International Dark Sky Week (April 22 - 30)

This week is International Dark Sky Week which officially begins every year on April 22nd -- Earth Day -- and continues until the end of the month on April 30th.

This week is dedicated to night sky activities related to the fight against light pollution -- namely any artificial lighting that is not specifically needed that can cause serious harm and consequences for people, as well as wildlife and the environment.

Light pollution is a serious problem across the world, especially in and near major cities and towns, where the glare of bright city lights and unshielded exterior lighting blocks out the night sky.

Now don't get me wrong, yes we do need lights at night, especially in major cities, this is true. However, much of the lighting used (such as unfocused street lights and overly bright building lights) is largely unnecessary and a waste of energy.

It may seem harmless, but light pollution has far-reaching consequences that are harmful to all living things, especially plants and animals that depend on Earth’s daily cycle of light and dark rhythm to govern life-sustaining behaviors such as mating and reproduction, nourishment, sleep, migration, and protection from predators.

Not to mention causes us night sky watchers a major pain if we don't live further away from cities.

There are many responsible ways to use light sources that don't cause disruptions to our environment and save on the cost of energy in the process. Please check out the following video by the International Dark Sky Association (IDA) and see what you can do to help.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dd82jaztFIo