CieloBuio
Encyclopedia
CieloBuio-coordinamento per la protezione del cielo notturno (coordination for the protection of the night sky) is a non-profit organization that operates in Italy
for the protection of the night
sky by promoting a culture of eco-friendly lighting and raising public awareness on the phenomenon of light pollution
.
Born in Lombardy
in 1997 around a mailing-list on the topic of light pollution, CieloBuio now collects professional and amateur astronomers, environmentalists, lighting engineers or simply interested people in whole Italy. The current president is Dr. Fabio Falchi.
In its fight against light pollution, CieloBuio has as a reference model to support and promote the law of the region Lombardy n. 17/2000, in all its forms and extensions. This law is based on the criterion of zero pollution, according to which, with very few exceptions, no streetlamp can send light above the horizontal plane.
CieloBuio in recent years has played a crucial role in the approval of other regional laws inspired on the Lombard model, among which we mention those in force in the regions of Emilia-Romagna
(LR 19/03), Marche
(LR 10/02), Abruzzo
( LR 12/05), Puglia (LR 15/05), Umbria
(LR 20/05), Friuli-Venezia Giulia
(LR 15/07) and Veneto
(LR 17/09). In addition, the law passed in Lombardy has inspired the drafting of laws in the Czech Republic
(the first country in the world to have passed a law against light pollution, which applies throughout the country) and in Slovenia
.
CieloBuio works in collaboration with the Italian section of the International Dark-Sky Association
and various scientific organizations to promote a national law protecting the night environment in whole Italy.
honored CieloBuio with the dedication of the asteroid 13777 Cielobuio
, discovered by members of this alliance at Sormano
(Como
, Italy) on October 20, 1998.
In 2003, the European section of the International Dark-Sky Association awarded the president of CieloBuio, Diego Bonata, with the Galileo Award, an award presented annually to individuals or groups that stand out in Europe
in the fight for the preservation of the darkness of the night sky.
In 2004, CieloBuio was among the winners of the Innovazione Amica dell'Ambiente (Environmentally Friendly Innovation) Award, delivered by the Italian environmentalist organization Legambiente in recognition of the results obtained in terms of quality of light, energy saving and environmental protection through the application of the regional law n. 17/00 of Lombardy.
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
for the protection of the night
Night
Night or nighttime is the period of time when the sun is below the horizon. This occurs after dusk. The opposite of night is day...
sky by promoting a culture of eco-friendly lighting and raising public awareness on the phenomenon of light pollution
Light pollution
Light pollution, also known as photopollution or luminous pollution, is excessive or obtrusive artificial light.The International Dark-Sky Association defines light pollution as:...
.
Born in Lombardy
Lombardy
Lombardy is one of the 20 regions of Italy. The capital is Milan. One-sixth of Italy's population lives in Lombardy and about one fifth of Italy's GDP is produced in this region, making it the most populous and richest region in the country and one of the richest in the whole of Europe...
in 1997 around a mailing-list on the topic of light pollution, CieloBuio now collects professional and amateur astronomers, environmentalists, lighting engineers or simply interested people in whole Italy. The current president is Dr. Fabio Falchi.
In its fight against light pollution, CieloBuio has as a reference model to support and promote the law of the region Lombardy n. 17/2000, in all its forms and extensions. This law is based on the criterion of zero pollution, according to which, with very few exceptions, no streetlamp can send light above the horizontal plane.
CieloBuio in recent years has played a crucial role in the approval of other regional laws inspired on the Lombard model, among which we mention those in force in the regions of Emilia-Romagna
Emilia-Romagna
Emilia–Romagna is an administrative region of Northern Italy comprising the two historic regions of Emilia and Romagna. The capital is Bologna; it has an area of and about 4.4 million inhabitants....
(LR 19/03), Marche
Marche
The population density in the region is below the national average. In 2008, it was 161.5 inhabitants per km2, compared to the national figure of 198.8. It is highest in the province of Ancona , and lowest in the province of Macerata...
