Skykeepers skykeepers.org
founded September
1, 1999
Jan 03,
2009
By Matt Weiser -
mweiser@sacbee.com, Published: Friday, Jan. 02,
2009
| Page 10A
Ask a Sacramento angler for reasons why Central Valley salmon
populations have crashed over the past two years, and this is likely to
be high on the list:
"Dozens
of sea lions that live between Rio Vista and Verona year-round," said
Sacramento fisherman Terry Horst. "That's a major problem because they
eat tons of fish a day."
Scientific brain power has been applied in thick doses to many aspects
of the alarming fish declines in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta –
from weather patterns to water pollution. No one with a science degree,
however, has had anything to say about sea lions. ...
- KATU.com - Portland, OR (Very good photos on this site) DEATH VALLEY NATIONAL PARK, Calif. (AP)
- High atop Dante's View,
overlooking sheets of salt flats and ribbons of sand dunes, night
watcher Dan Duriscoe shone a laser beam at the North Star and steadied
his digital camera at the starry heavens.
Click. The sky looks dark.
Duriscoe panned the camera toward the light factory of Las Vegas, 85
miles away but peeking out like a white halo above the mountains in the
eastern horizon. ...
-
MontereyHerald.com, Monterey, CA
- KOMO News - Seattle ...
Related links -
Yosemite Association - Nature Notes
Dec 27,
2008
-
Science Sunday,
Carlsbad Currnet-Argus,
Carlsbad, NM DEATH
VALLEY NATIONAL PARK, Calif. — High
atop Dante's View, overlooking sheets of salt flats and ribbons of sand
dunes, night watcher Dan Duriscoe shone a laser beam at the North Star
and steadied his digital camera at the starry heavens. ...
Duriscoe has been skygazing at
national parks for a living since 1999 and made the first sky
brightness comparisons two years later. A self-described desert rat,
Duriscoe excitedly points to the Orion, Aquarius, Pisces and Aries
constellations. The Milky Way, which arches across the night sky,
bleeds into the Vegas light dome 30 degrees above the horizon. The glow
from the greater Los Angeles region forms a long, narrow band.
Skywatchers can theoretically see some 6,000 stars in the blackest and
pristine skies of Death Valley. With light pollution from Vegas,
scientists estimate about 2,500 stars are visible from Dante's View.
Advances in technology have enabled people to see the cosmos like never
before. Take the Hubble Space Telescope, which has beamed stunning
images of exotic galaxies and distant supernovae to people's computers.
But Duriscoe noted that these onscreen images are just not the same as
being out under the sky.
Sitting on the ledge of Dante's View, his legs stretched out and his
back toward Vegas, Duriscoe pondered the shrinking sky.
"This is the real universe," he said, taking in the celestial light
show until clouds moved in, drawing a curtain on the stars for the
night.
by Alicia Chang - AP
Science Writer The Associated Press - Health News
Dec 26,
2008
- Yahoo! News, Associated Press Story
DEATH VALLEY NATIONAL PARK, Calif. – High atop Dante's View,
overlooking sheets of salt flats and ribbons of sand dunes, night
watcher Dan Duriscoe shone a laser beam at the North Star
and steadied his digital camera at the starry heavens.
...
Duriscoe, a soft-spoken, mustachioed physical scientist with the
National Park Service, is part of a roving federal team of night owls
whose job is to gaze up at the sky and monitor for light pollution in
national parks.
"What is alarming to me is, what's going to happen three or four
generations from now if this growth of outdoor lights continues?" he
asked.
Amid such concerns, Death Valley, the largest national park in the
Lower 48, has set an ambitious goal: It wants to be the first official
dark-sky national park. ...
- The Sierra Vista Herald, Sierra Vista, AZ
- MSNBC
- Rock Mount Telegram, Rock Mount, NC
Dec 25,
2008
- Sacramento Bee, Sacramento, CA Published: Thursday, Dec.
25, 2008 DEATH VALLEY
NATIONAL PARK, Calif. --
High atop Dante's View, overlooking sheets of salt flats and ribbons of
sand dunes, night watcher Dan Duriscoe shone a laser beam at the North
Star and steadied his digital camera at the starry heavens. ...
Amid such concerns, Death Valley, the largest national park in the
Lower 48, has set an ambitious goal: It wants to be the first official
dark-sky national park. ...
The same could probably be said for Las Vegas, the sparkly desert
playground where neon signs blend into the natural landscape.
"It's
part of the whole ambiance. It's the selling point of Las Vegas," said
Barbara Ginoulias, director of comprehensive planning for Clark County,
Nev., where Vegas is located. Still, she added, "We're certainly
cognizant of light pollution and we try to address it in the best way."
Ginoulias'
department oversees unincorporated parts of Clark County, which are
required to shield outdoor lights or cast the light downward. Next
month, the county commission will consider an ordinance that would set
lighting standards on digital billboards on Interstate 15 that runs
along the Vegas Strip.
As for the main drag, Las Vegas Boulevard,
Ginoulias said signs are reviewed case-by-case. Newer signs tend to be
less flashy or not have the glaring white background, she said.
- Examiner, San Francisco, CA
DEATH VALLEY NATIONAL PARK, Calif. – High atop Dante's View,
overlooking sheets of salt flats and ribbons of sand dunes, night
watcher Dan Duriscoe shone a laser beam at the North Star
and steadied his digital camera at the starry heavens.
...
Since the dawn of civilization, humans have been enthralled by the
night sky's romantic mystique. Early seafarers relied on stars to steer
their ships. Farmers looked toward the night sky for clues to plant and
harvest crops. Ancient cultures spun mythologies from staring at the
cosmos.
Civilization is also the chief reason why the night sky
is vanishing in many corners. As the world grows, so do the number of
lamp posts that sprout up like trees in sprawling subdivisions. Pass by
Anywhere,
and chances are you will see lighted shopping strips, twinkling auto
malls and flashy billboards.
Today,
it's estimated about one-fifth of the world's population and more than
two-thirds in the United States cannot see the Milky Way from their
backyards. ...
- International Herald Tribune
Dec 23,
2008
- Washington Times, Washington D.C.
DEATH VALLEY NATIONAL PARK, Calif. – High atop Dante's View,
overlooking sheets of salt flats and ribbons of sand dunes, night ...
Nov 10,
2008
- by
Karen
Dillion, Kansas City Star, Posted on
Monday, Nov. 10, 2008
Stargazers have complained for years because cities shine so much
light into the night sky that stars disappear behind the gray glow.
Now researchers are beginning to worry that light pollution - the
artificial brightening of our nights - is creating problems for
wildlife and possibly even human health.
Indeed, a series of studies in the past decade has led some
scientists to investigate whether there may be an association between
light pollution and cancer, especially breast cancer.
"It could potentially be a problem," said David E. Blask, professor
of structural and cellular biology at Tulane University. "All of us are
exposed to some light at night, so it really is an issue for everybody."
Robert Wagner of Kansas City, who has become a leader in fighting
local light pollution, said most people are not aware of the problem.
... Wagner is part of an international dark-sky movement that has
been pushing state and local leaders to pass laws to control light
pollution.
Some cities have taken dramatic steps. As part of a broader
development ordinance, Kansas City could pass light pollution
restrictions as early as next month.
One side benefit, advocates say: Correcting light pollution could
save billions of dollars a year in energy costs and also help slow
climate change.
The most confounding part of light pollution is that it is so simple
to fix, says Peter Strasser, senior technical adviser in Arizona for
the International Dark-Sky Association.
It is as easy as designing light fixtures that are hooded so they
cast light downward — not horizontally or upward. In addition,
businesses and homeowners should turn off lights when they are not
being used.
“People say, ‘Is that all there is to it?’ ” Strasser said. “Pretty
much, that’s all there is to it. But, boy, there is all kinds of
reluctance.”
(11 November 2008)
-
McClatchy Washington Bureau, By Karen Dillon, The Kansas City Star, November 12, 2008
alt URL = -
McClatchy Washington Bureau
-
By Karen Dillon, The Kansas City Star, November 12, 2008 at
- , Nov 13 2008
Aug 25,
2008
,
By: Adam
Balkin, NY1 News, New York, NY There are more than 300,000 street
lights in New York City and every 40
years or so the Big Apple runs an international design contest looking
for ways to improve upon those lights.
The
winner of the most recent contest was just announced. It’s an LED or
light emitting diode street and optional pedestrian light post designed
by the Office for Visual Interaction (OVI). It not only looks cooler
and is more environmentally-friendly than the current model, but
developers say they should eliminate dark spots commonly found in
between current light posts.
...
“To give you an idea, we can reduce energy consumption at each street
lamp by about 25 to 30 percent immediately. That's just one-to-one
comparison,” says Govi Rao of the Lighting Science Group Corporation.
“We also have the energy savings because of the control systems. You
can turn it on, turn it off, dim it down as the ambient lighting
increases or decreases.” Will this
cause more light pollution? They are not shielded
on the sides.
