International Dark Sky Week Explained

International Dark Sky Week
Status:Active
Genre:Astronomy-related events and competitions
Frequency:Week of the new moon in April
Location:Worldwide
First:2003
Founder Name:Jennifer Barlow
Next:April 2025
Website:https://www.darksky.org

International Dark Sky Week (formerly the National Dark Sky Week) is held during the week of the new moon in April,[1] [2] when people worldwide may turn off their lights to observe the beauty of the night sky without light pollution. This event was founded in 2003 by high school student Jennifer Barlow of Midlothian, Virginia.[3] It has been endorsed by the International Dark-Sky Association, the American Astronomical Society, the Astronomical League, and Sky & Telescope.[4]

Goal

The goals of the event are to:

This event always occurs in April, during the week of the new moon so that the sky can be as dark as possible for optimum viewing conditions.

Jennifer Barlow states, "The night sky is a gift of such tremendous beauty that should not be hidden under a blanket of wasted light. It should be visible so that future generations do not lose touch with the wonder of our universe." Barlow explains, "It is my wish that people see the night sky in all of its glory, without excess light in the sky as our ancestors saw it hundreds of years ago."[4]

Participation

Willing participants in this project turn off all unnecessary lighting indoors and outdoors sources in order to reduce light pollution of the night sky.

The International Dark-Sky Association encourages light users to take precautions against outdoor light pollution by:[5]

Types of light pollution

Light pollution is a broad term used to define excess artificial light that brightens the night sky. Types of light pollution which include:

Implications of light pollution

Light pollution is the adverse effects of artificial light.[8]

Affected parties of light pollution include:[9]

Astronomers:

By increasing the number of participants, the quality of viewing the sky and stars will be temporarily improved. This is of benefit to astronomers who are faced with light pollution issues such as light trespass and skyglow.[7]

Nocturnal wildlife:

Several animal species have been documented to be affected by light pollution. The glare of street lights causes distraction to nocturnal birds in flight, leading to bird crashes into sky scrapers and buildings. The use of light may also cause birds to reproduce or migrate too early. The feeding behavior of insects, bats, sea turtles, fish, and reptiles reflect alterations by artificial light. Sea turtles mistake the glow of electric lights for the shimmer of the ocean, leading them to flock outside of their nest into hazardous areas.[10]

Human circadian rhythm and sleep patterns:

Exposure to light during traditional sleeping hours are documented to cause disruptions in the circadian rhythm that regulate human sleep cycles.[9] Biologists have noted a decrease in the amount of melatonin, a natural hormone that regulates the Circadian rhythm, in humans that are exposed to light pollution of the night sky.[11] In order to prevent major impact, biologists suggest increasing the amount of natural light exposure during the day and decreasing the amount of electrical light consumed at night.[11]

Growth patterns of plants and trees:

The growing pattern of trees have been disrupted and less adjusted to seasonal changes in weather and light exposure.[9]

Waste of economic resources:

Leaving lights on that are not in use can lead to the waste of economic cost expenditures. Conservation and efficiency is necessary for environmental responsibility. The invention of LED lights, dimmers, motion sensors and times have reduced the amount of energy used.[12]

Legislation

Currently, there are no nationwide standards regarding light pollution. However, select cities across the United States and Canada are taking initiative to facilitate dark sky cities in order to reduce light pollution and view the night sky within city limits.

Event dates

Timeline of Dark Sky Week events
Sr.YearWeekNew moon (UTC)NotesReference
120031 April
2200419 April
320058 April
4200627 April
5200717 April
620086 AprilIn 2008, the organizers coordinated the week with Earth Hour.
72009April 20–26 25 AprilInternational Year of Astronomy (IYA 2009)
In 2009, the United States Dark Sky Week becomes International Dark Sky Week
[13] [14]
8201013–14 April[15] [16]
920113 AprilThe world's first International Dark Sky City was founded in Flagstaff, AZ [17] [18]
10201221 April
11201310 April
122014April 20–2629 April[19]
132015April 13–1818 AprilInternational Year of Light and Light-based Technologies (IYL 2015)
142016April 4-107 April
152017April 22-2826 AprilThe first day (April 22) corresponded with Earth Day.
16201816 April
172019March 31- April 75 April
182020April 19-2622 April
192021April 5-1212 April
202022April 22-301 April, 30 April
212023April 17-2320 April
222024April 2-88 April

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Home.
  2. Web site: What Is National Dark Sky Week? . . Wise Geek . Conjecture Corporation . 25 December 2013.
  3. Web site: Jennifer Barlow: Dark-sky Devotee . . 19 July 2006 . 2015-12-06 . en-US.
  4. Web site: Jennifer Barlow: Dark-sky Devotee . Bobra . Monica . . Sky Publishing of New Track Media . 2009-04-14 . https://web.archive.org/web/20131227062849/http://www.skyandtelescope.com/resources/darksky/3307451.html . 2013-12-27 . dead .
  5. Web site: Outdoor Lighting Basics. International Dark-Sky Association. 2015-10-22.
  6. Web site: What is sky glow? Light Pollution Lighting Answers NLPIP. www.lrc.rpi.edu. 2015-11-23.
  7. Web site: Light Pollution Impacts Animals and Environment. physics.fau.edu. 2015-10-22.
  8. Web site: Light Pollution Impacts Animals and Environment. physics.fau.edu. 2015-10-20.
  9. Missing the Dark: Health Effects of Light Pollution. Environmental Health Perspectives. 2009-01-01. 0091-6765. 2627884. 19165374. A20–A27. 117. 1. Ron. Chepesiuk. 10.1289/ehp.117-a20.
  10. Web site: Light Pollution Effects on Wildlife and Ecosystems. International Dark-Sky Association. 2015-12-07. en-US.
  11. Web site: Human Health. International Dark-Sky Association. 2015-12-07. en-US.
  12. Web site: Light Pollution Wastes Energy and Money. International Dark-Sky Association. 2015-12-07. en-US.
  13. Web site: International Dark Sky Week . . Astronomers Without Borders . AWB . 20 October 2015.
  14. Web site: International Dark Sky Week. . Astronomers Without Borders. 20 October 2015.
  15. Web site: International Dark Sky Week . . Astronomers Without Borders . AWB . 25 December 2013.
  16. Web site: How to participate in International Dark-Sky Week . . Dark Skies Awareness . 25 December 2013.
  17. Web site: Flagstaff: The World's First Dark Sky City. Dark Sky Diary. 2 October 2011. 2015-12-07.
  18. Web site: International Dark Sky Communities. International Dark-Sky Association. 2015-12-07. en-US.
  19. Web site: International Dark Sky Week April 20-26, 2014 . Dark Sky . IDA . 25 December 2013.