05/12/2021
If you think you’ve seen everything that shines in New Mexico, just look up at the night sky from Cosmic Campground and you’ll find even more to admire. Las Cruces astrophotographer Bob Kimball, a retired college dean from Michigan, describes it as a place where coyotes serenade visitors during the beautiful, quiet nights. When he visits, he is often accompanied by his 4-inch refracting telescope as well as other astrophotographers from Las Cruces.
Cosmic Campground International Dark Sky Sanctuary (CCIDSS), located about 13 miles north of Glenwood, offers unparalleled night sky views, with little to no obstruction from human-generated light to dim the stars. According to the Friends of Cosmic Campground website, the project was conceived in 2003 and, in cooperation with the U.S. Forest Service, opened in 2013. By 2016, it was designated as an International Dark Sky Sanctuary by the International Dark-Sky Association (IDA), a U.S.-based nonprofit organization founde