Jun 20,
2008
,
U.S. News, Ben Harder
, June 20, 2008 05:19 PM ET
This afternoon, I attended a briefing on Capitol Hill about light
pollution, a subject that has filled many of my notebooks. A
representative of a major utility company, a conservation scientist, a
medical researcher, and other experts addressed a roomful of
congressional staffers in an effort to move the federal legislature to
take action against wasteful artificial lighting. Several states,
including Texas, and hundreds of towns across the country, including
Homer Glen, Ill., have taken measures to control how much light gets
cast into the sky rather than onto targets on the ground. But the
federal government has not made rules aimed at limiting light
pollution. ...
Jun 20,
2008
, Friday, June 20, 2008
..." The Summer Solstice is this weekend, the longest day and shortest
night of the year. Many astronomers complain every night feels short
when it comes to star gazing, 'cause the night sky is filled with the
yellow haze of light pollution. With energy costs up, all those city
lights are getting expensive too.
Proponents of darkness, -- not to be confused with lords of darkness --
are on Capitol Hill today to encourage lawmakers to "see the light."
Janet Babin reports from the Marketplace Innovations Desk at North
Carolina Pubic Radio. ...
Download
Feb 28,
2008
, Arizona Daily Star
On behalf of the International Dark-Sky Association, we would like to
thank the Arizona Daily Star for its Feb. 16 editorial "Arizona needs
to update its dark-skies law." Preserving the night skies of Arizona
for astronomy is very important, but there are many other reasons why
this makes good sense.
Feb 21,
2008
, by Deborah Kotz, U.S. News
& World Report,
"Much attention has been paid to the vitamin-D boosting benefits of
sunlight. But darkness, it seems, can also keep you healthy. A
finds that women who live in places with bright illumination at night
(think Times Square in New York) are more apt to develop breast cancer
than those who can gaze up at the night sky and see a full array of
stars. Other research suggests that rotating shift workers have higher
rates of breast and prostate cancers, heart disease, diabetes, and
depression. U.S. News called on experts to
explain the findings and how people should respond to them" ...
"He was quick to say that the study falls short of proving cause and
effect. But it's consistent, he said, with the hypothesis that light at
night accounts for a "substantial fraction of breast cancer.""
Feb 21,
2008
Shedding Light on a Cause of Breast Cancer,
Ben Harder, U.S. News & World Report,
"When Edison invented the light bulb, did he accidentally spawn a
cancer
epidemic? It's certainly starting to look that way. In study after
recent study, exposure to artificial light has been linked to certain
kinds of tumors, especially those in the breast." ...
"Based on those and other observations, a unit of the World Health
Organization announced in December that But shift work may be
merely the tip of Edison's epidemic."
Feb 20,
2008
,
THE JERUSALEM POST, by Judy Siegel-Itzkovich, Feb.
21, 2008
"Women who live in neighborhoods and streets with strong
outdoor
lighting at night are more likely to contract breast cancer than those
who have minimal nocturnal lighting, according to the research
performed by Prof. Avraham Haim, a chronobiologist and expert in
evolutionary and environmental biology at the University of Haifa; Itai
Kloog, a doctoral student in the natural resources and environmental
management department; and Prof. Boris Portnov."...
"They found that the breast cancer rate in neighborhoods with average
night lighting was 37 percent higher than in those with the darkest
streets, while the rate was an additional 27% higher in areas with the
highest amount of light."
"The findings bolster theories, promoted by studies of night-shift
workers such as nurses, that exposure to light when one should be
sleeping increases the risk of cancers. Haim told the Post that
scientists have suggested the hormone melatonin - produced by the
pineal gland in the brain during sleep in darkness - was involved.
Melatonin, he said on Wednesday, is a powerful antioxidant that
promotes the suppression and minimizes the expression of cancer genes
such as BRCA1, BRCA2 and P53."
,
The Washington Post , February 20, 2008
The finding adds credence to the hypothesis that exposure to too
much light at night can raise the risk of breast cancer by interfering
with the brain's production of a tumor-suppressing hormone.
"By
no means are we saying that light at night is the only or the major
risk factor for breast cancer," said Itai Kloog, of the University of
Haifa in , who led the new work. "But we
found a clear and strong correlation that should be taken into
consideration."
The Washington Post story, was linked from the Wall Street Journal, , February 20,
2008
The Washington Post , February 20, 2008
,
Truthout Issues , February 20, 2008
,
The News Tribune, Tacoma WA, February 20, 2008
,
The Indianapolis Star, February 26, 2008,
IndyStar.com.
,
ISRAEL21c, Los Angeles CA, February 28, 2008
Feb 16,
2008
,
Arizona Daily Star
Our IDEA: Reducing light pollution would be boost for astronomy-space
sector
"According to a recent study by the Arizona Arts, Sciences and
Technology Academy, a nonprofit group that promotes the arts and
sciences, astronomy and space-related research had an economic impact
of $252.8 million in 2006."
Feb 10,
2008
, Sacramento Bee,
February 10, 2008 Michael
Hayden
looks to the sky and sees art. Soon, you will too. ... The
latest
technology using light-emitting diodes will be employed on
the building, easily visible from Interstate 5 or Highway 50, to bathe
its crown with a water-inspired video. If all goes as the artist has
planned, you should be able to look up from a downtown street some
night in June and see what appears to be a flowing river streaming
across the top of the $130 million building. We
should look up
and see the Milky Way, ITS FREE for all in other
cities.
If we can create this work of art surly we can
mitigate
its light pollution by reducing light pollution in general.
Start by replacing the bad municipal lighting in
the
Sacramento area. Yes what about the natural river
of light
that once stretched north south from horizon to horizon.
Feb 7,
2008
, Ryan Levinsohn, The Daily Campus
Connecticut Law Requires Less Stray Light From Street Lamps By 2010
Conn has begun trials to make night a little darker, but in a good way.
The university has started testing two models of lights that are
designed to be dark-sky compliant, according to Thomas Callahan,
associate vice president of administration and operation services.
Dark-sky compliant lights reflect light back into the street,
preventing light from leaking into the sky and, therefore, giving
residents a better view of stars at night.
"There are more than 2,000 lamps on campus," Callahan said. "We are
looking at two designs to replace the old lamps and the new ones would
be dark-sky compliant. We won't be able to do everything at once so we
are going to phase them in, and we are just starting that process."
Part of that process is determining which of the two designs to pick.
One design is a globe-shaped fixture with etched glassing while the
other is a rectangular shape with clear glass. Both are topped with a
cap to reflect light back into the street and prevent light from
reflecting into the night sky. Both designs have the University of
Connecticut logo affixed to the top.
"We are looking at what might be most appropriate," Callahan said. "The
ability to maintain them, the amount of light each one sheds, their
energy efficiency and also their appearance."
There is no deadline for when the campus will be dark-sky compliant;
however, state law passed in 2006 requires that by 2010 all street
lights needing replacement, be substituted with the new dark sky
lighting fixtures. The law does not require existing lights that are in
operating condition be replaced.
Jan
02, 2008
, Sacramento Bee By
Todd
Milbourn For
years car
bumper stickers and license plate frames traveling roads
along the north shore of Lake Tahoe have trumpeted this mountain town's
motto: "The stars shine brighter in Truckee." ... Today
those stars
– and the planets, comets and the Milky Way – are
dimming in the night sky, clouded by a glow from the area's expanding
constellation of shopping centers, streetlights and billboards. "Used
to be, when
you went outside the sky would be so beautiful you
couldn't help but look at it," said Sharon Pruitt, a Sierra College
astronomy professor who has gazed at the heavens from Truckee for 17
years. "Now you don't notice the night sky at all." ... Light
pollution
may not get the attention of, say, a polluted river
or an endangered species, Sales said. But losing sight of the night sky
is an environmental tragedy all the same. "We lose
something of
our heritage and ourselves and our humanity," he said. "The night sky
is a cultural resource that transcends time and place." Information
and
analysis of Truckee Code can be found on the Outdoor
Lighting Regulations in California page (Nevada
County).
Dec
25,
2007
Dec
24,
2007
Dec
23,
2007
Dec
21,
2007
, Sierra Sun - Truckee December
21, 2007 By Greyson Howard The Town of Truckee
may add new
rules to ensure that the stars in Truckee will continue to shine
brighter. While
the town already has some night-lighting standards in place, public
desire for darker night skies may be reflected in the ongoing update of
the town’s development code. “I
think the bumper
sticker, ‘The stars shine
brighter in Truckee,’ is funny; it should say the stars
used to
shine
brighter,” said Eric Larusson, a former planning commissioner and
night-sky standards advocate. “It’s
an aesthetic thing — quality of
life.”
Larusson said he has seen changes in the brightness of the stars
visible above Truckee in the last two decades.
“I
love it up here, I grew up at elevation and had friends that live down
the hill, and I was always amazed at how much brighter the stars were
up the hill,” Larusson said.
... A major
part of the
development code update,
discussions on night lighting will likely start in February or March,
Hall said, with the town using information from the International
Dark-Sky Association and other municipalities with standards already in
place. Truckee would also likely work
with
unincorporated
Nevada County and the Martis Valley portion of Placer County to keep
collective light pollution low, Hall said. ... The
plan would probably
vary from one part of town to the next, he said, catering to different
needs. ...
