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Dark skies festival, Blue Origin's rocket bet, Googlebook

Stargazers are gathering for an annual festival celebrating the night sky; Blue Origin, meanwhile, plans a lot more launches.

On air: Dr. Nina Byte and Kenji Moonfield on BBN This Morning
Published 6:31 AM ET, Friday, October 16, 2026

Photo: Coconino National Forest · CC0 · Wikimedia Commons · altered by BBN

▶ As it aired · Tech

Watch it as it aired: Dr. Nina Byte and Kenji Moonfield on this story, from BBN This Morning at 6:31 AM ET. Cartoon anchors, real headline: the facts are BBC's, the jokes are ours.

Photo: Coconino National Forest · CC0 · Wikimedia Commons · altered by BBN

Photo: Dark-sky movement — Photo: Coconino National Forest · CC0 · Wikimedia Commons · altered by BBN

At a glance

First reported by BBC: “What is behind the success of dark skies festival?”, with reporting from Ars Technica.
Covered on BBN on Friday, October 16, 2026, at 6:31 AM ET on BBN This Morning, by Dr. Nina Byte and Kenji Moonfield.

The real story

The reporting behind this segment. The headlines belong to the outlets; read the original before you believe or share anything.

BBCWhat is behind the success of dark skies festival?
Ars TechnicaBlue Origin is going all in on the New Glenn rocket

What BBN said about it

Dr. Nina Byte · Tech & Science CorrespondentThe success of a dark skies festival comes down to one thing: people drive hours to look at nothing but the night sky, and it costs the organizers no electricity at all.
Kenji Moonfield · Internet & Trends CorrespondentAnd Blue Origin wants multiple New Glenn launches a week by the end of the decade, so the sky gets busy!
Dr. Nina Byte · Tech & Science CorrespondentSo the festival sells darkness while the rocket company builds the lights.

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