accomplice.

Photo by Mason Trinca, Yakima Herald-Republic

Light pollution from Goldendale, 2014. Troy Carpenter, Washington State Parks

Over 45 years' worth of unrestrained light pollution - visible as the illumination of the south side of the Goldendale Observatory on a clear moonless night - coming directly from the City of Goldendale and surrounding Klickitat County.

Satellite measurements of light pollution

Downtown Goldendale: Klickitat Co. Courthouse and County jail with prohibited unshielded lighting. Bob Yoesle

Inaction Speaks Louder than Words

For decades the City of Goldendale and Klickitat County have broken the promises - and their subsequently adopted lighting codes - under which they were entrusted with the Goldendale Observatory's historic telescope, and without which the Observatory wouldn't exist... at least not in Goldendale or Klickitat County:

Purpose:

Protect a dark nighttime sky and visual environment near the Goldendale Observatory.

Prevent excessive illumination, glare, and reflection in areas adjacent to astronomical research facilities, such as observatories, where such light intrusion would hinder use of sensitive optical devices.

Goldendale and Klickitat County lighting codes.

The Illumination Control District boundary for protecting "a dark nighttime sky" for the Goldendale Observatory (red dot) Klickitat Co., Washington.

These unpublicized and unenforced lighting codes and unfulfilled promises to protect the Observatory telescope's night sky were and remain a classic "bait and switch."

While the Goldendale Chamber of Commerce Director Dana Peck openly proclaimed their priority is to exploit the Goldendale Observatory as a "marketing tool" for local "economic and commercial gain" – reinforced by Washington State Park's Observatory Administrator Carpenter parroting that this is "absolutely our priority" (while publicly declaring light pollution is a "low priority") – the Chamber, Goldendale, and Klickitat County's failure educate the public about or promote the lighting codes demonstrates local political and business interests don't care about the Observatory's fundamental purposes, conserving the beauty of its star-filled night sky, or protecting the Washington State taxpayers' substantial investment in their community.

Below is a small sample of City, County, and Federal government buildings, commercial and residential city and countryside outdoor lighting – much of it installed since the 2017 lighting code revision – which is grossly excessive or violates the lighting code requirements for full cut-off shielding of outdoor lighting.

Note the dramatic proliferation of unshielded blue-white "daylight" LED lighting and signage which is exceptionally damaging to the night sky, as well as having significant human and environmental health effects. At the insistence of city-appointed lighting task force business representatives and home-grown anti-regulation business owner-politicians, draft regulations meeting "dark sky community" lighting code "best practices" which addressed excessive "total area lumens," high "color temperature" lighting elements, and improper illumination of outdoor signs, were deliberately removed from the 2017 Goldendale lighting code revision.

All photos were taken from April 2020 to April 2021 between 1 am and 4 am local time:

A predominance of trashy prohibited unshielded lighting, and a 50 year failure to “protect a dark nighttime sky and visual environment near the Goldendale Observatory” and “prevent excessive illumination, glare, and reflection...” Photos: Bob Yoesle

Classy – not trashy. One of the few dark sky compliant outdoor lighting examples in Goldendale. A Carnegie Library with fully shielded, night-sky conserving "warm" color temperature fixtures, and non-excessive and well-placed levels of illumination. Easy and inexpensive to do - if you actually care about what is best for the Observatory and the community. Photo: Bob Yoesle

Below: "Fisheye lens" all-sky view seen from the Goldendale Observatory. The "light dome" from Goldendale extends along one-quarter or more of the southern horizon and half-way to directly overhead. The first image is the original exposure. The second image is an enhanced version to show the true extent of light pollution relative to the brightness of the Milky Way. The third shows relative light pollution brightness contour levels. Photos: Bob Yoesle

Enmeshment

Most anyone who has viewed the Observatory's night sky over the years notes the light pollution has grown brighter year after year, and is located in one of the most important parts of the sky – to the south, where the center of the summer Milky Way lies.

