Vincent

By Vicky Derksen

24" Butterfly

Vincent Van Gogh's "Starry Night" painting is one of the most recognizable pieces of art in the world. But if he were to paint that scene as he would see it today, it probably wouldn't have any stars in it. Eighty percent of the world's population can no longer see the Milky Way from where they live. Between the loss of the starry night and staying indoors in front of our screens at night, we've lost our connection to the night sky. I want to inspire people to fall in love with the dark and to seek starry night experiences.

Vincent reminds us to "Fall in Love with the Dark". He reminds us that when we slow down and spend time gazing into the cosmos, it puts our own lives into perspective and stirs up a deep sense of awe. We all need more awe in our lives.

Vicky Derksen is a stargazing expert and dark sky advocate. Growing up in northern Idaho, she thought everyone everywhere could see the Milky Way. She was astonished when she moved to Phoenix and saw a gray night sky. When she moved to Fountain Hills, she had a deeper appreciation for the stars and wanted her kids to grow up with knowledge of the night sky. She is the founder of Night Sky Tourist where she hosts a podcast, leads stargazing experiences, and is writing a book. She's the president of the Fountain Hills Dark Sky Association and serves on the board of the International Dark Sky Discovery Center.
She's also an advocate with Dark Sky International.