Dark Skies

by Anna Levin

New from the popular In the Moment series—in search of the darkest night skies, Anna Levin uncovers a sense of wonder about the universe that will help you to understand more about our own pale blue dot.

The darkness of the night represents something unknowable and mysterious. But when we look up, we can find celestial light shows, whole galaxies, and even a new perspective on our Earthly concerns. The night sky offers us an essential connection to something bigger than ourselves, a vast, timeless expanse that extinguishes our individual concerns.

Humans have tried to make sense of the night sky since ancient times. From physicists and meteorologists to astrologists, artists, philosophers and poets, it has been a source of inspiration, wonder, and exploration. Now, our access to darkness is under threat, and many of us are flocking to see the stars while we can—in a new wave of ‘astrotourism’.

In this concise volume, Anna Levin looks at how we can learn from and nurture our relationship with the night sky, even—especially—in the context of our changing world.

112 pages, Paperback

Published April 1, 2025

Reviews

[Ruth · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve read many books about the dark but this one stands higher than all of them, in its simplicity and eloquence. The prose is in a straightforward style that I’ve really come to love but is hard to achieve; John Lewis-Stempel and Neil Ansell have managed it and now I can add Anna Levin. This isn’t at the expense of casting a spell on the reader and turning our eyes to the night sky, Levin brings a magic and mythology to the science of the dark and shows us just how special darkness is, and how we must protect it. I love the dark and this book shares my love, an easy 5 stars for this one. May make my favourites shelf too after a second read.

[Maria · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a sweet, little book about dark skies and the light pollution that is threatening it.

The book touches on various ways that a brighter sky and more light around us influences us and our lives, as well as nature and animals. In the book the author also describes various fond dark sky-memories she has had and she reflects on how the darkness evokes emotions and can give unique experiences.

At the end of the book there is a list of suggestions on how you can go about enjoying the dark skies yourself.

[Trevor · Rating 5 out of 5]

an unexpected diversion from my booklist . a really lovely book that draws attention to the intrinsic value of darkness and a counterargument to the general philosophy that more light is better. that's not to say that light is bad but argues a more thoughtful and considered approach that less (or none) can be more. a short accessible read with some practical steps we can all take and I guarantee you wol want to search out your own dark skies before the end.