This included Goldendale Observatory Administrator Troy Carpenter, who in 2014 - before Peck became the Director of the Goldendale Chamber of Commerce and the "partnership" with Pratt and Carpenter - stated the following:

"There is already too much light pollution from town to get a good view of deep space objects in the southern sky, like the center of our galaxy... The dark sky situation could be better... It’s not abysmal, but at the same time it’s getting worse... it’s not getting better… so it’s just a real issue."

Now beholden to the marketing priorities of his Washington State Parks "partner" - the Goldendale Chamber of Commerce which now also hosts and pays for his personal Goldendale Observatory website - Carpenter currently writes that "Goldendale Washington features beautifully dark skies and the city has taken steps to make them even darker with the installation of full-cutoff and dimmable LED street lamps."

This statement contradicts the facts known about most all LED streetlights, and is a complete fabrication.

Unfortunately, the brighter and whiter LED streetlights of Goldendale are twice as damaging to the night sky as the fully shielded high pressure sodium (HPS) streetlights they replaced. As shown previously, decades of uncontrolled proliferation of non-streetlight unshielded outdoor lighting, compounded by an explosion of unshielded blue-white LED outdoor lighting, adds insult to injury:

A dramatic display of Light pollution at Goldendale Observatory State Park coming mostly from blue-rich LED street and outdoor lighting in Goldendale - located 1 mile (1.6 km) behind the camera - spreads outwards for many miles, flooding a cloudy sky and the snow-covered landscape with artificial light on a moonless night, December 23, 2022. A rare form of light pollution - a multitude of "light pillars" coming from prohibited unshielded outdoor lights - is located nearby in light polluted areas of Klickitat County. Normally this light pollution is scattered by aerosols, dust particles, air molecules and water vapor much higher in the atmosphere creating a diffuse "sky glow." Bright light pillars form during cold calm weather when very small ice crystals drift horizontally close to the ground. Millions of these ice crystals act like tiny mirrors, redirecting a small amount of the light pollution coming from the unshielded light source back towards the ground where it can be observed, making it appear as if a beam of light is coming from the sky. Photo: Troy Carpenter.

Formation of light pillars. Wikipedia

Besides using the propaganda technique of the Big Lie claiming the night sky of the Goldendale Observatory having become “beautifully dark,” Carpenter is fond of making rationalizations for the light pollution from Goldendale and Klickitat County not being as bad as at other observatories like those in Los Angeles - which therefore somehow makes it acceptable not to promote night sky conservation in Goldendale.

Just like Goldendale Observatory, Mt Wilson Observatory was built just north of a population center - Los Angeles.

Despite their promises to the telescope makers and Clark College, and in spite of the 40-plus year presence of lighting codes, since there is no control of light pollution by the City of Goldendale and Klickitat County, all it will a take is a little more time:

Recent NASA satellite imagery (left) corrected for factors such as cloud cover, vegetation, and land cover type. The data has been validated with measurements taken on the ground. State-of-the-art modeling of light pollution (right) showing Goldendale (arrowed) has not become "even darker" after the installation of LED streetlights. Indeed, the night sky has significantly deteriorated with the switch from HPS to 3000 K LED streetlights, and the spread of even more blue-rich unshielded LED outdoor lighting in Goldendale and throughout nearby Klickitat County:

The "light domes" of Yakima WA and Goldendale (with a pink aurora in 2017). Note the large relative increase by Goldendale in only 3 years, and the increase in unshielded lights throughout the Lighting Control District. Photos: Mike McKeag

Light pollution in the night sky at the Goldendale Observatory State Park has gone from being accurately described by Carpenter in 2014 as "already too much" with a portion of the night sky "washed out," and "not abysmal but getting worse," to Abracadabra! - miraculously transformed into being "beautifully dark" and getting "even darker."

