ISSUE NO. 39 AUTUMN 2011
CAMPAIGN for
DARK SKIES
NEWSLETTER OF THE BRITISH ASTRONOMICAL ASSOCIATION’S CAMPAIGN FOR DARK SKIES
www.dark-skies.org www.britastro.org/dark-skies
New CfDS symposium, April 2012
All friends of the night sky and CfDS supporters are invited to the Campaign’s next national symposium on Friday April 20 2012, at de Montfort University in Leicester. The theme is Planning, Exterior Lighting and the Environment. This is part of our current ‘big push’ to have good quality lighting made implicit in UK planning directives, the best way to combat wasted light.
Among others invited will be: CfDS officers, DEFRA officials, Planning officers, Environmental Health Officers, members of the Institution of Lighting Professionals (ILP), CPRE representatives, the Highways Agency, the UK Energy Saving Trust, and our fellow European campaigners. It is hoped that we will have Lords Rees (Astronomer Royal) and Henley (DEFRA minister) to introduce/conclude the symposium. Attendance is free but must be booked in advance, as numbers are limited. Contact Martin Morgan-Taylor (CfDS committee/de Montfort University) on martATdmu.ac.uk for further details and reservations. (AT=@)
Hidden Wonders of Chicago
To tour a major exhibition in Chicago on light pollution, and to see how the whole of the state of Illinois has now lost its dark night skies to wasted light, go to
http://tripwow.tripadvisor.com/tripwow/ta-012f-d826-1ccc
Many thanks to two suppliers of quality optics who kindly donated items for the CfDS draw at the BAA Winchester Weekend 2011: David Hinds Ltd and SCS Astro.
www.dhinds.co.uk
www.scsastro.co.uk
The draw raised £180 for the CfDS.
Encouraging Star-Quality Lighting
ON THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL
London skies…then
Nicolas Wadsworth sends us a description of central London’s stars in the 18th century:
"I was last week taking a solitary walk in the gardens of Lincoln’s Inn ... when night came upon me. The heaven above me appeared in all its glories, and presented me with such a hemisphere of stars as made the most agreeable prospect imaginable to one who delights in the study of nature. It happened to be a freezing night, which had purified the whole body of air into such a bright transparent ether, as made every constellation visible; and, at the same time, gave such a particular glowing to the stars, that I thought it the richest sky I had ever seen. I could not behold a scene so wonderfully adorned and lighted up, if I may be allowed that expression, without suitable meditations on the author of such illustrious and amazing objects: for on these occasions, philosophy suggests motives to religion, and religion adds pleasure to philosophy."
Joseph Addison (1673-1719). Essay. A vision of Justice
Nigel’s night vision
The 2011 CfDS Joy Griffiths award, for meritorious efforts on behalf of the night sky, was presented on June 10, in Bath, to lighting consultant Nigel Pollard, who has been for many years a champion of sensitive lighting practices in his work, and has freely given of his time to advise and support the CfDS. Many thanks to Nigel.
… and Paolo’s night vision
In 2011, Italian astronaut Paolo Nespoli imaged the world at night from his perch aboard the International Space Station. Several news websites carried his up-to-date views of light emissions into space from the UK, Those sites may well have moved on, but you will probably find the photos by asking your search engine for “Paolo Nespoli UK images”.
Southern stars
In June, members of the Wessex Astronomical Society met officials of the Cobham Mission Equipment company, which supplies materials for aviation, satellites and the International Space station, to present the CfDS Good Lighting Award for their new car park in Wimborne, Dorset. All lamps restrict emissions to angles strictly below the horizontal. Suggestions for these awards anywhere in the UK are always welcome!
Christine in the frame again
Artist Christine Wakelin (Eye, Cambs.), whose intriguing work “In Your Dreams” has been hired to raise funds for the CfDS for a third time by an American art collector, has now produced a tribute to the Herschels. The painting has recently been in William and Caroline Herschel’s adopted town of Bath. Her painting Euler’s World see:
http://www.britastro.org/dark-skies/articles/painting.html
is again for hire; contact Bob Mizon (see p. 4) for details.
Carmarthenshire council’s post-midnight switch-offs are saving over £3,300 a month. The council told reporters that “no road safety issues have been identified”. It is estimated that more than half of Britain’s local authorities are now switching off or dimming road lights.
L.O., L.O., L.O.….
Can all CfDS local officers please remember to inform CfDS webmaster Darren Baskill (dbaskillATgooglemail.com, for AT read @) if they change their contact details – if you didn’t receive an invitation to the April symposium (see p.1), we haven’t got your current e-mail address!
CfDS website – www.dark-skies.org
The CfDS website receives regular light pollution and news updates. If you have any contributions or ideas for the website, please e-mail Darren Baskill: webmaster@dark-skies.org
* DARK SKIES AROUND THE WORLD *
Recent correspondence to CfDS has come from Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, the Czech Republic, France, Germany, Holland, Ireland, Malta, Poland, Saudi Arabia, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, the USA …
Light at Night increases urban smog
At a meeting of the American Geophysical Union In April 2011, Harald Stark of the NOAA's Earth System Research Laboratory reported on airborne experiments to measure the intensity of city lights over Los Angeles. One unexpected conclusion of this study was that the urban glow was affecting night-time atmospheric chemistry. At night, the nitrate radical NO3, a compound destroyed by sunlight, re-forms in the darkened sky, neutralising some of the nitrogen oxides (NOx) that pollute the daytime air, causing unhealthy levels of ozone (O3). Bob Parks, executive director of the International Dark-Sky Association, said "Many cities are close to their limits of allowable ozone levels, so this news is expected to have big implications for outdoor-lighting practices and should be of special interest to the Environmental Protection Agency. Two years ago the EPA was petitioned to assess light pollution's role in atmospheric discoloration of the night sky under the Clean Air Act, but so far the agency's officials have made no formal response. But this new scientific result will certainly get their attention. As Parks notes, "There's nothing like another federal agency validating a position to increase your credibility."
