Dark-sky movement
Encyclopedia
The dark-sky movement is a campaign
by people who want to reduce light pollution
so people can see the stars, to reduce the effects of unnatural lighting on the environment, and to cut down on energy usage.
The movement
started with professional and amateur astronomer
s alarmed that nocturnal skyglow
from urban areas was blotting out the sight of stars. For example, the Griffith Observatory
in Los Angeles
is useless for astronomy, because of daytime smog
and nighttime light pollution, while world-famous Palomar Observatory
is threatened.
The movement has since spread with groups like the International Dark-Sky Association
, as other concerns have been raised. For example, nocturnal animals can be harmed by light pollution.
The dark-sky movement works to encourage the use of full-cutoff fixtures that cast little or no light upward in public areas and generally to encourage communities to adopt lighting regulations.
Social movement
Social movements are a type of group action. They are large informal groupings of individuals or organizations focused on specific political or social issues, in other words, on carrying out, resisting or undoing a social change....
by people who want to reduce 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:...
so people can see the stars, to reduce the effects of unnatural lighting on the environment, and to cut down on energy usage.
The movement
Social movement
Social movements are a type of group action. They are large informal groupings of individuals or organizations focused on specific political or social issues, in other words, on carrying out, resisting or undoing a social change....
started with professional and amateur astronomer
Astronomer
An astronomer is a scientist who studies celestial bodies such as planets, stars and galaxies.Historically, astronomy was more concerned with the classification and description of phenomena in the sky, while astrophysics attempted to explain these phenomena and the differences between them using...
s alarmed that nocturnal skyglow
Skyglow
Skyglow is the illumination of the night sky or parts of it. The most common cause of skyglow is artificial light that emits light pollution, which accumulates into a vast glow that can be seen from miles away and from high in the sky...
from urban areas was blotting out the sight of stars. For example, the Griffith Observatory
Griffith Observatory
Griffith Observatory is in Los Angeles, California, United States. Sitting on the south-facing slope of Mount Hollywood in L.A.'s Griffith Park, it commands a view of the Los Angeles Basin, including downtown Los Angeles to the southeast, Hollywood to the south, and the Pacific Ocean to the southwest...
in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
is useless for astronomy, because of daytime smog
Smog
Smog is a type of air pollution; the word "smog" is a portmanteau of smoke and fog. Modern smog is a type of air pollution derived from vehicular emission from internal combustion engines and industrial fumes that react in the atmosphere with sunlight to form secondary pollutants that also combine...
and nighttime light pollution, while world-famous Palomar Observatory
Palomar Observatory
Palomar Observatory is a privately owned observatory located in San Diego County, California, southeast of Pasadena's Mount Wilson Observatory, in the Palomar Mountain Range. At approximately elevation, it is owned and operated by the California Institute of Technology...
is threatened.
The movement has since spread with groups like 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...
, as other concerns have been raised. For example, nocturnal animals can be harmed by light pollution.
The dark-sky movement works to encourage the use of full-cutoff fixtures that cast little or no light upward in public areas and generally to encourage communities to adopt lighting regulations.
List of groups
- Campaign for Dark SkiesCampaign for Dark SkiesThe Campaign for Dark Skies is the United Kingdom's biggest anti-light-pollution campaign group.It is part of the British Astronomical Association and affiliated with the International Dark-Sky Association , and composed of a network of who try to improve lighting in their areas and advise...
(UK) - CieloBuioCieloBuioCieloBuio-coordinamento per la protezione del cielo notturno 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...
(Italy) - International Dark-Sky AssociationInternational Dark-Sky AssociationThe 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...
- National Dark-Sky Week (US)
See also
- ScotobiologyScotobiologyThe term scotobiology describes the study of biology as directly and specifically affected by darkness, as opposed to photobiology, which describes the biological effects of light.-Overview:...
(the study of biology as affected by darkness) - Bortle Dark-Sky ScaleBortle Dark-Sky ScaleThe Bortle Dark-Sky Scale is a nine-level numeric scale that measures the night sky's and stars' brightness of a particular location. It quantifies the astronomical observability of celestial objects and the interference caused by light pollution and skyglow. John E...