Comments on: Why Is the Night Sky Turning Red?

By: bbwolf906

bbwolf906 — Fri, 31 Aug 2012 17:15:38 +0000

When you live in a rural area and it gets really cold(subzero) , that’s when you get the real night sky show

By: NotoriousRoscoe

NotoriousRoscoe — Fri, 31 Aug 2012 03:27:39 +0000

Hilarious. We learned this back in 1986 at Army flight school when we were qualifying on night-vision goggles. These “scientists’ act like they discovered it.

By: Seadog

Seadog — Wed, 29 Aug 2012 00:07:19 +0000

As a seafarer crossing an ocean there is no view of the night sky truly more amazing than from the bridge wing or open deck of a ship looking up at a totally un-obscured 360 degree view of the starry night. It is a feeling that one can’t find the right words for, but insignificant comes to mind.

By: Audrey Fischer

Audrey Fischer — Sun, 26 Aug 2012 18:42:17 +0000

Yes, the great news is that starlight can exist over cities too! Keep street lights on target… in a color spectrum that away from the blue spectrum (under 3000K ) and we have solved 80% of the problem (plus saved millions of taxpayer$ and natural resources). For the remaining 20% billboards must be lit from the top-down, same with flagpoles, use motion detectors when appropriate, permit no light trespass off of one’s own property, use more reflective paints and signage at roadways, and enjoy as safer, healthier environment and a beautiful starry night sky. We would save BILLIONS of taxdollars every year in the US alone. Do you know that the National Park Service predicts that by 2025 <10% of people in America will ever see a starry night sky in their entire LIFEtime? This is so needless. Why do you want to give so much $$ to the lighting industry? They have you so buffaloed. There needs to be a total recall of all street lighting with a faulty design throwing off lighting that is off target and harmful to the environment and people. . . at the lighting industry's expense. Did you know that the Amer Medical Assoc announced in June2012 that light pollution is harmful to people's health and recommends "dark-sky friendly" design?

By: James Mwagogo

James Mwagogo — Sun, 26 Aug 2012 15:10:10 +0000

I research lions in a very large African national park. The light from the stars at night is enough for me to drive in the bush without any other lighting. People who live in developed areas of Europe can have little idea how wonderful is a truly starry night and how many billions of stars there are to be seen. Most European tourists to Africa do not even get to see a truly starry sky while they are there. They stay in lodges with the de rigeur spot-lit water hole and I even see them going for night game drives with vehicle headlamps blazing and hand-held five million candle power lamps making the sky look like blitz era London. Fortunately they encounter few animals; but when they do they must blind the poor beasts for hours. Why don’t they just go and park somewhere in the bush and enjoy the true wonder of the African night instead of charging around in noisy diesel vehicles trying to turn night into day?

By: Ashley Shield

Ashley Shield — Sun, 26 Aug 2012 11:54:37 +0000

Fact check; First street in the world to be lit was in Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
http://www.rsc.org/Chemsoc/Activities/ChemicalLandmarks/UK/JosephSwan.asp

By: rond

rond — Sun, 26 Aug 2012 11:11:59 +0000

Flying into any big city, (NY,LA) you pass through a layer of air dyed a deep red. It appears this is due to pollution, probably from autos. Looking through this from the ground produces the effects discussed.

By: Pat McHugh

Pat McHugh — Sun, 26 Aug 2012 07:00:17 +0000

We don’t have that problem in Suffolk, England. The council in our town switches the street lights off at midnight!

By: Linda Khandro

Linda Khandro — Sat, 25 Aug 2012 17:39:04 +0000

Any light that beams sideways or up is wasted light in terms of safety and economies. The sideways beaming light in cities is blinding, as it aims into your eyes (one problem) and creates darker shadows where predators can lurk (another problem). Upward beaming light is only applicable for airport runways and helicopter pads. The overall or general solution is fully shielded light where possible, which beams the light down to the ground in the precise place(s) where it is needed. Stadium lights are not needed when there are no games or practices taking place, but when they are, some shielding can reduce the upward-directed light. Yes, there are up-front costs to cities and municipalities to change their lighting fixtures but once it is done, the greater efficiency over time = lower energy costs.
Go here for details and success stories (there are some!): http://www.darksky.org/

By: annie morgan

annie morgan — Fri, 24 Aug 2012 14:16:57 +0000

Efficient lighting in a downward fashion will provide just as much safety for those on the streets at night, and light up whatever is so important to be seen. It would be so much better if buildings’ lights were turned off at night. There are three condos north of my place that have brilliant blueish lights on all night – who knows why.