Truckee
officials
seek to preserve dark night sky
Associated
Press - December 23, 2007 6:44 PM ET
News10.net
(Sacramento) - Written by Jason Kobely, Internet News
Producer
TRUCKEE (AP) -- Truckee town officials are exploring ways to reduce
lighting in order to ensure the stars continue to shine brightly
overhead. They're considering night-sky lighting standards as
part of an ongoing update of the Sierra town's development code.
...
- KCRA 3 (Sacramento)
Truckee town officials are exploring ways to reduce lighting to ensure
the stars ... members now wonder if more can be done to minimize light
pollution. ...
, KTXS-TV 40,
Sacramento Truckee town
officials are
exploring ways
to reduce lighting ... Truckee also
probably will
work with neighboring jurisdictions
to keep collective light pollution low, he said. ...
KOLO 8,
Reno -
Carson City, Posted: 4:53 PM Dec 23, 2007
Truckee town officials are exploring ways to reduce lighting in order
to ensure the stars continue to shine brightly overhead.
They're considering night-sky lighting standards as part of an ongoing
update of the Sierra town's development code.
Town Planner Duane Hall says existing town standards require lights to
be shielded, directing light down rather than up or out. Street lights
also are restricted to 20 feet or less in height. ...
KRNV 4,
Reno
Posted: Dec 24, 2007 09:19 PM
Truckee town officials want to reduce lighting in order to protect
their stellar view of the night sky. ...
Hall says those standards have been "somewhat successful," but town
council members now wonder if more can be done to minimize light
pollution. In updating its development code, Hall
says
Truckee would use information from the International Dark-Sky
Association. (Note:
its not a
new plan, Light Pollultion has been addressed for some time - it's an
"update")
see Outdoor
Lighting Regulations in California page (Nevada County).
, KRON-TV 4, San Francisco
, KPIX-TV 5, San
Francisco Sun, 23 Dec 2007 23:30:05 GMT
, KSBY-TV
San Luis
Obispo, Santa Maria and Santa Barbara
, KESQ.com
Palm
Springs, Coachella Valley
, KCBS-TV 2, Los
Angeles
, Reno Gazette-Journal December 23, 2007
07:22
AM
They're considering night-sky lighting standards ... "It's an aesthetic
thing -- quality of life."
, San Jose Mercury News 12/24/2007
01:32:57 AM
PST
Town wants to dim lights so stars still shine bright
...They are considering night-sky lighting standards as part of an
ongoing update of the town's development code.
"I think the bumper sticker, 'The stars shine brighter in Truckee' is
funny. It should say the stars used to shine brighter," said Eric
Larusson, a night-sky standards advocate and former planning
commissioner. "It's an aesthetic thing - quality of life."...
, KGO 810 AM, San Francisco
, Las Vegas Sun, December 23, 2007 "Those
standards have been somewhat successful," Hall told Truckee's Sierra
Sun newspaper. "But during the general plan update, town council siad,
`We pride ourselves on our environment, so let's see what we can do
more to minimize light pollution.'"
In updating its development code, Hall said Truckee would use
information from the International Dark-Sky Association and other
cities with standards already in place.
Truckee also probably will work with neighboring jurisdictions to keep
collective light pollution low, he said.
"You don't see many streetlights in Truckee," Hall said. "When they
come up in new developments, the public overwhelmingly says, `No, not
in Truckee.'" Truckee
officials
seek to preserve dark night sky, Sacramento Bee,
December 25,
2007
Dec
22,
2007
, The News Tribune, The Daily Herald
Co.,
Everett, WA.
TACOMA
-- For the citizens' group trying to light up the Tacoma Narrows
bridges, the past 12 months have amounted to a rough sort of Politics
101.
The year began with an outpouring of verbal support from
just about every government agency that exists. All seemed to share the
vision that lights on the two mile-long suspension bridges would be an
aesthetic delight and turn the structures into "highly recognizable,
world-class icons."
But so far, none of the public agencies that seemed so high on the idea
has coughed up a nickel to help pay for the project.
"We were a little naive," said William Beecher, a Tacoma attorney who's
among a dozen or so core members of NarrowsBridgeLights. ...
The LED
fixtures are
"dark-sky-friendly," Conniff said. ... ( I don't
think so,
they are unshielded )
Dec
22,
2007
, THE PUEBLO
CHIEFTAIN, By TAMMY ALHADEF TRINIDAD
- The new
70,000-square-foot field office for Pioneer Natural Resources was
unveiled on Wednesday. The
facility will
accommodate the 500 employees who work for the coal-bed methane
production company and will replace the old offices on Burro Canyon
Road. ... The
$20 million
structure has 20,000 square feet of office space and conference rooms
and a 50,000-square-foot mechanics shop that can service 12 diesel
trucks at one time. Heated driveways and sidewalks will keep the area
free of ice. All outdoor lighting on the 50-acre property
is
designed to point downward, eliminating light pollution. ...
, Trading Markets (press
release), CA -
Dec 22, 2007 The
$20 million
structure has 20,000 square feet of office space and conference rooms
and a 50,000-square-foot mechanics shop that can service 12 diesel
trucks at one time. Heated driveways and sidewalks will keep the area
free of ice. All outdoor
lighting on
the 50-acre property is designed to point downward, eliminating light
pollution.
Aug
20,
2007
, Sacramento Bee,
Jack Sales headed down the path to becoming an activist when he went
into his Citrus Heights backyard some 20 years ago. He looked
upward. He didn't like what he saw.
In fact, he couldn't see much at all. The sky wasn't dark enough.
Aug
20,
2007
, THE NEW YORKER MAGAZINE -
AUG 20, 2007 Page 28 OUR FAR-FLUNG CORRESPONDENTS
about light
pollution and its effect on
astronomy and the environment. Writer describes Galileo Galilei’s 1610
astronomical observations. Today, by contrast, most Americans are
unable to see the Milky Way in the sky above the place where they live.
The stars have not, of course, become immer; rather, the earth has
become vastly brighter, so that celestial
objects are harder to detect. Air pollution has made the atmosphere
less transparent and more reflective, and high levels of terrestrial
illumination have washed out the stars overhead—a phenomenon called
“sky glow.”
Aug
14,
2007
, San Jose
Mercury News -
Aug 14, 2007
"Sunlight and cool-white fluorescent lights caused the most damage to
mice embryos in the study, even when exposure was limited to a few
minutes, said Dr. Ryuzo Yanagimachi, a retired University of Hawaii
researcher known for his expertise in reproductive biology."
Cool-white fluorescents, which are blue-white in appearance, are
commonly used in office environments.
Warm-white lights, which are yellow-white in color and popular in
residential settings, resulted in "far more" eggs developing into
babies, Yanagimachi said.
"We found that warm-white light is less damaging," Yanagimachi said.
...
"People do not pay much
attention to light as a negative environmental factor," he said.
, Wired Science, Wired
Blogs -
Aug 14, 2007
"What would Douglas Adams say?
It's a good question to ask at any time, and came to mind when I read a
New Yorkerarticle on how
poorly designed
urban lighting has
made it nearly
impossible to see the nighttime cosmos in all its glory, and sometimes
nearly impossible to see at all.
Galileo's homemade telescopes were less powerful than a toy you
might give to a stargazing boy on his birthday, but Galileo was able,
writes David Owen, to discover that the moon has mountains and Jupiter
has moons, and that the Milky Way is made of individual stars rather
than a single continuous substance.
"It truly resembled a streak of spilled liquid -- our word "galaxy"
comes from the Greek for milk -- and it was so bright that it cast
shadows on the ground (as did Jupiter and Venus). Today, by contrast,
most Americans are unable to see the Milky Way in the sky above the
place where they live, and those who can see it are" sometimes baffled
by its name. [...]"
Aug
11,
2007
El Defensor Chieftain, NM -
Aug 11, 2007
New outdoor lighting on the New Mexico Tech campus offers improved
safety and security at night. In addition, the newly installed lights
are in full compliance with city, state and astronomical observatory
ordinances, and regulations concerning outdoor lighting. ...
To keep light
pollution
to a minimum, all of the new lights are downward-facing lights. ...
The older pole lights on campus employ mercury vapor lamps, while the
newer pole lights use low-pressure sodium lamps. The newest pole lights
will use high-pressure sodium lamps.
Mercury vapor lamps offer good color rendition, which is not conducive
to nearby astronomical observatory work. They also become more costly
to use as they age, because of the fact that as their light levels
fade, they still consume as much power as when new. Ultraviolet
radiation leakage can also be an issue associated with these lamps.
In contrast, low-pressure sodium lamps are extremely efficient and
offer very low amounts of light pollution. These lamps only emit one
wavelength of light making them the easiest to filter out for astronomy
purposes. However, their color rendition is considered of poor quality.
Aug
10,
2007
, The Underwire, Wired Blogs - Aug 10,2007
" has designed a streetlamp
that can
sense and respond to the moon's ambient light. As the moon goes through
its phases through out the month, cities streelamps would dim and
brighten accordingly. Not only would this allow moonlight to be more
apparent, it could save the city millions of dollars in electricity
bills."