With Carpenter openly proclaiming Goldendale Observatory State Parks No.1 priority is serving the tourism and economic needs of the local business and political community, and a dark night sky having been relegated to being a "low priority concept," Washington State Parks now downplays the existence and lies about the extent of increasing light pollution at the Observatory. Discussion of light pollution is claimed to be "a politically charged issue and makes us very unpopular" - obviously referring to the political/business community who have deliberately ignored lighting codes and worsened the light pollution at the Goldendale Observatory, despite promises and lighting codes meant to do the opposite.

Most significantly, being honest about increasing light pollution at the Goldendale Observatory is not conducive to promotion of Observatory visits or the sale of Washington State Parks Discover Passes, or the "prime directive" of non-interference with the promotion and generation of tourism dollars for Washington State Parks business community "partners." Therefore, State Park staff will not initiate a discourse on the existence of light pollution or the ever-increasing need to conserve the night sky of the Goldendale Observatory. Fear of bringing attention to these facts is revealed by discussion and education about light pollution and its effects being condemned by Carpenter as "pandering to amateur astronomers," behaving as a "hippy dippy activists," and a "waste of money."

Demonstrating a lack of agency-level recognition - let alone formal policy support - for night sky conservation at the Goldendale Observatory State Park, Lem Pratt - the Washington State Parks Area manager who was transferred to Goldendale in December 2012 - implemented his personal values and judgements with regard to night sky conservation at the Observatory. Carpenter stated that Pratt considered the Goldendale Observatory's International Dark Sky Park status part of an "environmentalist agenda" he would like to see "go away."

Carpenter - formerly a highly paid windpower training specialist in Philadelphia - was first hired at the Observatory as seasonal entry-level Park Aide, and Pratt promoted him to become the interim Goldendale Observatory Interpretive Specialist following the early retirement of Steve Stout in June of 2013. It was Stout who championed the International Dark Sky Park Status for the Observatory. Carpenter went through an abbreviated hiring and perfunctory interview process by Pratt to get the permanent Observatory Interpretive Specialist position. As previously described, Carpenter was instrumental in the revocation of the International Dark Sky Park status of the Goldendale Observatory in 2017 - he indeed made the designation "go away." Carpenter was then given the title of "Observatory Administrator" and received a large pay raise. Not surprisingly, regaining a Dark Sky Park designation is something Carpenter will 'go out of his way to avoid.'

During the 2014 radio interview above, when Carpenter was asked about Washington State Parks connection to the "dark sky movement," Carpenter's nonsensical but telling distortion of facts was "there was some confusion about that. The reality is they're not."

Really? Goldendale Observatory State Park at that time was a Certified International Dark Sky Park and would remain so for 2 years, with Carpenter submitting falsified annual reports to the International Dark-Sky Association in order to maintain the prestigious astro-tourism generating designation.

Carpenter is fond of gaslighting by claiming there's "some confusion" or "misunderstanding" needing clarification when factual statements presented by others disagree with his preferred false reality. Channeling his boss Pratt, Carpenter employed his habitual sophistry by stating that "We don’t want a situation where people think the state government is trying to tell local municipalities what to do. Same with the Observatory; we’re not trying to tell anyone what to do.”

Pratt left Washington State Parks to ironically - but not surprisingly - become the Code Enforcement Officer for Klickitat County. You can't make this stuff up. Pratt no doubt came highly recommended by former Klickitat County Economic Development Director and Goldendale Chamber of Commerce Director Peck.

The City of Goldendale and Klickitat County had promised and adopted lighting codes for protecting the night sky of the Goldendale Observatory's telescope from light pollution before Washington State Parks ownership. Yet Carpenter and Washington State Parks are not going to inform anyone they exist, or advocate that the lighting codes be enforced by the responsible jurisdiction to protect the natural night sky environment of the Observatory that the municipalities themselves have codified, and who would be responsible for their enforcement - NOT Washington State Parks.

Feel like dumping your garbage into or polluting a Washington State Park river or lake? Washington State Parks is not going to tell you (especially if you're a local business owner and/or Washington State political Representative) there’s a federal, state, county, or city law against it. Washington State Parks apparently won't be willing to ask the appropriate responsible jurisdiction to enforce their applicable water pollution laws to prevent such illegal activity – because Washington State Parks is "not going to tell anyone what to do."

