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<br />Light Pollution Authority Home Page - www.darksky.org
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<br />Light Pollution
<br />
<br />Whatis it ?
<br />
<br />Have you had a problem with light pollution? Of course. When you realize that the term "Light Pollution" covers
<br />a very broad subject area you soon realize we have all have a problem with light pollution. From the smallest
<br />organism to the largest telescope, light pollution plays a part in degrading our nighttime environment.
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<br />This website contains many Information Sheets and Internet Links relating to Light Pollution.
<br />Here are a few quotes relating to Light Pollution from our Information Sheets -
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<br />IS-016, Theft of the Night..
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<br />. "Most Americans are growing up unable to see the stars their grandparents knew so well. They see the night sky only in pictures or
<br />at planetariums.This is true not only in cities, but also in many suburbs where street lamps and other sources of "light pollution" have
<br />obscured our view of constellations, meteor showers, and planets. light pollution is not a matter of life and death. Yet it is important
<br />nonetheless, profoundly so. We human beings lose something of ourselves when we can no longer look up and see our place in the
<br />universe. It is like never again hearing the laughter of children; we give up part of what we are. Such a loss might be acceptable if
<br />light pollution were the inevitable price of progress, but it's not. Most sky glow, as scientists call it,is unnecessary. The light that
<br />obscures our view of the night sky comes mainly from inefficient lighting sources that do little to increase nighttime safety, utility, or
<br />security. It produces only glare and clutter, costing more than $1 billion annually in wasted energy in the United States alone.
<br />Reducing light pollution is not difficult, but it does require that public officials and ordinary citizens be aware of the problem and act to
<br />counter it. ... Curing light pollution saves money while reducing glare. Unlike other issues involving pollution, it presents us with a
<br />rare case where we should strive to be kept in the dark. The stars above us are a priceless heritage,not only for scientific knowledge,
<br />but also for our identity as human beings. ... Another fairly painless way to reduce light pollution is with outdoor lighting control
<br />ordinances, ...
<br />An outdoor light system recently installed at a prison in Arizona, for example, improved security and reduced light pollution while
<br />cutting energy costs by 50 percent. "
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<br />IS-019, The American Astronomical Society's Position on Light Pollution
<br />''This is a one-page summary of the position of the American Astronomical Society's Committee on Light Pollution, Radio
<br />Interference, and Space Debris on the light pollution issue. It has been endorsed by the Society's Board of Directors, and can be
<br />used by anyone to state astronomers' concern and position on this problem. ... These sites need protection from light pollution
<br />(adverse sky glow from electric lights). Light pollution is a serious problem. There are solutions to the problem. Control the
<br />emitted light by fixture choice, by shielding, by placement,etc. Use well designed task-oriented lighting, to minimize wasted light, light
<br />trespass, and light pollution. ... All of this says, really: "Use the best possible professional lighting design and installation for the task,
<br />including all relevant factors, of which light pollution is one."
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<br />IS,026, An Introduction to Light Pollution
<br />"Have you ever heard of Light Pollution? Maybe not. But it is a growing threat to the nighttime environment. Components of light
<br />pollution include: Glare, blinding us and hanning visibility. Glare is never good.
<br />Light Trespass, someone's outdoor lights offending us, "trespassing"on our land. Clutter, trashing the nighttime environment,
<br />causing confusion as well. Energy waste, costing us over One Billion Dollars a year in the U.S.A. alone. Urban sky glow, which is
<br />destroying mankind's view of the universe.
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<br />IS-065, Ontario Hydro Leaflet on Light Pollution
<br />\^/hat is Light Pollution? ~ Ught pOllution refers to the glow of Ught we see at night above cities and towns. What Causes Light
<br />Pollution? - This urban glow comes from improperly designed street and parking lot lighting which spills the light to the side and
<br />upwards to the sky .Additionallight pollution is caused by lit signs, commercial building lights, sports facilities, and outdoor residential
<br />lights. Light pollution was noticed first by astronomers. ... In a broader context, light pollution deprives everyone of the joys of seeing
<br />a sparkling night sky.". How does Light Pollution Affect Us? - Glare... Unwelcome Light "Trespass". What Is The Cost of Light
<br />Pollution? - Light pollution is also a sign of waste. There is no benefit from lighting up the sky.
<br />
<br />IS-090, Light Pollution -- Theft of the Night (A Handout Sheet)
<br />"Have you looked up at night lately? The universe is going away, gone already for many. The universe is an important part of the
<br />environment,to astronomy and to the general public. For most people on earth, the dark: skies our ancestors had have
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<br />http://www.darksky.org/
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<br />6/20/2005
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