What's Up? The Space Place

Hey Space Placers! How dark are your skies? Got a neighbor's light that blasts photons all over? Light pollution is  serious HELATH, ENERGY, SAFETY and HABITAT issue. There are things you can do to make your, and ultimately the planet's, night skies better......GET INVOLVED. Read this article about the efforts of one community for ideas. Also consider joining and/or supporting the International Dark-SkyAssociation . We can take back our night skies, save money and energy, and protect our health and that of Mother Earth's night time creatures! GET INVOLVED..... Sky Guy in VA

Hey Space Placers! Read about light pollution here . An artificially glowing sky means WASTED energy and money. Light needs to be directed properly for safety and proper energy use. I am lucky as I can still see the Milky Way from my house and Shenandoah National Park. Sky Guy in VA

Hey Space Placers! I have undertaken my own personal light poluution battle. Two months ago a cell phone tower that used to have red lights was changed to a night vision destroying high intensity strobe light that flashes once a second. This light is so bright that it casts shadows in our backyard and lights the interior walls of certain rooms of our house. We cannot have the windows open at night because the light is everywhere. I used to be able to enjoyt the night sky from my back porch.....no longer. The light leaves spots in my eyes and is too bright to see anything but it flashing once a second. I have sent an email to the FAA, the cell phone tower owner and user, my congressman and the local news station. Thhis light has not been set to FAA standards in which the light's output is adjusted according to the time of day. The light is as bright during the day as it is at night. I will let you know how it goes. Me against big corporate America....... Sky ...

Hey Space Placers! Want to make a real contribution to science and fight light pollution? From an American Astronomical Society News Release: Join the worldwide GLOBE at Night 2011 campaign: March 22 - April 6 Short overview:What: The GLOBE at Night 2011 Campaign: Less of Our Light for More Star Light When: 8pm to 10pm local time, March 22 - April 4 northern hemisphere; March 24 - April 6 southern hemisphere Where: Everywhere Who: Everyone How: See http://www.globeatnight.org/ GLOBE at Night encourages citizen-scientists worldwide to record the brightness of the night sky. During 2 weeks of moonless evenings, children and adults match the appearance of a constellation (Leo in the northern hemisphere and Crux or Leo in the southern hemisphere) with 7 star charts of progressively fainter stars found at www.globeatnight.org. They then submit their choice of star chart on-line with their date, time and location to help create a light pollution map worldwide. The GL...