Astronomers are again warning that increasing light pollution is destroying the pristine night sky. But this time, their concerns extend beyond their core areas of expertise.
“We astronomers are like canaries in a coal mine,” James Lowenthal, an astronomy professor at Smith College in Massachusetts, said last week at the American Astronomical Society (AAS) conference in Albuquerque, New Mexico. . “Virtually all species being studied are adversely affected [by light pollution ]. ”
Astronomers have looked to the skies and long expressed concern about the rise of what is largely unregulated. artificial city lighting Satellite mega constellations like SpaceX star link Valuable observations of deep space objects by ground-based observatories are considered a true workhorse of space science, and are more severely affected by light pollution than are observatories in space.
Related: Stars are disappearing from the night sky at a furious rate due to light pollution. Things will only get worse.
Now, a study released Thursday (June 15) provides a comprehensive overview of the damaging effects of light pollution and paints a pretty grim picture for professional and amateur astronomers.
According to it, more than 80% of the world’s population currently lives under light-polluted skies, heavily polluted That’s nearly 10% each year, much higher than previously thought. Meanwhile, sales of LEDs (light-emitting diodes), which emit large amounts of blue light that scatters widely in the Earth’s atmosphere and degrades the quality of telescopic observations, has grown 18% over the past five years, and will surge further in the future. is expected to. According to Antonia Pérez, an astrophysicist and study author at the Canary Islands Institute of Astrophysics (IAC) in Tenerife, Spain, it will grow another 15% to $141 million in annual revenue by 2027. It is said to reach
The study echoes astronomers’ concerns that places on Earth are disappearing. earth Observations are made even in the most remote areas, so observatories must be installed. The decline of the darkness of the night sky . About 5 to 10 percent of the satellites that drop light bombs into telescope observations and shine in the sun for long periods of time glide over where the telescopes are set up at all times, Perez said in a new study. rice field.
“This is a situation where astronomy is under attack from virtually all sides,” said John Valentine, principal consultant at Arizona-based Dark Sky Consulting and former director of public policy at the International Dark Sky Association. ,” he told Space.com. “I am particularly struck by the terrible threat this situation poses to non-professionals, such as amateur astronomers, astrophotographers and astronomical tourists. Not one, but either dollars and cents.”
In a new study, NASA’s Bella C. Rubin Observatory is a ground-based telescope currently under construction in Chile to open the door to a new era of cosmic investigation by observing a wider field of view than previous telescopes, but perhaps 40% of the imagery due to the satellite’s trajectory. would need to be discarded. In addition, half of the night sky images clicked near dawn or dusk, a time when many low-orbit satellites are visible to the naked eye and glow with reflected sunlight for long periods of time before and after dusk, but bright streaks from the satellites is said to be contaminated with trail.
And things only get worse.Over the next few years, about 400,000 satellites Congestion expected in low earth orbit .
“The astronomical community didn’t realize the problem until the spacecraft had already launched,” Perez writes in a new study.
The Astronomy and Space Environmental Protection Commission (COMPASSE) is an AAS division tasked with raising awareness of light pollution among various sectors, including federal agencies and policy makers. Lowenthal, the commission’s vice chair for light pollution, said the group’s growth was largely due to growing concerns about hundreds of satellites being launched into low-Earth orbit. space x and one web , each of which can impair telescope observations by reflecting sunlight. For example, SpaceX has already launched. about 4,600 satellites Even just the Starlink constellation.
“That’s what really hit us,” Lowenthal said at a press conference last week. “We’d been shuffling through the same old light pollution for years, but then the crisis came and the fire was lit under us.”
Related: Loss of Darkness: Satellite Data Shows Global Light Pollution Is Increasing
It’s not just about astronomy
Astronomers recently realized that light pollution is not just an astronomical problem, they need to work with others who are more concerned about more than just the night sky, such as the lighting industry, ecological and environmental groups, and public policy makers. I am aware of something. , Lowenthal said, could be a more effective way to regulate light pollution.
“We believe we are at a tipping point, not only because of the dramatic increase in light pollution, but also because of the growing awareness of Dark Sky advocates that the problem should not be confined to astronomy. I think,” he said.
However, it is difficult to put an upper limit on light pollution in cities. In general, the standards for lighting are: not backed by science So it’s no surprise that most cities and towns around the world are overlit. It’s brighter than it needs to be and at the same time consumes too much energy. The new report adds that outdoor lighting in cities absorbs half of the city’s energy bills.
“We have known for decades how to reduce light pollution technologically. The big question is how do we get individuals who choose and install lighting to make the right choices? ‘ Christopher Kaiba, a light pollution researcher at Germany’s Ruhr University Bochum, told Space.com.
Kyba led a recent study that quantified the impact light pollution can have. Now in the night sky, where he has 250 stars visible to the unaided eye, he will see the benefits of the stars. shrink to 100 within 20 years discovered by the Kyba team.
A rare beacon of light (so to speak) is Coconino County, Arizona, which enacted the world’s first regulation in 1958. lighting ordinance Another law limiting the use of searchlights except in emergencies and then the amount of lighting per acre in Flagstaff, the world’s first international dark sky location and home to the famous observatory was enacted. Lowell Observatory .
Related: 21 Amazing Dark Sky Reserves Around the World
Coconino County cities have worked with regulators to develop and enforce ordinances for decades. Lowenthal said they had succeeded in showing that “it is possible to install as much lighting as the city needs for safety and security without harming the environment, human health or the night sky”. He called the county a “true model.” on how to do it right. ”
Dark skies are beneficial not only to astronomers, but also to the myriad of nocturnal animals that rely on moonlight and starlight to navigate their surroundings, searching for food, shelter and mates. Artificial sky glow is proven as follows. destroy the lunar compass It is deeply entrenched in these species and is often one of the key tools for adaptation and survival.
Humans are also affected. Research so far Light pollution disrupts the light-driven circadian clock, prolonging the time it takes us to fall asleep. Other studies have also associated light pollution with an increased risk of: obesity and depression .
“Our choices today will set the consequences and precedents for centuries to come,” said cosmologist Aparna Venkatesan of the University of San Francisco, arguing that the universe should be seen as the universe. there is Global shared environment and heritage told Space.com. “We have a responsibility not only to future scientists, but also to future storytellers, artists, songwriters, and practitioners of sky culture traditions.”
For new research, paper It was published in Science on Thursday (June 15).
Follow Sharmila Kutnoor on Twitter @skuthunur .follow us @space.com ,or Facebook and Instagram .