darkskiesawareness.orgDark Skies Awareness Light pollutionwhat is it and why

Dark Skies Awareness An IYA2009 Cornerstone Project HOME PROGRAMS NEWS ABOUT FAQs CONTACT Video credit: survivalcrackers Video credit: Dan Heller -- Programs include: Dark Skies Discovery Sites Earth and Sky Photo contest Earth Hour Global Lightmeter Network The Great Light Switch Out International Dark-Sky Communities, Parks, & Reserves International Dark-Sky Week Let There Be Night Planetarium Show Nights in the (National) Parks Podcasts Quiet Skies (Radio Frequency Interference) Second Life Social Networking on MySpace and Facebook Star Hunting Programs Brochure [7.6 MB PDF] Dark Skies Rangers Program GLOBE at Night The Great World Wide Star Count How Many Stars? Starlight Initiative Starlight Reserves Declaration in Defence of Starlight World Night in Defense of the Starlight Starlight: A Common Heritage Travelling Displays, Posters & Brochures 2010 and beyond Frequently Asked Questions: Light pollution—what is it and why is it important to know? What are examples of light pollution regulations, laws & policies? What are examples of effective lighting? What are some ways to measure sky brightness? What are some models of sky brightness measurements? What are some ways light pollution affects wildlife? What are some ways light pollution effects our health? What are some outreach programs that promote dark skies awareness and how can we get involved in them? Administration U.S. Dark Skies Working Group . International Dark Skies Task Group . Cooperating Institutions . Image credit Babak A. Tafreshi via calamities ofnature . Dark Skies Awareness: seeing in the dark “Dark Skies Awareness” is one of 12 Global Cornerstone Projects during the 2009 International Year of Astronomy (IYA2009). Its goal is to raise the level of public knowledge about adverse impacts of excess artificial lighting on local environments and help more people appreciate the ongoing loss of a dark night sky for much of the world’s population. Toward this end, a range of programs and resource materials has been developed. Everyone is invited to use any of these as local solutions to a global problem. Dark Sky News Around the World July 2011 Dark Skies Rangers in Portugal The Dark Skies Rangers program has its first official Dark Skies Rangers in Portugal. 9 students at a high school (Escola Secundária Maria lamas) in a course for environmental management, have successfully convinced the school board to turn off some spotlights in front of the school. The students received their Dark Skies Rangers certificates on July 9, 2011. July 9, 2011 May 2011 4th International Symposium for Dark-sky Parks and 4th International Dark-sky Camp 27 June — 1 July 2011 at the Parc Astronomic Montsec, Catalonia, SPAIN http://www.darkskyparks.org/index.php/symposium-2011.html May 16, 2011 11th European Symposium for the Protection of the Night Sky October 6 — 8 2011 in Osnabrück, Germany http://www.lichtverschmutzung.de/symposium_2011/ May 16, 2011 February 2011 Lights Out: Tiny Sark Named First 'Dark-Sky' Island The International Dark-Sky Association has named the English Channel island of Sark its first "dark-sky" island. Read more from NPR . February 2, 2011 December 2010 Link Between Light Pollution and Air Pollution Research indicates that glare thrown up into the sky interferes with chemical reactions. Read more here: Sky & Telescope: Night Lights Worsen Smog BBC News: City lighting ‘boosts pollution’ December 16, 2010 View all Dark Sky News from Around the World ....