Veil across the Pearl
Recent reports from Hong Kong tell of increasing disquiet among residents over the proliferation of advertising and floodlighting schemes which have blotted out the night sky and cause what some describe as unbearable light intrusion into apartments.( http://outdoorlightingchoices.com/hong-kong-residents-fed-overwhelming-light-pollution ). Friends of the Earth (HK) has announced a plan to "Unveil the Pearl of the Orient", using photographs, texts, opinion polls and alternative city guides to “shed light on the use of lighting in Hong Kong” with the object of “re-representing the city beyond the definition of prosperity”. The group urges the public to report to the HK Environmental Protection Department when encountering light pollution problems. Friends of the Earth (HK) Environmental Affairs officer Hahn-Chu Hon Keung expressed concern that, in spite of the local authority’s pronouncements about energy use, the city was using 80% more energy in 2011 than it was in 2001, even though its population had risen during that period by only 6%.
Slovene skies saved
Slovene campaigner Andrej Mohar reports that Ljubljana has now replaced 80 % of all its public lighting to zero upward-light types in just 3 years since the adoption of the national light pollution law. He says “We notice energy reduction everywhere by using 0 % upward light ratio. Dark-Sky Slovenia’s glare-meter studies show less glare on our roads with 0 %”.
The Eleventh European Symposium for the Protection of the Night Sky will be held In Osnabrueck, Germany, on 7-9 October 2011.
Organiser Dr Andreas Haenel informs us that:
“The Symposium will deal with the issues of light pollution, its causes, its negative effects and possible remedies.
Some of the issues will be:
measuring methods of light pollution; quality of dark sky parks; efficient dark sky friendly lighting; environmental impact (e.g. on insects, humans) of modern light sources (e.g. LEDs)”.
More details of the forthcoming Eleventh Dark-Sky Symposium will appear on
the CfDS website as they become available.
Dark skies around the world – continued CfDS’ Austrian correspondent Dietmar Hager, who presented the light-pollution focus at last year’s Ars Electronica festival in Linz, continues his public education efforts in November this year with a light-pollution workshop to be opened by the Mayor of Linz, Franz Dobusch. Find out about Dietmar’s work, both observational and environmental, at www.stargazer-observatory.com/ars-festival-2011.html
In April 2011, Chris Williams, well known craftsman and designer of Llantrisant, South Wales, kindly donated one of his works to raise funds for CfDS. See Chris’s fascinating sculptures and other work on astronomical themes at
www.furniture4stargazers.co.uk
CfDS Fighting Fund
Standing orders to CfDS can be made via your bank to: sort code 09-00-00, a/c number 0005 0005, K2922741CAM, a/c name “Campaign for Dark Skies”. Please let me know on 01202 887084 if you decide to support CfDS in this way.
CfDS thanks recent contributors: Anon., Gerry Bond, Richard Broadbank, David Bryant, Caroline Bryson, Graham Cliff, Frank Daley, Matt Dugas,JamesFradgley, A.Gulka,Heather Harris,John Harvey,David Hinds Ltd, Peter Hudson,Colin Knappitt,FrancescaLoening, Andrew Marsh, Hazel McGee, Kieron McGrath (SCS Astro),Bob Stuckey, Fiona Vincent, Charles Vince, Tom Voûte,Chris Williams,BAA/SPA members at various venues, Cardiff Astronomical Society and Cardiff Astro Festival-goers, Equinox Skycampers, Wessex AS members, BAA Winchester Weekenders.
Apologies to any donor inadvertently omitted. CfDS is grateful to the British Astronomical Association for continuing support. Why not collect for CfDS at your next astronomy meeting?
Fighting fund donations may be made to Bob Mizon (address below), payable to ‘British Astronomical Assn (CfDS)’.
Support this twice-yearly newsletter (please note new £3 subscription rate)…
When your subscription expires, please renew promptly. BAA members can do so via their annual Association subscription form, or send £3.00, payable to ‘British Astronomical Association’, for four issues, to BAA, Burlington House, Piccadilly, London W1J 0DU. Encourage other concerned people in your area/group (including non-BAA members) to subscribe.
CfDS coordinator: Bob Mizon, 38 The Vineries, Colehill, Wimborne BH21 2PX. Tel: 01202 887084, e-mail via
website: www.britastro.org/dark-skies, maintained by Darren Baskill.
CfDS Newsletter printed and distributed by BAA Headquarters, Burlington House, Piccadilly, London W1J 0DU
The Editorial Team thanks Jean Felles and all at BAA headquarters for continuing support.
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supports CfDS
Contact David Bryant on 01603 715933 www.spacerocksuk.com