Dark Skies

Principles of lighting

Effective outdoor lighting should be intentional, well planned, well designed, and use appropriate technologies.

⭐ Useful - use light only if it is needed.

⭐ Targeted - direct light so it falls only where it is needed.

⭐ Low Level - light should be no brighter than necessary.

⭐ Controlled - use light only when it is needed.

⭐ Color - use warmer color lights where possible.

Remember, dark sky does not mean dark ground!

What can we do?

⭐ Install lighting only when and where it’s needed.

⭐ Use energy saving features such as timers, dimmers and motion sensors on outdoor lights.

⭐ Make sure your lighting is shielded so light shines down, not up. Encourage good lighting at your workplace, too.

⭐ Educate your friends and neighbors about the importance of good lighting for our health, economy and environment.

How does it hurt our planet?

Light pollution is not specifically an astronomer problem, a scientist problem, or even just a human problem. Light pollution affects all living things.

⭐ Light pollution impacts wildlife.

⭐ Light pollution may harm your health.

⭐ Light pollution can make you less safe.

⭐ Light pollution wastes energy and money.

⭐ Light pollution robs us of our heritage.

How does it affect wildlife?

Plants and animals depend on Earth’s daily cycle of light and dark to govern life-sustaining behaviors such as reproduction, nourishment, sleep and protection from predators. Scientific evidence suggests that artificial light at night has negative and deadly effects on many creatures, including amphibians, birds, mammals, invertebrates and plants. In fact, millions of birds die each year by colliding into illuminated buildings. Light pollution affects entire ecosystems.

⭐ Coral ⭐ Atlantic salmon

⭐ Frogs and toads ⭐ Zooplankton

⭐ Sea turtles ⭐ European perch

⭐ Birds ⭐ Songbirds

⭐ Hummingbirds ⭐ Peahens

⭐ Wallabies ⭐ Bats

⭐ Little penguins ⭐ Owls

⭐ Zebrafish ⭐ Mice

⭐ Sweat bees ⭐ Insects

⭐ Seabirds ⭐ Geckos

⭐ Monarch butterflies ⭐ Fireflies