We are Losing Our Starry Night

For the past several decades, as more and more of us are drawn to live in urban areas, it has become increasingly difficult to observe the night sky. Our skies are brightening and masking the wonders of the night sky and many of our generation have not witnessed the beauty of the summer Milky Way.  Image Earth at Night, courtesy DMSP and NASA

This problem, known as light pollution, is caused by the proliferation of poorly designed lighting fixtures and/or installations, also causing much lost energy.

Click here to see an interactive Google Map of the world showing city lights with data from 2010.

According to Universe today, researchers at the University of Exeter studying the ecological impact of artificial lighting have noted changes in distribution of invertebrate communities around artificial lighting which could effect the broader wildlife that depend on them. Simply put, it is easier for predators to find their prey, and harder for the prey to hide, in brightly lit areas.

Light pollution is a growing problem for our planet. Artificial lighting is increasing at the rate of 6% each year globally and is only going to get worse.

read more Universe today

source darksky