(LR 10/02), Abruzzo
Abruzzo
Abruzzo is a region in Italy, its western border lying less than due east of Rome. Abruzzo borders the region of Marche to the north, Lazio to the west and south-west, Molise to the south-east, and the Adriatic Sea to the east...
( LR 12/05), Puglia (LR 15/05), Umbria
Umbria
Umbria is a region of modern central Italy. It is one of the smallest Italian regions and the only peninsular region that is landlocked.Its capital is Perugia.Assisi and Norcia are historical towns associated with St. Francis of Assisi, and St...
(LR 20/05), Friuli-Venezia Giulia
Friuli-Venezia Giulia
Friuli–Venezia Giulia is one of the twenty regions of Italy, and one of five autonomous regions with special statute. The capital is Trieste. It has an area of 7,858 km² and about 1.2 million inhabitants. A natural opening to the sea for many Central European countries, the region is...
(LR 15/07) and Veneto
Veneto
Veneto is one of the 20 regions of Italy. Its population is about 5 million, ranking 5th in Italy.Veneto had been for more than a millennium an independent state, the Republic of Venice, until it was eventually annexed by Italy in 1866 after brief Austrian and French rule...
(LR 17/09). In addition, the law passed in Lombardy has inspired the drafting of laws in the Czech Republic
Czech Republic
The Czech Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Poland to the northeast, Slovakia to the east, Austria to the south, and Germany to the west and northwest....
(the first country in the world to have passed a law against light pollution, which applies throughout the country) and in Slovenia
Slovenia
Slovenia , officially the Republic of Slovenia , is a country in Central and Southeastern Europe touching the Alps and bordering the Mediterranean. Slovenia borders Italy to the west, Croatia to the south and east, Hungary to the northeast, and Austria to the north, and also has a small portion of...
.
CieloBuio works in collaboration with the Italian section of the International Dark-Sky Association
International Dark-Sky Association
The International Dark-Sky Association is a U.S.-based non-profit organization incorporated in 1988 by founders Dr. David Crawford, a professional astronomer, and Dr. Timothy Hunter, a medical doctor/amateur astronomer...
and various scientific organizations to promote a national law protecting the night environment in whole Italy.
Bodies
CieloBuio is divided into the following bodies, more or less formal:- CieloBuio mailing list, an organ of free association of ideas and activities to support actions on the ground;
- CieloBuio non-profit association, legally recognized, bringing together all those who wish to support more effectively the activities of the working groups;
- the governing council, composed of six members and an honorary president, who makes decisions and sets the strategies for action CieloBuio;
- the technical-scientific committee, composed of six experts who research and develop environmentally friendly lighting solutions to offer and promote.
Honours
In 2000, for the fundamental role played in favor of the law against light pollution in Lombardy, the amateur Gruppo Astrofili BrianzaBrianza
thumb|250px|The [[Corni di Canzo]].Brianza is a geographical area at the foot of the Alps, in north-western Lombardy, northern Italy.-Geography:...
honored CieloBuio with the dedication of the asteroid 13777 Cielobuio
13777 Cielobuio
13777 Cielobuio is a main-belt asteroid discovered on October 20, 1998 by M. Cavagna and A. Testa at Sormano.It is named in honor of CieloBuio, an Italian association that promotes studies, technical solutions, laws and regulations to protect the darkness of the night sky.- External links :*...
, discovered by members of this alliance at Sormano
Sormano
Sormano is a comune in the Province of Como in the Italian region Lombardy, located about 45 km north of Milan and about 15 km northeast of Como....
(Como
Como
Como is a city and comune in Lombardy, Italy.It is the administrative capital of the Province of Como....
, Italy) on October 20, 1998.
In 2003, the European section of the International Dark-Sky Association awarded the president of CieloBuio, Diego Bonata, with the Galileo Award, an award presented annually to individuals or groups that stand out in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
in the fight for the preservation of the darkness of the night sky.
In 2004, CieloBuio was among the winners of the Innovazione Amica dell'Ambiente (Environmentally Friendly Innovation) Award, delivered by the Italian environmentalist organization Legambiente in recognition of the results obtained in terms of quality of light, energy saving and environmental protection through the application of the regional law n. 17/00 of Lombardy.