Aug
09,
2007
,
Ridgefield Press, USA - Aug 10, 2007 The
plan is to replace
325 “cobra” street lamps
with high pressure
sodium vapor lights instead of the mercury vapor lights used on most of
Ridgefield’s streetlights now, he said. The cobra lights are the tall
poles with arms that line most town roads — they are so named because
they stretch over the road and look snake-like. “The
idea is to save energy, to make sure that
the most economical full
cut-off lights are used and to avoid light pollution,” Mr. Kalamajka
said. High
pressure sodium vapor lights “give a sort of
yellowish hue to things,” said Zoning Enforcement Officer Richard
Baldelli. “What
we have now is white light for the most
part,” he said. “You would notice a difference.” Ridgefield
now uses mercury vapor lights, which
are obsolete and more expensive, Mr. Kalamajka said.
NOTE: This story contains misleading photos. The " sodium-vapor lamp" shown is not the
fixture the
story is refering to.
Aug
09,
2007
, San Diego Union
Tribune, United States - Aug 9, 2007 Observatory
spokesman Scott
Kardel
said light pollution affecting observations at the
mountaintop
telescopes comes not just from the Indian casinos, but
also from
the growth of nearby cities.
In the report, the tribe says it will try to keep lights to a minimum
and will focus all lights toward buildings or the ground, away from the
sky.
Aug
04,
2007
,
Asbury Park Press, NJ - Aug 4, 2007 John Batinsey thinks light pollution in
New
Jersey
is getting worse overall.
"The
whole state is terrible" when it comes to light pollution, which causes
glare, energy waste and other problems, said Batinsey, a longtime
member of the borough's all-volunteer Environmental Commission.
Municipalities,
utilities, businesses and others can reduce light pollution by
installing "cutoff" lights, which direct light and control glare,
according to Batinsey.
"I think light pollution . . . is an issue
that needs to be addressed" because of development in this area, said
Mary Kinslow, who chairs the West Long Branch Environmental Commission
and co-chairs the 14-town Environmental Partnership.
After
joining the Eatontown Environmental Commission about 21 years ago,
Batinsey became involved in the outdoor light pollution issue after
listening to a talk on the topic in the early 1990s. He began studying
the topic and delved into how to fix it "after realizing how badly it
was misunderstood," he said.
Jul
15,
2007
, The
Observer by Juliette
Jowit and Robin McKie Sunday July 15, 2007
As more buildings are
lit up at night, bats are in trouble - because they need darkness to
feed. Now campaigners are stepping in to help them.
Britain's inky nights are disappearing - and with them their most
famous inhabitant, the bat. Researchers have found that growing light
pollution is now playing havoc with the country's flying mammals.
Related Links - Ecological
Light Pollution
May 18,
2007
, Metropolis Magazine
- By Karen E. Steen May 18, 2007
The picture shows a familiar landscape: the horseshoe of the San
Francisco Bay, the arms of the city and Marin County reaching out to
meet each other, clouds obscuring the famous bridge that connects them.
What’s odd is that it’s nighttime, and all of the landmasses are
visible—yet where the city should be, there’s only darkness. The
brightest elements are the full moon in the sky and its reflection on
the water. Here is what the Bay Area, population 6.7 million, would
look like without electric light.
This computer-generated image is the vision of ,
a design collective based in San Francisco’s Mission District. With its
concept for a new approach to outdoor lighting, the group asks: What if
streetlights could respond to ambient moonlight, dimming and
brightening each month as the moon cycles through its phases? On clear
nights when the moon is full, streetlights might even turn off
completely. The scheme, which they call “lunar-resonant streetlights,”
could save as much as 80–90 percent of the energy used in
streetlighting while bringing back the experience of moonlight and
stargazing to urban areas.
Apr
19,
2007
- Madison Eagle, NJ
“As a trustee, I have to be cognizant of the aesthetics of the
building,” he noted.
“There
are no brakes on the lighting, considering that this is not a
high-crime area,” he said of Madison, arguing it’s been proven that
lighting does little to prevent crime.
Regulations aimed at
reducing light
pollution have been introduced in more than half the states in the past
10 years, according to the International ...
Apr
19,
2007
- Voice of
America
Veteran astronomer Dave Crawford says increasing light pollution means
many of the world's most famous observatories can no longer do
cutting-edge astronomy ...
Apr
18,
2007
- KC Community News, KS
Krokstrum said he knew light pollution was mostly about aesthetics, but
he still thought it was an important issue. “We do have to have a
balance between ...
Apr
18,
2007
- BBC News, UK
As the industrial revolution snowballed, light pollution and smog may
have prevented subsequent observers from seeing the planet's rings. ...
Apr
18,
2007
Carroll County Times (subscription),
MD -
... State Highway Administration about adding crosswalks on Md. 30 and
Brodbeck Road and use outdoor lights that only shine down and limit
light pollution. ...
Apr
17,
2007
,
United
Arab Emirates
Use of Luxeon® LEDs reduce light pollution such as glare (the
result of excessive contrast between bright and dark areas in the field
of view), ...
Apr
17,
2007
- University of North Carolina The
Daily
Tar Heel, NC
Terri Buckner, with Sustainability at UNC, said the emphasis on light
pollution came from the coincidence of Earth Week with International
Dark Sky Week. ...
Apr
16,
2007
Brunswick Times Record, ME
... electrical lines in the United States; London, to study
streetlighting in Europe; and a dark-sky preserve north of Toronto, to
study light pollution. ...
Apr
15,
2007
The News - International, Pakistan
What does the common man get as a result of the current state of the
billboard industry and of the government regulation in this sector? The
answer is sight
pollution, light
pollution, the unsustainable
consumption of electricity and traffic hazards, not to mention a
general sense of clutter and confusion. The upward facing lights which
illuminate billboards after sundown especially do not make any sense. At a stage where the
country is facing a looming energy crisis, the
very concept of illuminated billboards is laughable. There
is no
argument for illuminated night-time advertising which wins over another
advocating the responsible consumption of electricity. Billboards
advertise all day long; there is no reason why they should continue
advertising once the sun goes down. ...
Apr
14,
2007
Payson Roundup, AZ
... things she enjoys the most about the community are the stars, moon
and sky she can view from her telescope, without the interference of
light pollution. ...
Apr
13,
2007
Digital Silence, PA
The beauty of the night sky, the lack of light pollution, and the
National Park Service commitment to night skies as a natural resource,
... Just
how dark is it? “It’s the only Bortle class 2 sky they’ve documented,”
said Chris Luginbuhl of the U.S. Naval Observatory in Flagstaff, Ariz.,
...
Apr
13,
2007
Digital Silence, PA - Apr 13, 2007
The beauty of the night sky, the lack of light pollution, and the
National Park Service commitment to night skies as a natural resource,
...
Apr
9, 2007
- Nacogdoches Daily Sentinel,
TX
Though the Texas Constitution does not allow counties to regulate light
pollution or enforce noise ordinances outside incorporated areas,
counties have been ...
Apr
5, 2007
, NPS
The beauty of the night sky, the lack of light pollution, and the
National Park Service commitment to night skies as a natural resource,
led the International Dark-Sky Association this spring to designate
Natural Bridges National Monument as the world’s first International
Dark Sky Park.
“This is one of the darkest national parks in the country,”
Jones
says, referring to a comprehensive study of night sky quality conducted
by the National Park Service.
Apr
2, 2007
- Sydney Morning Herald,
Australia
In Sydney even the Southern Cross is fading steadily, its stars
disappearing as light pollution steals ever more of people's connection
to the night. ...
Mar
31,
2007
- Green Options
blog, CA
Unfortunately, not even Emerson could predict how fallible starlight
could be during modern times of overwhelming light pollution. ...
Mar
30, 2007
, Toronto Star, Canada -
Staff also was asked to come up with a "made-in-Toronto light pollution
policy" to cut down
on lights that are a dangerous attraction to birds at night. ...
Mar
28,
2007
, Camden Advertiser, Australia -
''When looking at it with less light pollution it is much brighter and
crisper,'' Dr Bhathal said. ''It's an open cluster that has a large
number of stars ...
Mar
28, 2007
Light
pollution
from urban areas is obstructing the Palomar Observatory's view of the
heavens. What can cities do about it? Plus, a kitchen table discussion
on Governor Schwarzenegger's health plan, and an education on fonts
from Doyald Young.
URL: http://www.kcet.org/lifeandtimes/archives/200703/20070328.php -
28KB -
Mar
28, 2007
, Tallahassee Democrat, FL - ...
said light
poles will
be 20 feet tall rather than the standard 40 feet, and they will focus
light down to prevent light pollution. ...
Mar
26, 2007
A proposal that would encourage cities and counties to restrict outdoor
lighting to reduce "light
pollution"
and save energy is under
consideration in the Minnesota House.
Mar
24, 2007
, The
Union of
Grass Valley, CA -
Accordingly, the development will bring an abundance of air pollution, light pollution,
and noise pollution. The possibility that the
Spenceville Wildlife ...
Mar
21,
2007
,
York Press, UK -
He added: "Now is the time to reverse York's increasing light pollution
and bring back the night sky. Now is the time to switch off." ...
