Community | April 18, 2009 | 10 comments

A Day for Earth, but a Whole Week for Dark Skies

source: http://www.universetoday.com/2009/04/18/a-day-for-earth-but-a-whole-week-for-dark-skies/#mor...

Image
pjacobs51
Wednesday is Earth Day, but all week — Monday, April 20 through Saturday, April 26 — is National Dark Sky Week in America, when people are asked to dim the lights to see more stars.

If enough people participate, backyard and professional astronomers might be treated with a week of darker, starrier skies. The bigger idea is to raise awareness about sensible lighting practices, so skies might get a little bit darker all the time. And not just for astronomy buffs. Besides aesthetics, evidence is mounting that light pollution could have far-reaching effects for the environment and even public health.

Jennifer Barlow, founder of the event, said the only way National Dark Sky Week can succeed is if more people participate every year. “No reduction in light pollution can be made unless a significant number of people turn off their lights,” she said.

Besides turning out the lights, the participating groups are encouraging people to attend star parties, visit local observatories, or “dust off the old telescope from the attic,” Barlow said.
Year-round, the International Dark Sky Association encourages people to shield lights, or use fixtures that focus light downward instead of up into the sky. Reducing extraneous light, especially at ball fields, is a major step in the right direction. And certain types of lighting — like low-pressure sodium — are better than others.

More at link . . .
  1. groups:
    Community,   Green,   Science,   Space,   1 more
  2. tags:
    News,  Green,  Environment,  Science,  1 more
  3.     
    |

10 comments // A Day for Earth, but a Whole Week for Dark Skies

more from Community:
from the community

top videos