The ability to go outside to view the night sky is lost for most of us city dwellers due to excessive light pollution. Shamefully we have to drive 4 hours to escape Denver’s lights. I say shameful because night sky viewing should be a normal activity accessible to all. Our connection with the night sky is calming and is vital to our health! There are numerous examples of how the natural world with all of it’s beauty and biodiversity must be protected for our own healthy existence. Dark skies are part of the natural world to be cherished. Light pollution has become a chronic problem across the globe but there are solutions that can be implemented.
The International Dark Sky Associations is holding their annual conference virtually this weekend, free to all. I’ll be attending to learn more about this crucial issue, see you there.
Sossusvlei, Namibia
Here is a fantastic editorial about why Dark Skies is such an important issue - https://www.nytimes.com/2019/08/17/opinion/sunday/light-pollution.html