The sky is a beautiful place, but it is gradually eroding away. 50 years ago, the Milky Way was visible from most parts of the U.S. Now, very few sites have the luxury of a clear view of our own galaxy. The cause is light pollution. Every night, millions of street lights, house lights, security lamps, and other lighting click on. Their poorly built designs spew light upward as well as downward, where the light is needed. This glare makes it impossible to see the night sky in all its glory. Few stars, if any, are visible from large cities, and good views of the sky may require a long commute to a remote site. Light pollution is easily solvable. For the most part, it is caused by poorly designed lights. Virtually all lights are designed to light up the ground, but they are designed in such a way that they spew light upward and sideways, creating annoying glare for those nearby and lighting up the sky. Some towns have already begun replacing these lights with better designs that point light downward, reducing light pollution and light waste. Maybe in the future, the skies will become dark again.
Posted on: Wed, 07 Aug 2013 22:15:10 +0000
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