Category Archives: Light pollution

May the Fourth be with you! I am a huge Star Wars fan (rest assured I have been binge-watching the entire saga on Disney+ as I write), and what better day than Star Wars day to write about the stars—and the war we must fight to protect our night sky.  Every Star Wars film kicks off with a shot of space—a dark expanse filled with stars. It is a sight that sparks inspiration and imagination, but is one that far too few of us can see from our own planet anymore.

A couple of weeks ago, I was enjoying the sunset from my back patio (not quite Luke’s iconic dual sunset on Tatooine, but still pretty great). As the sky darkened, I noticed the appearance of one bright star. As an aside, later research told me that this “star” was actually Venus—how cool is that? But, as the sky grew darker, I realized that I wasn’t seeing a single other star come in to view.

Now, to be fair, last night I went out in my backyard closer to midnight and was able to pick out maybe twenty or so stars. Perhaps I would have seen even more if I had stayed out longer, or if it had been a new moon. Still, it was a far cry from the 2,500 stars it is estimated we can see from earth. Living near a big city, my night sky views are less than impressive, thanks to what we call light pollution. The glow from streetlights, signs, and exterior lighting all come together to overpower the night sky, obscuring all but the moon and the brightest stars and planets.

The sad thing is that I can’t even really grasp what I’ve lost. There are fewer and fewer places where we can escape the interference of artificial lights to truly experience the majesty of a starry night. I can’t remember the last time that I was able to personally witness a sky full of stars. There are any number of reasons to help fight against light pollution (artificial light disorients sea turtle hatchlings and migrating birds, not to mention the energy costs of unnecessary lighting), but for me, the loss of stars is the loss of an opportunity to connect as a global community, be inspired by the natural world, and experience the wonder of Creation. Do you remember in The Force Awakens, when Rey finally gets off of Jakku after living her whole life on a desert planet? As Han brings the Falcon in to land on a forested planet, we can feel her awe as she says, “I didn’t know there was this much green in the whole galaxy.” I imagine I might have this same feeling stepping outside under a full night sky.

Of course, we cannot simply do away with all artificial light. The International Dark-Sky Association has a wealth of information about simple steps that individuals and businesses can take to reduce light pollution. The basic suggestions taken directly from their website include making sure that your lighting:

• Only be on when needed
• Only light the area that needs it
• Be no brighter than necessary
• Minimize blue light emissions
• Be fully shielded (pointing downward)

You can head on over to their site for plenty of other specifics on the impacts of light pollution, how to pick appropriate lighting, and other ways that you can help. You can also look for good stargazing spots near you by exploring their International Dark Sky Places program.

I titled this post Fighting for the Dark Side. But in this case, fighting for darkness really is fighting for the Light: finding balance and harmony with the world around us. And, personally, I’d take a sky lit up with stars over an artificial city glow any night.

How is the view of the stars from your part of the galaxy? Do you have a favorite stargazing spot? Feel free to share in the comments!