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Light Poltufiion Authority Home Page - www.darksky.org Page 3 of 3
<br />disappeared.The problem is urhan sky glow, due mosily ta #oa much bad lighting. With good lighting, we alf wln. ,,,
<br />1�-907, The Return of the Night" by Harrell Guy Graham
<br />"Imagine a night sky where fhere are sa many twinkling stars you can hardly hegin ta couni them. Then imagine iha# sarne nighk sky
<br />li#, not by star["sght, but hy lighi pollution fram thousar�ds upon thousands ai unshield�d high intensity autdoor lights. Where there
<br />vuere once countle5s stars, you r,an now see an unnafural glow smearing the night sky with a haze af exlraordinariiy brigltt artific'ral
<br />light. "..."Because of light pollution, no stars whatsoever ate visible any whe€e nth horizon in mosl American communities." .
<br />� Top of Page
<br />ir�dex. htmi
<br />t�-7 �.1.., lmpressions of a Nigh# Sky UnafFecied by Light Pollution
<br />Words can scarcely describe wvhat it is Ikke to see a nfght sky that is unaffecfed by light pollution. For many, it is a spirituai
<br />experience. Many af us dream of walking out our batk dpor and being engulfed 6y a nighE sky so beautiful, sa splendid, so
<br />overwheEming, that a teiescope is not even required to appreciate it. Our ancestoes knew such a sky. �thout our vigi€ance, nur
<br />children and their chifdren will nnt.it is e�p io our genera#ian io t�rfng back the night. ... It is good for all of us wha are active in the
<br />fight againsf lighl pollutian to occasionaily experience a rtight sky unaifec�ed by lighf pollution ai least once each year in energize
<br />and inspire us to continue our diligent eHOrts to r,urtail light pollution. ... Here, now, are some general impressions of a night sky thaf
<br />is unaffected by iigh! pailution.
<br />IS-1.2{9, Light Poll€�tian and �.irrtiting Magnitude
<br />How faint a star r.an be seen wiih the unaided eye? This siepends on the abi[ity and experience of the observer, the state of daric
<br />adaptation of 4he obsenrer, the sky brighfiess due ta light pofiution from el�ctr�c lights and nafurei saurces such as the Moon, and
<br />the cfarity of ihe sky. ... There are about 14,�00 sfars t�righter than magnitude +7.0, so under ideal condilions an observer could see
<br />samewhat under haff of them(-7,p0i1) due to oniy half the sky being visible and atmospheric extinction. A magniiude +6.0 sky is stifl
<br />a reasonahiy gp�d sk}r, wifh �2,4U0 stars visible #a the unaideri eye. There is some fighf poilution, and it is usually enough to
<br />illuminate clouds so #hat they na longer appear utterly hiack against the sky as wi#h a magnifude +7.0 sky. The brighter parts of the
<br />Mifky Way are still readily seen. ...
<br />Less Fhan 250 stars are visi6le in a magnitude +4.� sky, and the milky Way is never visii�le. Light poilution is a s�riaus prob[em. A
<br />magn[tude +3.4 sky wi[I shaw fewer ihan 50 stars, and light pollution is severe. This is the typical sky encauntered inside a major
<br />ciiy.
<br />15-'f21, New Jersey Light Pollutian 5iudy Cnmmission Recommendations
<br />The IVew Jersey Lfght Pollution Study Commission, after meeting tor almost ten months, has campleted and submiEEed its report to
<br />the Govemar and Legislaiure. The co�nmission has detennined that "the causes o4 Eighf poklution are many and the effect can be
<br />giare, enargy waste,tight 4respass(nuisanca light), and sky giouv."ClearEy, iight polfutinn aifects everyone. The twelve
<br />recommendations in the report are intended to reduc.� light pollut�on and its ad�erse effecls.These recommendations wilE result in
<br />impraved iightiny conditions far safeiy and far reduced energy consumption, and uvill also serve as a means in hefp preserve ths
<br />environment. ...
<br />f�-131 , Light Pollutinn: Are Yo�a a Culprit�
<br />A#�siract:Many eiectrical engineers arsd cpntractprs,architecEs, and lighting engineers cause light pollutian simpEy because they do
<br />not think about it. This article examines the problem, possible fuiure fimiiations, and some soluttans. ... There has been inereasing
<br />worldwide awarer�ess of I�ght pollution since the eariy 1980s. ... The Australians decided in 1981 tn produce a Natinnaf Standard #o
<br />limit ligfi�t pollutian. ...
<br />IS-1_3�, Light Pollution: 7he Problem, The Snfutions
<br />Abstract: �he problem of fight poliution exists most e�erywf�ere, and ii is stifl growing rapidly. ...
<br />C5-93�, W�y 5hould a City Gavernme�t Be Concerned About Light Poqufion
<br />ihe public's loss oi ihe stars from the nighttim� sky is a reai tragedy that e�ery city govemment shauld be aware o# and nnt
<br />allow.This foss is a teslament to our mynpie and #o our growing insuEation from the natural world. L9ke the canary in the mine shafts
<br />of olcf,astronomers are waming us of the unnecessary loss af a dark nlghttime sky in almas# every urban area. ... Light pnlfutinn
<br />represants a waste of a magniEude ihaf almost na homenwner would aElow inside their homes.
<br />Join the carr�paign Yo stop L�ght Poll�tion hlow!
<br />www.darksicy.arglindex.h#ml
<br />http://www.darksky.orgl 6/20/2005
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