AURA

I’m with Sine on this one. There’s nothing more aggravating than setting up a telescope to see what’s what out there only for somebody to turn on the yard light and obliterate the view. And it can be downright dangerous when you’re driving down a dark road and somebody turns on the dome light to do a little reading.

Individual decisions are one thing. Multiply them by the whole population and you end up with issues.

Tucson, at one time a small sleepy town in the crystal clear dry air of a few decades ago seemed like an ideal place to set up some serious telescopes. As growth and progress has muddied the view, outcries from the astronomical community have turned out to be only the first wave of objections to what may have seemed like the swell idea to make the night shift a permanent feature of life on earth. It’s not surprising, then, that Tucson based politicians are among the first to point to such issues, as in the following excerpt from their July 30, 2008 letter to EPA:

"We are writing to discuss the worsening problem of light pollution, which has proven adverse effects on nocturnal wildlife, creates a substantial and widespread waste of electricity, and seriously degrades the visibility of our night skies. Today light pollution hinders viewing the stars for an estimated 99% of Americans. Glare from powerful, poorly designed street and security lighting reduces nighttime visibility and hinders safety on the road. Artificial lighting has been shown to impinge on the mating, migration, and predation behaviors of many nocturnal species of wildlife, thereby affecting entire ecosystems. Perhaps most seriously, evidence now shows that human eyes are far more sensitive than previously thought to light-at-night exposure, and several research teams are exploring its influence on melatonin suppression, circadian rhythms, and human health.

Fortunately, the spread of light pollution is reversible, with straightforward solutions. Much can be done by using well-shielded lighting fixtures that aim their beams only where needed, by reducing excessive illumination levels, or simply by shutting off lights when not needed. Responsible, well-designed outdoor lighting controls glare, improves nighttime visibility and safety, protects biodiversity, and enables healthier lives. Moreover, eliminating light directed uselessly into the sky will save billions of dollars in wasted energy annually and reduce atmospheric emissions.

The International Dark-Sky Association based in Tucson offers reports on studies into the effects of turning night into day. It also presents lighting fixtures to both lessen the impact and save money. Do-it-yourselfers can do a lot to improve the night view simply by putting a canopy or shade over any light shining into the outdoors.

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