# State of U.S. Dark-Sky Travel 2026: methodology

Reviewed: 2026-07-09

Publisher: Stella Editorial, Stella Stargazing

License: the aggregate CSV and this methodology are available under CC BY 4.0 with attribution to Stella Stargazing. Rights in underlying third-party sources remain with their publishers.

Scope: a reproducible catalog-readiness baseline for Arizona, California, Nevada, New Mexico, Texas, and Utah. It is not a visitor survey, demand forecast, certification census, property ranking, or claim that Stella reviewers visited these locations.

## Source files

- `web/data/places.json`: Stella dark-sky place catalog.
- `web/data/stella-stays.json`: Stella stay catalog.
- `web/lib/dark-sky-campgrounds.ts`: source-gated public-campground and bookable-glamping collection manifest.
- DarkSky International records are retained as source links where present; access and operating claims must still be checked with the responsible land manager or property.

## Definitions

- `dark_sky_place_records`: records whose `region` equals the listed U.S. postal code.
- `usable_location_records`: those place records with finite latitude and longitude.
- `darkness_signal_records`: those place records with a Bortle class or SQM value. A darkness signal is not proof of legal access.
- `operator_source_place_records`: those place records carrying an explicit `officialUrl` at the snapshot date. A zero identifies an editorial sourcing gap; it does not mean the place lacks an operator.
- `stay_records`: U.S. stay records whose `region` equals the listed state code.
- `current_stay_reviews`: those stays with `last_verified_at` between 2025-07-09 and 2026-07-09 inclusive.
- `first_party_bookable_stays`: current stays with a booking URL and `source_type` of `official_property` or `darksky_official`.
- `campground_collection_options`: canonical public-campground or bookable-glamping entries passing the collection manifest checks on 2026-07-09.

## Reproduction

Parse the three source files, group records by the six state codes, and apply the definitions above. Deduplicate campground options by `kind:id`. Do not replace source-review dates with a build date. The published CSV is frozen to this review date; later catalog changes require a new report version or an explicitly dated correction.

## Limitations

Coverage reflects Stella's catalog, not every site or stay in a state. Bortle and modeled darkness do not account for a same-night Moon, cloud, smoke, nearby lighting, blocked horizons, closures, permits, or road conditions. Booking URLs do not guarantee inventory. Readers should use the linked state pages to continue planning and confirm current rules with primary operators.