On Friday, March 20, Fundación Cielos de Chile took part as one of the invited institutions at the ESO-ALMA Open Day 2026, celebrated in the framework of Astronomy Day. The event, which addressed topics such as light pollution and dark sky protection, is one of the most significant annual opportunities to bring astronomical knowledge to the general public.

From the start of the day, the facilities welcomed students from public schools across several communes of the Metropolitan Region. From 16:00 onwards, the doors opened to the general public with free activities including telescope-building workshops, a guided visit to the ALMA control room, a meteorite exhibition, and astronomy talks, among many others. Throughout the day, more than 600 people explored the facilities to learn about the progress and care of Chile’s astronomical heritage.

Light pollution knowledge for all ages

Fundación Cielos de Chile participated with a stand where families and students could learn about light pollution and the importance of protecting dark skies as a natural, scientific and cultural heritage. “For us, participating in these events is very important because we can work with all the families and people who approach us on raising awareness about light pollution,” explained Sofía Ramírez, Environmental Education Officer at the Foundation. “It is a problem that undoubtedly affects astronomical observation, but it also has other impacts, such as on biodiversity and human health. In these events, we can bring this sense of importance to people and help them understand how relevant Chile is in global astronomical observation,” she added.

“Being able to participate through a stand and a talk is very important, as it allows us to connect with people through conversation and explanation,” the professional continued. How is this achieved? The stand experience is designed to be engaging and playful: through a classic tic-tac-toe game, visitors learn about sources of light pollution. Another game introduces the migratory journey of storm petrels and how light pollution creates obstacles along their path. The content is presented in a concrete and accessible way, reaching people of all ages, helping them understand how light pollution is generated and what actions individuals and communities can take to reduce it and protect this globally unique heritage, essential for scientific and technological development.

Citizen action

In addition to the stand, the Foundation participated in the short talks programme with a presentation also delivered by Sofía Ramírez. The talk focused on how to use the Glowatch platform, which enables citizens to report sources of light pollution through citizen science.

For the Foundation, participating in this event is also an opportunity to remind families that the dark skies that make all this science possible require active protection, and that this is a shared responsibility.

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At the National Meeting on Physical Activity and Local Sport, organized by the Chilean Association of Municipalities, and as part of Fundación Cielos de Chile’s itinerary during Astronomy Week, Executive Director Daniela González participated as an invited speaker to address the impact of sports lighting on dark skies, human health, and biodiversity, a topic that tends to go unnoticed in municipal sports planning.

The meeting brought together municipal representatives from across Chile for a conversation on sustainable sports lighting. The invitation came from Sportwelt, a company specialised in sports infrastructure and winner of the Sports Lighting category at the Premio Cielos de Chile 2025 for its project at Estadio La Caldera, in the Atacama Region.

The implications of light pollution

During her joint presentation with Sportwelt, Daniela González noted that light pollution goes far beyond its impact on telescopes, adding that urban flora, fauna, and nocturnal ecosystems also depend on certain levels of darkness to function properly.

One of the points that most captured the audience’s attention was the origin of the citizen reports received by the Foundation through its citizen science platform, Glowatch. “A significant share of the reports we receive from residents relates to sports facilities, from all across the country,” explained Daniela, citing concrete cases such as a skatepark on the coastal edge of Arica, a critical nesting area for protected seabirds.

Sports lighting and the light pollution norm: time is running out

The Foundation also reminded the municipal representatives present that the new light pollution regulation, in force since October 2024, explicitly includes sports and recreational lighting, stadiums, multipurpose courts, and neighbourhood courts, within its scope. For the 29 astronomical communes in the north of the country, compliance is immediate. For the rest of Chile, the deadline begins in October 2026. “The clock is already ticking. We all know that developing projects, securing approvals and funding are processes that take months and sometimes years. It’s time to get moving,” warned González.

A global perspective

Also present at the meeting was Camilo Motta, representative of Musco Lighting for South America, an international company specialised in sports lighting that works alongside Sportwelt in Chile. Motta highlighted that while the concern for dark skies is persistent in Chile, it is neither new nor unique to the country. “This is something that has gained momentum worldwide. In Canada, there are already programmes that protect dark skies and establish specific parameters to follow when lighting sports venues,” he noted, adding that organisations such as DarkSky, with whom he works closely, certify stadiums that meet standards of non-contamination towards the surrounding environment and the sky.

When change is visible from 50 kilometres away

Perhaps the most illustrative moment of the meeting was the story of Estadio de Andacollo, shared by Juan Agustín Donoso, representative of Sportwelt. During the handover ceremony for the lighting replacement project, a scientific observatory called to ask when the new lighting would be ready. Upon learning it was already on, the caller went to check the monitors in the observatory’s control room — located 50 kilometres away, and confirmed in real time that the light pollution that had affected the observatory for years had disappeared.

The meeting closed with a clear message from the Foundation: protecting dark skies and ensuring quality sports facilities are not opposing goals. “Dark skies can be protected while guaranteeing the safety of our residents,” summarised González. Good sports lighting design, she added, not only ensures regulatory compliance: it also generates energy efficiency, reduces conflicts with neighbouring communities, and contributes to the protection of a heritage that belongs to all of Chile.

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By 2030, Chile will host more than 60% of the world’s astronomical observation capacity. That same year, the country will host the largest global astronomy event, the thirty-fourth General Assembly of the International Astronomical Union (IAU). This is no coincidence, as Chile has become the epicenter of astronomy.

Over the past 20 years, the number of centers and institutions developing astronomy has doubled, and the number of people dedicated to astronomy working in the country has tripled. The dark, clear, and world-unique skies have attracted the planet’s most important observatories and established Chile as a benchmark. That’s why March 21st holds special significance.

Since 2013, the country has celebrated Astronomy Day, promoted by the Ministry of Science, Technology, Knowledge, and Innovation, with the goal of raising awareness about protecting Chile’s pristine skies. At Fundación Cielos de Chile, we also seek to expand this awareness beyond a single day, making March the astronomy month.

2026 Activities

Thursday, March 19: Astronomy Day 2026 at the Municipal Theater of Viña del Mar (organized by the Institute of Physics and Astronomy of the University of Valparaíso).

Friday, March 20: The European Organisation for Astronomical Research, ESO, will open its doors to the community in a celebration bringing together more than 40 educational and scientific institutions, including Fundación Cielos de Chile, to bring astronomy closer to people of all ages through free activities, talks, and exhibitions in different regions of the country.

Saturday, March 21: Las Campanas Observatory invites the community to Astronomy Day in Vallenar, featuring scientific outreach activities organized by the Observatory in conjunction with educational entities and other organizations, such as Fundación Cielos de Chile, which will participate with an interactive booth to deeply understand the importance of dark skies as natural heritage and how to protect them.

According to the Chilean Astronomical Society, that is the heart of this commemorative date: to be an opportunity to bring knowledge closer to children, young people, and adults.

The call is to learn more about our skies, to value them and counterbalance the rapid and growing advance of light pollution, thus protecting not only world-class research but also human health and biodiversity conservation. Knowing the sky is the first step to defending it.

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