Discover

The Santa Ysabel Nature Center has a permanent Dark Skies exhibit with out-of-this-world information on natural darkness, light pollution, and its impact on back country wildlife as well as our ability to view the cosmos. Turn a dial and see what a star-filled sky above the San Diego skyline would look like if light pollution were reduced! Learn more about this award-winning 6,000-square-foot LEED Gold and Zero Net Energy facility and star-gazing hotspot at Santa Ysabel Nature Center (sdparks.org).

Extended hours starting April 1: Monday to Thursday, 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.; Friday – Sunday, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Where: 22135 Highway 79, Santa Ysabel, CA 92070

DIRECTIONS: From CA-78, head NORTH on CA-79 for approximately ¼ mile. Look for the sign/monument near guard rail, and enter through green gates. Drive up the hillside to the nature center building.

IMPORTANT NOTE ON LOCATION: The nature center building is NOT visible from the roadway! It was designed to blend into the environment, so please use the directions and map to help you find your way. GPS navigation may NOT be accurate.

Logo for "Lights Out San Diego", a campaign to protect migrating birds.

The “Losing the Dark” is a short planetarium show from DarkSky International introducing light pollution and three simple actions people can take to help mitigate it, available for streaming or download in 15 languages.

Watch this beautifully animated story about light pollution and the night sky, for children.

Can you pass the Kindergarten Astronomy Test? Engage family members and friends to learn and have fun testing your knowledge on planets, constellations, the sun and moon, even the International Space Station (ISS)! Is it true that one of Jupiter’s moons is bigger than Mercury? Take the quiz to find out!

The 2023 International Dark Sky Week celebration in San Diego County featured three essays from DarkSky advocates from San Diego, Julian, and Temecula in the local section of the San Diego Union Tribune print edition and online!
Note, dates reflect the 2023 International Dark Sky Week dates. 

Commit to protecting the night, every night, by taking a quick survey of your home lighting to see if it’s nature, neighbor, and night sky friendly. Simple changes like shielding or re-aiming a light or switching to a warmer color bulb are often all that’s needed. Proudly display your certificate during International Dark Sky Week!

Drawing contrasting proper home lighting vs wasteful practices