Mar
2, 2007
-
Daily Herald, UT - Mar 2, 2007 hours ago Light
pollution
from
growing cities and suburbs across the country means there are fewer
dark sections of night sky for good quality viewing, Kieda said. ...
Mar
1, 2007
, Minnesota Daily, MN - Committee
chairwoman
Betsy Hodges said council members were concerned about the issues
behind the bill, such as conservation and light pollution, ...
Mar
1, 2007
- KUTV, UT - Mar
1, 2007 SALT
LAKE CITY The
University of Utah is working on
plans for an
observatory near Bryce Canyon National Park with a telescope that could
be remotely controlled from Salt Lake City, more than 250 miles away. “It’s
a beautiful
place
to do astronomy,” university physicist David Kieda said Wednesday. Light
pollution from growing cities and suburbs across the country means
there are fewer dark sections of night sky for good quality viewing,
Kieda said. A
specific location
is
still being debated.
Possibilities include Parker Mountain, Boulder Mountain and Frisco
Peak, said Paolo Gondolo, a university researcher. Light
pollution
from
growing cities and suburbs across the country means there are fewer
dark sections of night sky for good quality viewing, Kieda said. ...
Mar
1, 2007
- BBSNews, NC - Mar
1, 2007 Schoolchildren
around the
world will gaze skyward after dark from March 8 to 21, looking for
specific constellations and then sharing their observations through the
Internet. The initiative, called GLOBE at Night, will help scientists
map light pollution around the world while educating participants about
the stars.
Now in its second year, GLOBE at Night is a special project of The
GLOBE Program (Global Learning and Observations to Benefit the
Environment), a worldwide science and education program managed by the
University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (UCAR) and Colorado
State University (CSU). Last year, more than 18,000 people from 96
countries on every continent except Antarctica reported a total of more
than 4,500 observations. This year's event promises to be even bigger.
Experimental image modeling light pollution in the continental United
States. This is based on the location and population (1990 census) of
significant U.S. cities and towns (over 50 population). ...
Bright outdoor lighting at night is a growing problem for astronomical
observing programs around the world. By having students in many places
hunt for the same constellation, such as Orion, GLOBE at Night will
allow students to compare their observations with what others see,
giving them a sense of how light pollution varies from place to place.
The young observers will also learn more about the economic and
geographic factors that control light pollution in their communities
and around the world. ...
Mar
1, 2007
- Netcars,
UK -Mar
1, 2007 The
move could mean
many
roads' street lamps will be dimmed or even switched off altogether late
at night when there is virtually no traffic. The Department for
Transport says the proposals would cut CO2, light pollution and costs.
Transport minister Dr Stephen Ladyman confirmed: "The Highways Agency
review includes the development of an energy strategy, which could see
reduced lighting levels, and switching off lamps when traffic is
scarce." ...
Feb
26, 2007
Green Building Press, UK - Feb 26, 2007
It's one thing to build a state of the art, green council depot, but
quite another to change the predjudices of local residents, especially
when they're ...
Feb
26, 2007
Aylesbury
Today
Bucks
Herald, UK - Feb 26, 2007 Bucks
County
Council has
recently announced the trial scheme in a bid to save energy costs and
reduce light pollution. The chairman of the Bucks branch of ...
Feb
26, 2007
Alameda
Times-Star,
CA -
Feb 26, 2007 A
pathway over the
freeway would have to be lit 24/7, and light pollution can have very
major impacts on wildlife. Birds that nest at night would no longer ...
Feb
26, 2007
Seattle
Post
Intelligencer, WA - Feb 26, 2007 Are
the
streetlights and
security lights the Western world takes for
granted causing breast cancer, killing sea turtles and blocking views
of the constellations? ... More
than 100
scientists,
lighting technicians and government workers
registered for the two-day conference hosted by the Carnegie
Institution, a non-profit research center. ...
Feb
26, 2007
Black
America Web,
Tx -
Feb 26, 2007 Some
of Brown’s
speeches
over the years have included, "Discoveries from NASA Space Science,"
"Characteristics of Stars and the Effect of Light Pollution," ...
Feb
23, 2007
Janesville Gazette, WI - Feb 23, 2007
Others neighbors wondered about noise and light pollution. While the
lights would be on, the plant won't look like a house decorated at
Christmas, ...
Feb
23, 2007
The Valley Chronicle, CA - Feb 23, 2007
... reducing light pollution, using water efficiently; installing
energy efficient cooling and heating systems; using recycled materials
in construction; ...
Feb
23, 2007
Virginian Pilot, VA - Feb 23, 2007
But as Chesapeake has grown, Navy brass say, so has light pollution
around Fentress, which degrades pilot training. Flight crews typically
have to conduct ...
Feb
23, 2007
The
Spokesman
Review, WA
- Feb 23, 2007 The
topics she and
neighbors testified on included grading permits, vibrations from
construction equipment, impact fees, light pollution and housing
density ...
Feb 23, 2007
Kansas
City
infoZine, MO
- Feb 23, 2007 Are
the
streetlights and security lights the Western world takes for
granted causing breast cancer, killing sea turtles and blocking views
of the constellations? ... More
than 100
scientists,
lighting technicians and government workers
registered for the two-day conference hosted by the Carnegie
Institution, a non-profit research center. ...
Feb 22, 2007
Men's
News Daily,
CA -
Feb 22, 2007 Astronomers,
whose
view
of the heavens is being dimmed, are complaining, but biologists are
also decrying light pollution because they find it hurts ...
Feb 22, 2007
Science Now, DC - Feb 22, 2007 At a
conference
here
yesterday, researchers reported that even low
levels of light from incandescent, fluorescent, or other humanmade
sources can befuddle creatures that require a period of nighttime
darkness. The findings add to the evidence that artificial lighting is
interfering with the development, reproduction, and survival of species
across the taxonomic spectrum. ...
Feb 22, 2007
Voice
of
America - Feb
22, 2007 As populations and cities grow,
our once
pristine view of the stars is being whitewashed by urban
glow.
Astronomers, whose view of the heavens is being dimmed, are
complaining, but biologists are also decrying light pollution because
they find it hurts wildlife development and possibly human health, too.
... Astronomers,
whose
view of the heavens is being dimmed, are complaining, but biologists
are also decrying light pollution because they find it hurts ...
Feb 22, 2007
Space.com
- Feb 22,
2007 ...
land use near
Kitt
Peak should stabilize light pollution in the region, though other
Arizona observatories face significant threats without similar action.
Feb 22, 2007
Newtown
Bee, CT -
Feb 22,
2007 ...
including
signage,
meet the requirements of the "Dark Sky" standards, which seek to
prevent "light pollution" due to light spillage off the site. ...
Feb 22, 2007
Ardmore
Main Line
Life,
PA - Feb 22, 2007 They
will also have
shields to keep light pollution off neighboring properties and Valley
Forge National Park. The representatives also presented ...
Feb 22, 2007
Polson
Lake County
Leader, MT - Feb 22, 2007 Obviously
the stars
and
other night sights are still there, but much dimmer due to “light
pollution.” You folks who live out in the country or up in the ...
Feb 22, 2007
Billerica
Minuteman, MA -
Feb 22, 2007 ...
who had
concerns
about some of the drainage structures outlined in the proposal causing
more flooding to the area, as well as light pollution. ...
Feb 21, 2007
Great
Falls
Connection,
VA - Feb 21, 2007 ...
the fast food
chain's
unwillingness to comply with the muted brick Village Center
architecture and low light pollution standards, squashed the effort. ...
Feb 21, 2007
Journal
Times
Online, WI
- Feb 21, 2007 ...
meeting people
from
all over the world and looking at the night sky without the light
pollution of the city---these are the things that I daydream about ...
Feb 20, 2007
Harrisonburg
Daily
News
Record, VA - Feb 20, 2007 Limiting
light
pollution,
recycling old foundations on property, and even using materials inside
the building that don’t have be cleaned with harsh ...
Rocktown
Weekly, VA
- Feb
20, 2007 Limiting
light
pollution,
recycling old foundations on property, and even using materials inside
the building that don’t have be cleaned with harsh ...
Feb 19, 2007
Space
Ref (press
release)
- Feb 19, 2007 The
program will
introduce lay persons to questions and issues related to the visibility
of the stars at night and the subject of light pollution. ...
Feb 18, 2007
Gainesville
Times,
GA -
Feb 18, 2007 "The
more light
pollution
you have, the less you're going to see," Webb said. If the view of the
sky from your home isn't very clear, head to the country or ...
Feb 18, 2007
Newsday,
NY - Feb
18, 2007 And
issues such as
light
pollution impact all of Long Island, he added. "I've always considered
everything east of William Floyd Parkway to share the issues ...
Feb 16, 2007
Hattiesburg American, MS - Feb 16, 2007
Hattiesburg deserves a responsible and reasonable discussion of "light
pollution." Let us only put light when and where it is needed, and let
us focus on ...
Feb 15, 2007
DesMoinesRegister.com,
IA
- Feb 15, 2007 Other
times,
Cutsforth
may take it into the fields, away from light pollution and stays out
all night after a late shift at the hospital. ...
