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<br />~AN-05-00 11=46 FROM=HONEYWELL DOC CENTER
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<br />Introduction to the Issues
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<br />I. Introduction: Have you looked up at night lately? The universe is going away, gone already for many,
<br />The universe is an important part of the environment, to astronomy and to the general public,
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<br />For most people on earth, the dark skies our ancestors had have disappeared, The problem is urban sky glow,
<br />due mostly to too much bad lighting.
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<br />With good lighting, we all win, We help preserve the dark skies, we see better (and are safer and more
<br />secure), we have a more pleasant and comfortable nighttime environment, and we save a great deal of energy
<br />and money doing so, Neither astronomers nor the public, anywhere, need any of the adverse environmental
<br />effects of poor lighting,
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<br />n. Why night lighting? To see at night, for security, safety, utility, and for an attractive nighttime
<br />environment around us. But not all lighting is good lighting.
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<br />In. What are the adverse impact of poor nighttime lighting?
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<br />1. Urban sky glow (the brightening skies over our heads), destroying our view of the universe, We don't
<br />live up there in the sky; we don't need all that light up there.
<br />2, Glare, Glare never helps visibility, but it is far too common in all of OUr cities, We should strive for a
<br />glare free environment
<br />Light trespass. Many present lighting installations bother us as much or more than they help. The
<br />wasted light shines into our yards, our windows, even our telescope buildings. As with noise pollution,
<br />we don't need any of this bad light. '
<br />A trashy looking, confusing nighttime environment. We should, all of us, be striving for a good
<br />looking nighttime environment, just as we should be doing in the daytime, Such poor environments are
<br />part of the stress of teday's life, We should help with the problem, not compQund it. Remember, the
<br />night is part of the environment too.
<br />S, Energy waste, We waste an astronomical amount of energy and money by all this bad lighting, shining
<br />it where it is not needed or wanted (including up into the sky) and by using energy inefficient light
<br />sources and lighting designs, Better to use such money for improving our world, not mucking it up,
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<br />We all suffer from these problems. But we need not.
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<br />IV, So What To Do?
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<br />I. Use good lighting. Such quality designs are really all just common sense approaches to lighting. Let's
<br />not tolerate all the bad lighting; let's get rid of it.
<br />2, Shine the light down, where it is needed. Control the light output to locations where it is needed; don't
<br />waste it. Use quality lighting fixtures.
<br />3. Use time controls (or dinuners or other controls) to insure that light is there when needed, and not
<br />there when it is not.
<br />4, Design and install lighting to insure that glare is minimized, Most all glare comes from poor fixtures or
<br />poor installations. There is no need for any of it.
<br />Use the right amount of light for the task, not overkill. "More light" is not the approach to use, When
<br />not blinded by glare. the eye is a marvelous instrument lInd can see very well at what seems to be quite
<br />low lighting levels. In addition, going from over lit areas to darker areas means that we don't see too
<br />well (transient adaptation). and the opposite holds as welL
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<br />http://www.darlcsky,orglidalkcy/intro.html
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<br />1/4/00
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