Governor Maura Healey has declared April 13-20 “Dark-Sky Week” in Massachusetts to draw attention both to the issues of light pollution in our Commonwealth and to the solutions for dealing with it. Her proclamation recognizes the efforts of DarkSky Massachusetts to raise awareness of light pollution and to encourage the protection and enjoyment of dark skies and responsible outdoor lighting.

Click here to get a large PDF of the proclamation, suitable for printing on legal-size paper (11 × 14 inches).

This year’s proclamation — Gov. Healey’s third — comes amid a flurry of activities worldwide celebrating International Dark Sky Week. In Massachusetts, more than a dozen dark-sky events have or will occur in conjunction with IDSW.

The idea for this celestial celebration began in 2002, when 15-year old Jennifer Barlow introduced the idea in her hometown of Midlothian, Virginia. One year later, DarkSky International embraced the concept and promoted “Dark Sky Week” across the U.S, later expanding it to a worldwide celebration that encourages everyone to get acquainted or re-acquainted with the nighttime sky.

James Lowenthal, DarkSky MA’s president, urges everyone to get outside with friends and family to observe the night sky with Globe at Night. This citizen-science project requires no equipment or experience, yet its results have been used by researchers to track the growth of light pollution worldwide.