Feb 15, 2007
Sioux
City Journal,
IA -
Feb 15, 2007 People
living on
the flat
Missouri River plain 20 miles north at Elk Point, S.D., and south at
Sergeant Bluff said the light reaches them. ... He
added, "We'll
work
with the city. If they want us to dim it, we can ... At the end of the
day, it's not anything I think about." ... City
attorney Jim
Abshier
said there is no city ordinance governing light brightness or what
Rixner called -- light pollution. "I find nothing in our city ...
Feb 14, 2007
Terre
Haute Tribune
Star,
IN - Feb 14, 2007 Other
concerns
include
noise, odor, spills, light pollution, fires, degraded property values,
etc. Many of our questions regarding these concerns have yet ...
Feb 14, 2007
Environmental
Data
Interactive, UK - Feb 14, 2007
... "About 20 years ago almost nobody would have heard of light
pollution, nowadays an awful lot of people know about this, he said.
"Since about 1950 the night sky has more or less disappeared for urban
people in this country. There is now nowhere in mainland England that
you can see a totally dark sky." ... Despite
being easy
to address we continue to allow light pollution to keep us awake, block
out the night skies and confuse wildlife. ...
Feb 14, 2007
Earthtimes.org
-
Feb 14,
2007 Journalists
are
invited
to attend an interdisciplinary conference on
"The Night: Why Dark Hours are So Important," on February 21-22, in
Washington, DC. The event, at the Carnegie Institution, 1530 P Street,
NW, brings together scientists, engineers, and designers to discuss the
effects of excess artificial illumination on natural and social
phenomena, ranging from the behavior and health of people and animals,
to appropriate outdoor lighting designs for public safety and energy
efficiency. And they'll describe the effects on our common viewing, use
and enjoyment of the night sky. ...
Feb 14, 2007
The
Fincastle
Herald, VA
- Feb 14, 2007 Both
cited traffic
and
light pollution as their major concerns. They also pointed out that the
property is near the Appalachian Trail. ...
Feb
12, 2007
Voltimum
(subscription),
England - Feb 12, 2007 and
all about light
pollution and
managing its impacts, will be held this week on 14th February at the
Institute of Physics, London W1: ...
Feb
12, 2007
PR
Newswire (press
release), NY - Feb 12, 2007 Their
effects can
include
air pollution, water pollution, noise pollution, light pollution,
devastating emotional suffering, profound property value loss ...
Feb
12, 2007
Associated
Press of
Pakistan, Pakistan - Feb 12, 2007 Development
along
shore
areas also creates light pollution that can seriously disorient young
hatchlings on their way to the sea. ...
Feb
12, 2007
Oxford
Mail, UK -
Feb 12,
2007 Street
lights could
be
switched off across Oxfordshire between midnight and 5am in a radical
bid to cut carbon emissions and reduce light pollution. ...
Feb
11, 2007
Bucks
Free Press,
UK -
Feb 11, 2007 The
Campaign to
Protect
Rural England claims street lighting has caused light pollution - and
adds a major problem is lights facing upwards which distort ...
Feb
10, 2007
Emediawire
(press
release), WA - Feb 10, 2007 This
light
pollution is a
colossal waste of money and valuable natural resource. It also
contributes significantly to global warming through the burning of ...
PR Web (press release), WA - Feb 10, 2007
This light pollution is a colossal waste of money and valuable natural
resource. It also contributes significantly to global warming through
the burning of ...
Feb
9, 2007
Ely
Daily Times, NV
- Feb
9, 2007 ... is
really
concerned,”
said resident David Bourbeau, who voiced apprehensions about greenhouse
gas emissions, water use and nighttime “light pollution.” ...
Feb
9, 2007
Cheshunt
Mercury,
UK -
Feb 9, 2007 Householders
and
Labour
councillors in Waltham Cross united this week to slam what they
describe as the "colossal" light pollution from the printworks site ...
Herts Essex News, UK - Feb 9, 2007
Householders and Labour councillors in Waltham Cross united this week
to slam what they describe as the "colossal" light pollution from the
printworks site ...
Feb
8, 2007
L&Si
Online
(press
release), UK - Feb 8, 2007 14
rows of LED dots
have
been installed along each of the building's external ribs and the
design cleverly solves light trespass and light pollution issues ...
Feb
7, 2007
Clarke
Times
Courier, VA
- Feb 7, 2007 16
public hearing
that
light pollution had obscured their view of the night sky. The amendment
requires all exterior residential light fixtures to be ...
Feb
7, 2007
Lincoln
County
News, ME -
Feb 7, 2007 ... a
lighting plan
that
would curb light pollution and completion of aerial survey maps that
would show the current location of things in the campground. ...
Feb
7, 2007
Yale
Daily News, CT
- Feb
7, 2007 ... in
2003 from
the
Pierson-Sage Parking Garage to their current location, where the trees
in Farnham Garden block much of New Haven’s light pollution. ...
Feb
6, 2007
Jackson
Hole
Star-Tribune, WY - Feb 6, 2007 ... A
total of 10
Senate
files that had been approved by committees died, including Senate File
52, an “outdoor lighting” or “dark skies” bill sponsored by Case that
would have allowed communities to regulate the types of outdoor
electrically powered illuminating devices to reduce light pollution and
give night sky watchers better views of constellations and other night
sky phenomenon.
Feb
5, 2007
YourHub.com,
CO -
Feb 5,
2007 Lowest
lighting
levels
that Wal-Mart has ever installed in order to have no light "pollution"
or light spillover into residential neighborhoods. ...
Feb
5, 2007
Al-Bawaba,
Jordan -
Feb
5, 2007 ... to
Dubai’s
environment and cover light pollution and trespass, examining ways in
which to ensure the integrity of night skies across the region. ...
Feb
2, 2007
YourHub.com,
CO -
Feb 2,
2007 We
have already
suffered
through the parking lot blight brought in by the Light Rail Mineral
Station, the problems of light pollution from the Mineral ...
Feb
1, 2007
Middle
East Events
(press
release), United Arab Emirates - Feb 1, 2007 ...
look at the
possible
applications to Dubai's environment and cover light pollution and
trespass, examining ways in which to ensure the integrity of night
skies across the region. Currently a major topic of international
interest and concern, the link between light and lighting and our
health and well-being will also be examined.
"A
whole new
interest in
environmentally friendly lighting is developing under the broad
description of "Dark Sky Lighting" or showing appreciation for tackling
the increase in glare and light trespass causing discomfort in a wide
range of situations," said another of the presenters, Reg Wilson,
Principal, Lighting Analysis & Design, Australia. Lighting
consultant to the City of Sydney, he has over 30 years experience in
the lighting industry, in both the technical and commercial sectors
with design and application experience in street lighting, industrial,
airport and mining are as well as commercial applications. ...
Feb
1, 2007
Chief
Engineer, IL
- Feb
1, 2007 The
standard design
approach makes a trade-off between good light distribution and
glare/light pollution - designs that reduce glare also reduce the
amount ...
Feb
1, 2007
Douglas
Daily
Dispatch,
AZ - Feb 1, 2007 Some
of these
include the
adoption of the Water Conservation Plans and Sierra Vista Sub-watershed
Overlay District, the updated Light Pollution Code, ...
Feb
1, 2007
Suffolk
Evening
Star, UK
- Feb 1, 2007 ...
there are
benefits
with regard to a reduced effect on the environment in the form of
greenhouse gases and a reduction in light pollution,” he said. ...
Jan
30, 2007
Team
officials: Cities could partner to
keep Chargers in town North
County Times,
CA -
Jan 30, 2007 Quality
of life in
the
toilet for our neighborhoods with traffic, noise, light pollution and
increased crime. Oh, and did I mention our shopping and access ...
Jan
29, 2007
Medical
News Today
(press
release), UK - Jan 29, 2007 Light
pollution has
become almost an integral part of contemporary life. Bright electric
light pours on the people who have to work on night shifts, ...
Jan
29, 2007
innovations
report,
Germany - Jan 29, 2007
Night life under electric lighting may cause serious behavioral
disorders and physical diseases including cancer, according to a
specialist team led of the Professor N.N. Pertov Scientific Research
Institute of Oncology, Russian Ministry of Healthcare, and Petrozavodsk
State University, who have been investigating the effects of night-time
illumination on people’s health for several years. ... Light
pollution
has become almost an integral part of contemporary life. Bright
electric light pours on the people who have to work on night shifts, ...
Jan
29, 2007
AME
Info (press
release),
United Arab Emirates - Jan 29, 2007 ... to
Dubai's
environment and cover light pollution and trespass, examining ways in
which to ensure the integrity of night skies across the region. ...
Jan
29, 2007
News
& Star, UK
- Jan
29, 2007 FEARS
that light
pollution will cause a nuisance for neighbours have delayed a decision
on floodlights for Dalston Tennis Club. ...
Jan
8, 2007
, Environmentalists decry the
privatization of
their country’s clean energy resources By Andrew Stelzer
Sep
14, 2006
Journal
Inquirer, CT - Sep
14, 2006
...
some residents had expressed concerns about commercialization and the
loss of the town's small-town feeling, citing problems with light
pollution and increased ...
