Photo courtesy of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada
Some of the difficulty area residents had viewing this summer’s meteor showers can be attributed to light pollution from man-made sources. As communities grow, more lights glow, and reduce our access to the stars. Rick Scholes of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada says we all need to do our part to protect the night sky.
Exterior home lighting choices can make a difference in how much we’re lighting up the sky. Rick recommends using shielded light fixtures.
He adds they may be harder to find at retailers, but they are out there.
Rick notes night sky light pollution affects most life on the planet, throwing off day/night biological rhythms. As an example, he points to a favourite insect which is becoming more difficult to spot.
To learn more about what we can do to reduce light trespass into the night sky, go to rasc.ca/light-trespass.
Story by Brian Turner