But they will give you a $99 ticket if you park your car at a Washington State Park and don't have a Discover Pass - and thereby actually will tell you what to do.

Coming soon to Washington State Park's pro-local economic development itinerary:

For Washington State Parks clean water is no longer considered a "vulnerable" or "valuable" natural resource, and instead is just a "concept" for a State Park with a lake. And while water pollution looks crummy, you don't really need clean water to jet ski or motorboat. In spite of local regulations intended to prevent it, education about and advocacy for the mitigation of water pollution is considered "unpopular" and a "politically charged" "hot-button issue" - particularly with Washington State Park's "partners" - the local water polluters who have ignored and violated the water pollution regulations for decades and see the State's lakes as nothing more than "assets to leverage."

Despite being "famous" for their "clear clean waters," water pollution is obvious in select parts of the State Parks lakes, but only kills a few fish, frogs, birds, and other wildlife. It can therefore be minimized, ignored, and lied about in order to promote park visitation and the tourism businesses financial interests without too much public backlash. While they're at it, let's reward the polluters with a new state taxpayer-funded 6-million-dollar visitor center to increase visitation and help the marina fuel operators, RV parks, hotels, restaurants, and other polluters get more money so they can expand operations and pollute even more.

To get more appreciation from the polluters, education concerning water pollution can be condemned as "wasting money," "pandering to naturalists," and part of a "hippy-dippy" "environmentalist agenda." Washington State Park's tourism-focused stooges for local business interests won't take issue with their "partners" water pollution, and the polluters and their anti-regulatory political allies won't get upset over State Parks personnel advocating for clean water in compliance with the law, which goes against the polluter's petty financial interests. The Washington State Parks bureaucracy will be safe from feared retaliatory cuts by remaining "neutral" about water pollution and avoid mentioning any clean water concerns or environmental advocacy whatsoever.

Whatever you do - don't rock the boat...

Instead, Washington State Parks will state that despite obvious water pollution, its lakes are much better than wastewater ponds and lakes found elsewhere, and claim they are "beautifully clean and getting cleaner."

What else could or would you expect from a State Parks system?

A Bogus Application for a Counterfeit Purpose

Goldendale has gone to great lengths to solicit grants in the hundreds of thousands of dollars to improve its small and infrequently used municipal airport serving a few private and local millionaire business interests who apparently don't wish to have to fuel up their private planes in Dallesport 19 miles away. Demonstrating their authentic anti-regulation credentials and a disregard for the protection of public's health, safety, and welfare, the City of Goldendale awarded $13,000 in 2023 to ABATE of Washington - an anti-motorcycle-helmet law organization - for a demolition derby tourism event.

At the same time, Goldendale hasn't done a thing to raise or provide funds to retrofit the extensive unshielded outdoor lighting it has allowed to violate its lighting codes for decades. The same goes for Klickitat County. Nor has Goldendale used any of the $60,000 or more per year in electricity cost savings from a 2017 LED streetlight conversion (paid for by a state transportation improvement grant) for replacing unshielded lighting, lighting code education, or night sky conservation and support.

Despite the Goldendale Chamber of Commerce stating Observatory tourism pumps $5 million annually into the local economy, local businesses and politicians - aided and abetted by Washington State Parks - have demonstrated time after time their egregious contempt for the codified promises to protect the Observatory's night sky:

"Dark Sky Place designations are based on implementing stringent lighting plans and public outreach programs that provide educational programing and outdoor night sky activities... An International Dark Sky Community is a town, city, municipality or other legally organized community that has shown exceptional dedication to the preservation of the night sky through the implementation and enforcement of a quality outdoor lighting ordinance, dark sky education and citizen support of dark skies. Dark Sky Communities excel in their efforts to promote responsible lighting and dark sky stewardship, and set good examples for surrounding communities." DarkSky International.