Sep
13, 2006
Sherwood Park
News, Canada - Sep 13, 2006
...
The area was designated a dark sky preserve to reduce light pollution
over the area, which will in turn make the stars more visible over the
area, and create a ...
Sep
13, 2006
ABC News - Sep 13, 2006
...
dedicated to preserving the night sky and offering stargazers a place
to view the heavens with as little interference from man-made light
pollution as possible ...
Sep 7, 2006
Ottawa
Citizen,
Canada - Sep
7, 2006
There's strong evidence that artificial light at night is linked to
breast cancer, says an American researcher who is to speak on shift
work and cancer risks at an international conference in Ottawa today.
Light pollution is an issue for more than stargazers. The conference,
co-hosted by the National Research Council ...
Sep 2, 2006
YubaNet, CA - Sep 2, 2006 ...
they
are also confronted with many novel and
potentially stressful anthropogenic disturbances, such as the permanent
presence of humans, higher densities of cats and dogs, noise and light pollution as
well as
traffic. Among
the physiological coping mechanisms used by vertebrates -
including humans - to ensure survival under adverse environmental
conditions is the acute stress response, characterised by the release
of glucocorticoid steroid hormones. The acute short-term secretion of
these hormones is considered beneficial in that it helps to mediate
adaptive behavioural and physiological responses. In prolonged stress
situations, however, chronically elevated levels of circulating
glucocorticoids can impair reproductive, immune, and brain functions.
Thus, wild animals would suffer from city life unless they adjusted
their stress response to the conditions in a city. ...
Sep 2, 2006
The Bay City
Times, MI - 12 hours ago ...
next to the site,
filed
the lawsuit last year, saying he thinks the township failed to consider
potential drainage problems, light pollution,
crime, noise and ...
Sep 2, 2006
Jakarta
Post, Indonesia - 15 hours
ago ...
Settlement of the
area
around the observatory has caused increasing air and light
pollution
and made it almost impossible for scientists to use its four large ...
Sep 2, 2006
PhysOrg.com, VA - Sep 1,
2006 ...
stressful
anthropogenic
disturbances, such as the permanent presence of humans, higher
densities of cats and dogs, noise and light pollution
as well
as traffic ...
Sep 1, 2006
Napa Valley
Register, CA -Sep 1, 2006 ...
Because there are
no
cities nearby, there's very little light pollution
here, and Bryce is said to have one of the darkest night skies overhead
in the Lower 48. Park rangers hold stargazing sessions periodically,
but if there are none scheduled during your visit, go on your own. The
park is open 24 hours a day.
A good place in the park to try stargazing is Fairyland Canyon. But you
might want to drive there first during daylight hours, so you'll know
where you're going when the sun goes down. Signage is minimal -- and of
course there are no lights to guide your way, unless the moon is out.
Just don't be spooked by the dark silhouettes around the parking lot --
they're only trees. ...
Aug 31, 2006
Polson Lake
County
Leader, MT - Aug 31, 2006 ...
suit against the Polson City Council say the proposed supercenter will
hurt their property values due to increased traffic, noise and light
pollution, and that ...
Aug 31, 2006
NewsBlaze, CA -Aug 31, 2006
The Star
Count Project will
investigate the visual quality of the night sky and help assess the
extent of atmospheric light pollution. ...
Aug 31, 2006
Scotsman, United Kingdom - Aug
31, 2006
Edinburgh Evening News, UK - Aug
31, 2006 ... Residents said the new
booth, which won the
support of Historic Scotland, is already causing light
pollution
at night and is an eyesore. ...
Aug 30, 2006
The Free Lance-Star, VA -
Aug 30, 2006
...
The post's leadership contended that the new homeowners inevitably
would complain about noise at AP Hill, and that light pollution would
interfere with would interfere with nighttime training
maneuvers.
The military's arguments carried the day, and the Board of Supervisors
rejected Tricord's rezoning application on a 5-2 vote. ...
Aug 30, 2006
Rosenberg Herald
Coaster, TX - Aug 30, 2006 ...
The Commissioners
Court
passed the ordinance in 2004 to help mitigate the growing presence of light
pollution near the George Observatory. ...
Aug 30, 2006
Glenwood Springs Post
Independent, CO - Aug 29,
2006 ...
Earlier this month, City Council criticized developers over unfulfilled
promises involving things such as landscaping, dust and light
pollution, and also said ...
Aug 30, 2006
Monterey County Herald, CA - Aug
28, 2006
San Luis Obispo Tribune, CA - Aug
28, 2006
Contra Costa Times, CA - Aug
28, 2006
Kentucky.com, KY - Aug 28,
2006
Columbus
Ledger-Enquirer, GA - Aug
28, 2006
Bradenton
Herald, United States - Aug
28, 2006
Belleville
News-Democrat, IL - Aug 28,
2006
Charlotte
Observer, NC - Aug 28, 2006 ... Protesters also said the
project would harm
tourism, cause more light pollution at night, kill
bats and
birds, create more noise, disturb the serenity of ...
The commission rejected these arguments,
although it conditioned its
approval on actions by Beech Ridge to comply with the Endangered
Species Act, the Migratory Bird Treaty, and the National Environmental
Policy Act in both the construction and operation of the wind
farm. One of the major problems with wind-power projects is
that
bats find
the turning blades irresistible and fly into them. Beech Ridge agreed
to test a proposal designed to ameliorate this problem, by delaying the
start of the blades until the wind reaches a speed in which bats would
not normally fly. ...
Aug 27, 2006
CTV.ca, Canada - Aug
27, 2006 ... will
investigate the
visual quality of the night sky and help measure the extent of light pollution in
the
atmosphere. MacLean came up with the idea along with Canadian
astrophysicist Dr.
Tom Stiff, and in partnership with the Canadian Space Agency and NASA,
students in Canada and the U.S. have been invited to take part in the
project. ...
Aug 26, 2006
St. George Daily
Spectrum, UT - Aug 26, 2006 The
tiny
lights in the sky have drawn Matt Marula's attention since he was just
5 years old. This year he's been sharing his passion with guests at
Bryce Canyon and Cedar Breaks national parks. But
the
parks, which are considered some of the best places to see the night
sky, are in danger of losing their thousands of twinkling friends to light pollution. Visitors
gathered Thursday night to enjoy the myriad stars seen from Cedar
Breaks National Park's Point Supreme Overlook. Jim
Closson set up his telescope to focus on Jupiter and its moons. "I
got into this and just kind of went gung-ho," he said. After
coming to Utah, he's seen the number of visitors continue to climb at
the astronomy nights at both parks. "It's
really taken off, we've had good numbers at Bryce," he said. He
calculates that more than 15,000 people have looked through his little
portable telescope. Stargazing can be an addicting pastime. ...
Aug 25, 2006
Space.com - Aug
25, 2006 ...
Unfortunately,
because of
the tremendous increase in light pollution over the
past
quarter century, the majority of our current generation have never seen
the ...
Aug 25, 2006
MSNBC - Aug 25,
2006 ... Star Count calls
upon students
around the world to observe the night
sky using simple equipment (OK, it can be a cardboard tube or even a
rolled-up sheet of paper). You mark down how many stars you
see,
enter the numbers into an online database - and the result
will
eventually provide a good indication of how atmospheric light pollution
in various locales affects the quality of night sky viewing. ...
Aug 25, 2006
PR Newswire
(press
release), NY - Aug 25, 2006
BBSNews, NC - Aug
25, 2006
Space Ref (press
release) - Aug 25, 2006
WebWire (press
release), GA - Aug 25, 2006 PR Newswire
(press
release), NY - Aug 25, 2006
NASA, DC - Aug 25, 2006 ... The Star Count Project will
investigate the
visual quality of the night sky and help assess the extent of
atmospheric light pollution. ...
Aug 24, 2006
The Grand Rapids
Press, MI - Aug 24, 2006 ...
"It's for the
general
welfare of our citizens," Clerk Mari Stone said. "It shows that we, as
a township, are concerned about light pollution.". ...
Aug 24, 2006
Pulse of the Twin Cities, MN - Aug
24, 2006 ...
Commissioners
objected to
destruction of original historic features, sound and light
pollution,
and disruption of the historic district as it is used today. ...
Aug 24, 2006
Rochester Democrat and
Chronicle, NY - Aug 24, 2006 ...
The
Northern
Lights have always lighted up my night life. I am
astounded when I hear someone say they have never seen the aurora
borealis. ... Others do not have the
luxury of simply looking
up from their back yard
and seeing an endless array of pinholes shining light through the black
canopy above. For many, light
pollution
has blotted out any great night vision they might have. "My favorite
place used ...
Aug 24, 2006
Falls Church News Press, VA - Aug
23, 2006 ...
it
becomes apparent that collectively our lighting systems are wasting
very large quantities of fossil and other electricity-generating fuels
we will soon need desperately. ...One
day, our civilization will be remembered for its outdoor lighting.
A flight across America on a clear night is a thing of beauty for there
is light, and light
pollution,
everywhere — streets, highways,
sidewalks, parking lots, malls, signs, freeways, thruways, toll roads
and even 400 million car and truck headlights all twinkling in the
darkness. We sure know how to light up the night....
