The Night Sky is Disappearing, But We Can Save It.
Few things offer the kind of perspective that a salty night sky does. This is a large part of what draws me out into the wilderness—the chance to take in a dome of stars, a sight that reliably reminds me of how small I really am. So I have watched with sadness and panic as night skies have grown brighter and brighter over my lifetime and electric light crowds out the stars, even in places far from cities. Now, the vast majority of people living in the United States cannot see the Milky Way from their homes.
The good news is a small band of astronomy nerds, wilderness lovers, and other stargazing advocates are fighting back. Light pollution is not only terrible for wildlife, our health, and our pocketbooks, it’s actually unnecessary and relatively easy to clean up. So let’s do it.
Check out my recent story on Outside magazine’s website here and see what you can do in your own community to turn down the lights and preserve what should be a birthright: darkness. (The International Dark Sky Association is a great resource to start with.)