Goldendale and Klickitat County have shown an exceptional lack of dedication to the preservation of the night sky through the implementation and enforcement of quality outdoor lighting ordinances. As demonstrated in the photos above, they won't even implement or enforce the substandard ordinances that have been in place since 1979. Additionally, they and the Goldendale Chamber of Commerce have provided no significant or sustained dark sky education, promotion, or public support for the importance of night sky conservation for the Goldendale Observatory State Park.

Unlike Goldendale and Klickitat County – Flagstaff Arizona, the first International Dark Sky Community, and surrounding Coconino County, strive for and have earnestly implemented quality outdoor lighting ordinances for the protection of the night sky of their historic Lowell Observatory.

In early 2018 the IDA offered Goldendale Mayor Mike Canon direct open-ended assistance at no cost to pursue an International Dark Sky Community status to replace the Goldendale Observatory State Park's forfeited International Dark Sky Park designation. There could be no better assistance or expertise to achieve such a designation:

Mayor Canon never responded.

It is perversely twisted – yet predictable – that Mayor Canon and the City of Goldendale would reject the free of cost assistance and unquestionable expertise of the IDA, and instead wait until January 2019 and initiate a $10,000 1 year contract with then Goldendale Chamber of Commerce’s anti-regulation Director Dana Peck to submit a Dark Sky Community Application to the IDA, and develop an alleged educational plan for encouraging "voluntary" compliance with the city's lighting code:

2019 City of Goldendale contract with the Goldendale Chamber of Commerce. Note there are only 2 poorly elaborated deliverables, with the rest being vague boilerplate.

In 2003, the Friends of Goldendale Observatory, which had a Board of Directors composed mostly of those pesky amateur astronomers, were advocating for night sky conservation and enforcement of the 1979 lighting codes to protect the night sky of the Goldendale Observatory. Peck - then Director of Klickitat County Economic Development and well known for "protecting jobs in our region from regulatory threats" - led a small group of local yokels to successfully take over and then immediately shut down the official Observatory Friends organization due to their night sky conservation advocacy.

Mayor Canon and the Goldendale City Council expended thousands of public tax dollars in order to contract with Peck and the Chamber of Commerce - instead of utilizing the no-cost and unrivaled expertise of the IDA - to allegedly achieve an International Dark Sky Community status which includes “preservation of the night sky through the implementation and enforcement of a quality outdoor lighting ordinance.” This is equivalent to hiring Jeffry Epstein as a chaperone for your teenage daughter at the prom in order to preserve her virginity.

The deceitful and corrupt culture of provincialism and "good old boy" shenanigans as well as conflicts of interest demonstrated by this arrangement with Peck and the Chamber of Commerce is typical of what passes for public policy and its implementation in Goldendale and Klickitat County.

Fitting right in and using his customary hyperbole, Goldendale Observatory Administrator Carpenter wrote: “New area parks management are working closely with the IDA, local businesses, and community leaders to apply for an IDA status which acknowledges the darkness of the site but does not require parks staff to behave in an activist or legislative capacity.” Emphasis added.

Given her naïveté and lack of familiarity with the players and issues, it's not surprising that the "new" Washington State Parks Area Manager Jill Sprance (who replaced Pratt and has some biological science acumen, but similarly appears to have no astronomy related background, education, or expertise) would be duped by Carpenter into participating in this fraudulent Goldendale/Peck/Chamber of Commerce Dark Sky Community "effort."

The bottom line is that Washington State Parks and the City of Goldendale wanted a Dark Sky Community status for the tourism and Discover Pass money-generating ability. At the same time, they absolutely loathe the requirements to provide allegedly "unpopular" public education or adopt authentic night sky conservation measures to secure and maintain an International Dark Sky Place designation. So they attempted to deceive the IDA in their processes and applications to keep and/or secure the Dark Sky Place designations.

IDA Dark Sky Program personnel headquartered in Tucson, Arizona, denied they had any involvement or consultation with this effort - which would be obvious to ANYONE familiar with the IDA Dark Sky Community application processes or requirements.