Aug 23, 2006
UNM Daily Lobo
(subscription), NM - Aug
23, 2006 ...
The cost of
installation
of a control room and the supplies needed for
the lights, controlling light pollution into dorm rooms, and complaints
from neighbors about too much light at night from the Johnson Field
would all have to be considered, he said.
Unwanted people could
also be attracted onto campus, which would lead to increased security
and insurance issues, he said. The insurance carrier would then
probably increase insurance rates, he said. ...
Aug 22, 2006
Cape Cod
Today, MA - Aug 22, 2006 ...
The
building was designed and built under very stringent
environmentally responsible criteria established by the U.S. Green
Building Council (USGBC). Known as LEED, Leadership in Energy and
Environmental Design, the nationally recognized standards set very
clear benchmarks in design, construction, and operation ... ... irrigate vegetation. Light
pollution is
reduced by the use of site lighting fixtures that eliminate wasteful
upward lighting. Paving ...
Aug 22, 2006
Space Ref (press release) - Aug 22,
2006
Astrobiology News (press release), Virginia -
Aug
22, 2006 ...Light pollution
on Earth only energizes
photosynthesis by organisms that are very close to the light source.
However, effects of ...
Aug 22, 2006
Kentucky.com, KY - Aug 22,
2006 ...
Mark Palmer, president of the Ironworks Estates Neighborhood
Association, said residents there are concerned about odor, noise and light
pollution from the ...
Aug 21, 2006
Malta
Today, Malta - Aug 21, 2006 ...
Experts have warned
that light
pollution
could disturb the Cory’s Shearwater colonies on the Ta’ Cenc cliffs,
the impact of which could be potentially irreversible if the seabirds
abandon their nesting sites.
The
environmental impact statement (EIS) for Borg’s development has laid
down detailed mitigation measures to ensure lighting in the area does
not disturb the bird colonies.
...
Aug 21, 2006
Tampa Bay Newspapers, FL - Aug
30, 2006 ...
had vehemently opposed the
fields, which would be used mostly for soccer practice, saying they
would cause traffic, noise and light pollution at
night. ...
Aug 20, 2006
Ottawa Citizen, Canada - Aug
20, 2006
Carleton
University's Pamela
Wolff
warns that light
pollution is
distorting our view of the skies, preventing us and our children -- the
scientists of tomorrow ... ...
"This
tends to
be the age when they're curious about the stars, in learning about
astronomy," she says. "If I can get them interested now, quite often,
I've got them." Once they're hooked, Wolff hopes,
they'll
be eager to pursue careers in science. ...
Aug 20, 2006
Guardian
Unlimited, UK - Aug 20, 2006 ...
What are the
effects of light
pollution on wildlife? Which habitats and species might we
lose
completely in the UK because of climate change? ...
Aug 19, 2006
Inhabitat - Aug 19, 2006
You might remember that
we’ve railed
against light pollution before, and since we’ve
been talking a
lot about lighting this week, we figured now would be a ...
Aug 19, 2006
Hi-Desert Star, CA -Aug 19, 2006 ...
One of the main
reasons
we moved to Yucca Valley was to be able to see the night skies clearly
without all the light pollution that is so common
in large
cities ... It's bad enough that all the
natural habitats
are being destroyed by
overzealous home developers but this is a clear violation of lighting
ordinance 80 and has to be stopped immediately! Please help!
Aug 18, 2006
Amador Ledger-Dispatch, CA -Aug
18, 2006 ...
Jim Scully, who
said he
lives a mile due south of the prison, complained of noise, traffic and light
pollution from the prison. ... As for the light
pollution, Scully said that although only two towers
are manned at the prison at night, all the towers are fully lit up. He
claimed that the lights were left on primarily so guards could walk
between the towers without tripping. "I
recommend a $3 item," he said.
"A flashlight." ...
Aug 18, 2006
BBC News, UK - Aug
18, 2006 ...
Light
pollution
is
not just a waste of money, argues astronomer Darren Baskill in this
week's Green Room. He says badly designed lighting is also having an
impact on the environment and our health, as well as denying millions
of people the right to enjoy the beauty of the night sky.
Think of light pollution, and many will think of suffering astronomers.
While the orange smog of night-time light
pollution
is the most graphic demonstration of wasted light obliterating our view
of the stars, it is the financial, environmental and human cost of
light pollution that is truly astronomical. ...
Aug 16, 2006
Glenwood Springs Post
Independent, CO - Aug 17,
2006
Council
members criticized the
developers over unfulfilled promises involving landscaping, dust and light
pollution, and also said a conceptual plan to add ...
Aug 16, 2006
Sarasota
Herald-Tribune, FL - Aug
16, 2006 ...
more reasons as to why a Wal-Mart Supercenter would be a detriment to
the area under review by the planners (ie, increased noise and light
pollution, impact on ...
Aug 15, 2006
Inside Bay
Area, CA - Aug 15, 2006 ...
The first observatory was built in 1883 in Lafayette Square. The influx
of people to the East Bay after the 1906 earthquake brought new
buildings and new lights. Light pollution,
in part from the new City Hall and its "3,000 candle-power lamp on the
flag pole," made it increasingly difficult to see stars at night,
according to a historical slideshow. In
1916
the observatory moved to Mountain Boulevard, where a new 20-inch
refractor, "Rachel," one of the largest in the country, debuted. But
in the
1970s and 1980s, financial crisis and the fact that the Mountain
Boulevard observatory sat atop the Hayward fault nearly closed the
center permanently. At the same time, development along the hills
crowded the once
light-free space
and made it difficult once more to see the stars. ... ... Each
year, 40,000 to
50,000 schoolchildren visit the center on field trips, said Judyth
Collin, a center spokeswoman. Two hundred to 300 stargazers visit the
telescopes on an ordinary weekend, Collin estimates. ...
Aug 15, 2006
Tehachapi
News, CA -Aug 15, 2006 ...
Therefore, they
stay well
lit for a long time. Those traveling from north to south will get lost
in the light pollution near the southern horizon. ...
Aug 15, 2006
East Anglian Daily Times, UK - Aug
15, 2006 ...
Mr Bass
recently announced plans to turn off street lights in the
county between the hours of 12 midnight and 5am. This, he claimed,
would reduce carbon emissions and tackle light pollution. ...
Aug 14, 2006
LaCrosse Tribune, WI - Aug
14, 2006 ...
The lights are very
focused, so
10 to 15 feet off the playing field it will be too dark to play,” said
McDonald, adding there shouldn’t be light pollution
for nearby ...
Aug 14, 2006
Lynchburg News and
Advance, VA - Aug 14, 2006 ...
Camping under
star-lit
skies, which shine brighter miles from the light pollution
of
the city, is an outdoors experience like none other. ...
Aug 13, 2006
Bakersfield
Californian (subscription), CA - Aug
13, 2006 ...
County staffers
have
recommended denial of the plan, saying the truck yard would bring too
much traffic, dust and light pollution to nearby
homes. ...
Aug 13, 2006
NEPA News, PA - Aug 13, 2006
Wilkes Barre Times-Leader, PA -
Aug
12, 2006
Centre Daily Times, PA - Aug
12, 2006 ...
dedicated to preserving the night sky and offering stargazers a place
to view the heavens with as little interference from man-made light
pollution as possible ...
Aug 13, 2006
Alameda
Times-Star, CA - Aug 13,
2006
Inside Bay Area, CA - Aug
13, 2006
Oakland Tribune, CA - Aug
13, 2006 ...Light pollution,
contributed in part from the newly built city hall and its "3,000
candle-power lamp on the flag pole," made it increasingly difficult to
see ...
Aug 13, 2006
The Herald, WA - Aug
13, 2006 ...
The idea is to
escape
much of
the region's "light pollution" - the unwanted glare and wasteful output
of light from a thousand different sources - to gaze deeper into the
cosmos.
Imagine two skies.
One is the ancient blanket above our heads, where Greek gods and images
of swans march unchanging paths.
The competing one is here on Earth, what the stars above us would see -
a creeping, expanding constellation of interstates and exploding cities.
Looking downward, the eastern half of the United States shines like
day, with areas around Seattle, Portland, Ore., Los Angeles and other
urban centers spotting the West Coast like giant nightlights.
"It's very sobering," said Thomas Vaughan, president of the Seattle
Astronomical Society. "Real dark skies are disappearing quickly."
Amateur astronomers have a unique interest in dimming the lights, but
they say everyone should be concerned....
Aug 12, 2006
Lihue Garden
Island, HI - Aug 12, 2006 ...Both the
wedge-tailed
shearwater (Puffinus pacificus), a migratory
seabird, and the men and women who work at the U.S. Navy’s Pacific
Missile Range Facility call the area home. ... ...
Apart
from establishing burrows in a safe location, another serious threat
wedgies face is light pollution.
The
problem of light pollution becomes especially acute during the month of
November for these birds, when fledgling wedgies must fly for the first
time ... Recognizing the hazard these might represent to the
wedgies specifically and shearwaters in general, PMRF took action to
...The most obvious example of the base’s efforts to avoid light pollution is
found at its
recreation complex, ...
