Idaho Town Looking to Cash in on Starry Skies With More Tourists

BOISE, Idaho (AP) — The stars are aligning for Idaho — mainly because they're visible. The International Dark-Sky Association this week designated the city of Ketchum an International Dark Sky Community, the 16th in the world. Much of Ketchum's economy runs on tourism, and city officials say being recognized for making the night sky more visible could draw stargazers. It comes after Craters of the Moon National Monument and Preserve in south-central Idaho became an International Dark Sky Park earlier this year. The rarest prize of all could come in December when the association decides whether to designate 1,400 square miles (3,600 square kilometers) in central Idaho an International Dark Sky Reserve. It would be the first in the United States. The association received the reserve application ahead of a November deadline.