The Dark Sky Community designation effort was therefore doomed from the start:

In order to meet a provisional status as an International Dark Sky Community, Goldendale would have had to submit an application that included a thorough inventory and incorporated a detailed plan to bring into compliance 90% of all of the accumulated non-dark-sky compliant outdoor lighting in the City of Goldendale within 5 years’ time. No such inventory was attempted, let alone submitted, and therefore the application obviously included no plan for bringing decades of non-compliant lighting into compliance with night sky conserving outdoor lighting standards.
Peck's and the City of Goldendale's application made a totally false claim that "the City, working in partnership with the Goldendale Chamber of Commerce, has engaged in an extensive community stakeholder outreach effort focused on the importance of dark skies over the last several years." (Emphasis added.) This was a bald-faced lie - no such outreach effort ever existed. And why else would the City Goldendale have to contract with the Chamber as shown above to "develop" a "plan" for such education only 1 year earlier? Additionally, the Dark Sky Community application would have had to include documented, well-established and ongoing public support and educational outreach programs for night sky conservation - which were and remain non-existent.
The application would have had to show the adoption of an "effective and enforced" lighting ordinance which included regulating the color temperature values of outdoor lighting, establishing night sky friendly total lumen values per area, and limiting the brightness of illuminated outdoor signs – all of which were Dark Sky Community lighting ordinance requirements deliberately removed from the draft Goldendale lighting code revision in 2017 after intervention from Goldendale native and anti-regulatory State Representative Gina Mosbrucker and local business operatives - without objection by Peck for the Chamber of Commerce, or Pratt for Washington State Parks. Peck and Pratt attended the Lighting Task Force meetings as non-voting participants. Pratt went out of his way to emphasize Washington State Parks wasn't advocating for improvement of the outdoor lighting code, and was perfectly happy with the current (unenforced) version of the outdoor lighting code without any changes.
This improved lighting code would need to be in place at the time of the application to be considered. While Canon (Peck) acknowledging the current lighting code was below standard - and despite having over a year to have done so - no effort to include the removed provisions or otherwise bring the lighting code up to IDA Dark Sky Community standards was made, let alone adopted by the City of Goldendale.
No documentation was provided that showed the current sub-standard lighting code is enforced - because it isn't.

While it took over a year for the Chamber/City of Goldendale to submit their $10,000 faux Dark Sky Community application to the IDA in March of 2020, it was so obviously and grossly flawed and incomplete that it was immediately rejected:

"Frankly, as proposed the Provisional IDSC for Goldendale, WA has absolutely no chance of being approved by the DSPC [Dark Sky Places Committee]... it appears the City fundamentally misunderstands the IDSC [International Dark Sky Community] certification process at this time." IDA Dark Sky Places Program Manager Adam Dalton, May 2020; emphasis added:

DarkSky International

The Goldendale Chamber of Commerce, acting as a proxy for the City of Goldendale, and "working closely" with its "partner" Washington State Parks, did not misunderstand anything:

Did a Chamber of Commerce Director opposed to the enforcement of the preexisting inadequate lighting codes suddenly become converted to the need of lighting code improvement, dark sky education, and lighting code enforcement required for an International Dark Sky Community designation?

Or was the entire exercise a devious half-baked scheme to get a tourism-generating "provisional" Dark Sky Community designation which could be exploited for tourism purposes, but which they had no intention of following through on? Peck then could follow Carpenter's deceitful example and submit false Dark Sky Community recertification reports to the IDA claiming to provide public education and implementation of lighting codes which would in reality be non-existent.

One year later on April 29, 2021, when asked about the status of achieving an International Dark Sky Community designation, Mayor Canon responded, "It's still continuing, I haven't gotten an update on where we are on it – we should be there."

They weren't, and never were close.

The Dark Sky Community application was immediately rejected due to its obvious inadequacies: All the detailed and extensive measures which needed to be completed prior to a Dark Sky Community application submission were completely lacking. When the pre-application requirements to show genuine commitment to night sky conservation were apparently "discovered" via the application rejection, there was no effort by the Chamber of Commerce or the City of Goldendale to correct the deficiencies and follow through in meeting the requirements, and re-submitting the application.

To this day there remains no plan - let alone a program - to educate the public about Goldendale lighting codes or compliance therewith - voluntary or otherwise.

Because the City of Goldendale and the Greater Goldendale Area Chamber of Commerce have never had information about the lighting codes displayed anywhere, it would be difficult to voluntarily comply with them if you didn't know they exist. Their Washington State Parks "partner" is now completely silent on the issue of light pollution - other than to downplay and lie about its presence - let alone significance.

Either Mayor Canon was never informed by Peck of the application's rejection and made no inquiries for over a year to as the Dark Sky Community application status (despite "requirements" for quarterly updates) - or was simply lying when he said "it's still continuing... we should be there." The Goldendale Chamber of Commerce took the City's money and ran, while the Mayor and City Council looked the other way.

When asked about Mayor Canon's statement to the public that the Dark Sky Community process was "continuing," IDA Dark Sky Place Program Manager Barentine responded "there’s nothing 'continuing,' because I find no evidence that anything ever started."

Goldendale and the Chamber of Commerce apparently viewed a Dark Sky Community designation as something easy to accomplish by attempting to bamboozle the IDA with a bogus provisional Dark Sky Community application - just as Carpenter had done with his previously falsified International Dark Sky Park annual reports to the IDA. And as with Carpenter and Washington State Parks, they only wanted the notoriety from the International Dark Sky Community designation in order to help generate tourism dollars and Discover Pass sales. Why else would you reject the direct assistance and expertise of the IDA for a complex and time-consuming International Dark Sky Community application process, and instead go with a devious con-man like Peck and a totally unqualified Chamber of Commerce?

The cast of characters had not changed, and birds of a feather flock together. Washington State Parks, Goldendale, and the Greater Goldendale Area Chamber of Commerce have made it clear their only motivation for a Dark Sky Place status was local commerce, tourism, and Discover Pass revenue generation - not sincere conservation of the night sky. When it comes to honestly addressing the requirements for providing night sky conservation education or implementing real measures to protect the night sky natural heritage of the Heritage Site Goldendale Observatory - it's no thanks - "not a good fit" - and as Carpenter declared, something they will go out of their way to avoid.

Thankfully, the integrity and credibility of IDA’s Dark Sky Places program has not been undermined and discredited by Washington State Parks, its "partner" the Greater Goldendale Area Chamber of Commerce, and the City of Goldendale.

Goldendale light pollution brightens the southern sky as seen from 4 miles (6.5 km) away. Bob Yoesle

Yakima Herald-Republic/Mason Trinca

"Light pollution from Goldendale, Wash. floods the sky on a cloudy night at the Goldendale Observatory State Park on Tuesday, Dec 9, 2014. The observatory, run by the Washington State Parks, is a dark sky destination for people from around the region, and is the only public observatory in the Northwest.”
The Yakima Herald-Republic Newspaper.

Finale

Goldendale, Klickitat County, and the Chamber of Commerce are Welfare Queens

The raison d'etre of the Goldendale Observatory was getting away from light pollution.

The business and political interests who originally desired an observatory for Goldendale pledged to protect it from light pollution in order to be given its massive and valuable telescope. They could then solicit a federal grant to build an observatory for it. Over the past four decades they've gotten many millions of Washington taxpayer dollars to maintain, run, and upgrade it, and generous other public funds and grants promoting tourism related to the presence of the Observatory - greatly benefitting from it. According to the Goldendale Chamber of Commerce, local businesses realize over five million dollars a year from the tourism generated by the Goldendale Observatory.

But the promises to protect the Observatory's telescope from light pollution mean nothing to the City of Goldendale, the Greater Goldendale Area Chamber of Commerce, Klickitat County, or Washington State Parks. They won't lift a finger or spend a dime to educate or inform the public about light pollution or the local lighting codes which were promised in order to obtain the Observatory's telescope and conserve and protect its night sky.

The business and political interests which are benefitting monetarily from the Observatory are opposed to applying and enforcing the lighting codes needed to protect it. A spinally infirm Washington State Parks doesn't want to rock the boat by holding Goldendale and Klickitat County accountable to their promises and long-standing codified Observatory protections.

The deterioration of the night sky of the Goldendale Observatory State Park, which they all pretend to value and give lip service to, will continue to worsen year after year without end - just as it has everywhere else that doesn't proactively protect the night sky.

They really would be just as happy to have an “amusement park” rather than an observatory to help “fill up hotel rooms and restaurant parking spaces.” Unfortunately, they couldn’t get massive donated roller coasters or Ferris wheels, federal government grants, or decades of Washington State taxpayer operating funds plus millions of Washington State taxpayer capital improvement dollars to foot the bill for that.

Killing the goose that lays the golden eggs.

Let there be light. No need for conserving the natural night sky or reducing light pollution here.

They didn't forget. THEY JUST DON'T CARE.

The night sky is a valuable and vulnerable public natural heritage, scenic, ecological, educational, and cultural resource, and merits conservation and protection for every one of us, our children, and generations to follow.

A valuable natural nightscape: the southern summer night sky and Milky Way. Photo: Mike McKeag

Washington State Parks has no true appreciation for observational astronomy or the beauty of the night sky. Nor does the City of Goldendale or Klickitat County. This has resulted in the Goldendale Observatory becoming a soft science "amusement park" whose main purpose is generating Discover Pass sales and tourism revenue for the benefit of Washington State Park's local political/business interest "partners."

According to Washington State Parks, regulations Goldendale and Klickitat County adopted in 1979 for protecting the night sky of the Goldendale Observatory are now a "hot button issue" for the City and County. Ignoring the public's interest, Washington State Parks desire to placate these local anti-regulation interests has led to its opposition to night sky conservation education and advocacy, and the continued failure of the night sky protection regulations specifically adopted for the Goldendale Observatory historic telescope's benefit. This failure of leadership is antithetical to genuine observational astronomy purposes, and incompatible with an International Dark Sky Place status.

With light pollution skyrocketing almost everywhere, Washington State Parks has chosen to be part of the problem, not part of the solution. Moving in the opposite direction of other state park systems and the National Park Service, most of which do not operate an observatory, Washington State Parks apparently no longer considers a dark night sky an important part of the State's environment, ecology, and economy, or the natural landscape and the State's environmental heritage, or its "famous for its dark skies" Heritage Site Observatory.

Washington State Parks is no longer a "good fit" for a publicly owned observatory which depends on public awareness, education, and advocacy for the protection and stewardship of its valuable and vulnerable night sky natural resource.

Goldendale, Klickitat County, and Washington State Parks have broken faith not only with the builders of the Goldendale Observatory's 24½ inch telescope and Observatory founders - they've betrayed the citizens and taxpayers of Washington.

"When my grandkids come to visit from Portland, they say 'Grandma, you have so many more stars than us.' But people don't realize that if we don't do something, our grandchildren may not be able to lay in the grass and gaze at the stars. That's happening all over the place, and so people are coming here to have that opportunity."

Earlene Sullivan, Goldendale, WA

Additional details surrounding the loss of the Dark Sky Park status can be found here.

Additional information about the effects of light pollution on humans and the environment, and how it can be easily managed effectively, can be found at Dark Sky Defenders.

The opinions expressed are solely those of the Friends of Goldendale Observatory, and may not represent those of DSI, FDSC, or their affiliates and members.

​GOLDENDALE OBSERVATORYA Night Sky Conservation Disgrace

Washington State Parks​​​De Facto Subsidiary ​of the Chamber of Commerce

GOLDENDALE OBSERVATORY
A Night Sky Conservation Disgrace

Washington State Parks
De Facto Subsidiary of the Chamber of Commerce