Another organism found to be navigating by the stars that could be confused by both #skyglow and #satellites.
To the extent that other moth species might also be using stars as navigation guides, and to the extent that some of those species pollinate our food crops, #DarkSkies are more important than ever.
https://www.sciencealert.com/tiny-moth-seen-navigating-by-the-stars-in-scientific-first
‘A small but mighty program’: little-known US #lightpollution 💡agency threatened by Trump 🍊 funding cuts
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/jun/13/night-sky-light-sound-pollution-trump @TheGuardian
How Did I End Up Hosting Science Talks on a Tropical Island??
So… I somehow ended up helping host a science festival on a remote tropical island… and yeah, it was as wild as it sounds. 🌴
Welcome to Lord Howe Island Dark Skies Festival — where I ran nightscape photography courses, helped host the pub science talks (yes, actual science… in a pub), led the kids’ "Blast Off!" space class, explored the glowing light walk, visited the Lord Howe Island Distillery (because science needs gin), and spent every night imaging under some of the darkest skies on Earth.
Between the stargazing, science chaos, and way too many camera batteries, this was one of the most unexpectedly amazing trips I’ve been on.
Seriously… how did I end up here?
🔭✨🧪🍸
#ScienceFestival #DarkSkies #Astrophotography #LordHoweIsland #NightscapePhotography #SpaceLovers #AstronomyLife #StargazingNights #TelescopeTime #AstroAdventure #ExploreAustralia #ScienceForEveryone #PhotographyTrip #TravelWithPurpose #BackyardAstronomy #AstroVibes #EducationalFun #IslandLife #SpaceEducation #OutreachMatters
@JohnBarentine
I've visited the #NPS Natural Sounds Dark Skies #NSNSD office in Fort Collins, and have otherwise participated in Rocky Mountain National Park #soundscape preservation efforts.
FYI, info sign at #RMNP Upper Beaver Meadows trailhead:
Protecting Natural Sounds
https://mapillary.com/map/im/719772682528473
#NationalPark #NaturalSounds #DarkSkies. #biophilia
Evidence that many proposed federal spending cuts are penny wise/pound foolish and ultimately just dumb political stunts.
NSNSD's total cost to the nation over its entire 25-plus-year existence is absolutely dwarfed by the amount of money to be spent on a military parade tomorrow in D.C.
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/jun/13/night-sky-light-sound-pollution-trump
Details forthcoming, but for now some #UK folks may want to be aware of this event on 9th September at Newcastle.
International Dark Sky Places are natural laboratories for all manner of scientific questions relating to natural nighttime darkness. This study, led by Troy Allen (Utah State University), was conducted in Utah dark sky parks. A publication for peer review is currently in prep.
![EXPLORING THE IMPACT OF & fi.‘»s:' T S DARK SKY VIEWING ON e N MENTAL HEALTH IN RURAL o w": S R COMMUNITIES: A S R PHENOMENOLOGICAL STUDY P, RO { P : ~ | [ i f To investigate whether experiencing §\3 S o ’ B " 5 the awe of dark skies in central Utah T— { L ‘ iiA can improve the mental health and ) 3 .. N ,3! well-being of participants from rural & fl‘: g ‘% communities. N | 1 - E \ \ ) , q L] Extension — = o] I](https://files.mastodon.social/cache/media_attachments/files/114/626/877/700/244/826/original/e35619ba6b178622.png)
Satellite observations of artificial light on the night side of Earth revolutionized studies of #LightPollution, yet certain shortcomings of existing facilities often limit their utility. Read more about what we can and can't learn about 'night lights' from satellite data.
#Underneath a Southern Sky. #BlueSkyArtShow #DarkSkies #Coonabarabran
"Noctcaelador has been found to relate to feelings of connectedness with nature and attitudes favoring protecting dark skies
from light pollution. Given that #connectedness with nature relates to both well-being and behaviors which protect the planet, understanding the foundations of #noctcaelador could be an important area of study regarding reactions to, and attitudes towards, natural environments."
#DarkSkies #LightPollution #Psychology #EnvironmentalPsychology #Night #Nighttime #NightSky
#Happybirthday @jenick #JenniferHetrick #actress #Vash #StarTrek #thenextgeneration #deepspacenine #BodiesofEvidence #darkskies #coldcase #BuffytheVampireSlayer #Sliders #CriminalMinds #ncis #PrisonBreak #RaisingtheBar #HesSuchaGirl #codeblack #500daysofsummer #ds930 #startrek58 @trekcore
The night sky has long been caught between two notions of 'environment': one on the ground and the other among the stars. But these two realms are much more closely connected than previously believed. Protecting natural nighttime darkness by reducing light pollution may benefit from a shift in thinking that sees an explicit connection between Earth and cosmos. Read more about how adopting this view would bring both a different ethic and a jurisprudence to bear on the issue.
#DarkSkies #LightPollution #Environment #Environmentalism #Law #Legal #EnvironmentalLaw #EnvironmentalJustice
Talking #DarkSkies and #satellites shortly for Astrobites with such luminaries as @skyglowberlin and @planet4589:
“Using photometric and spectroscopic sensors, we observed up to 50% night sky darkening during Earth Hour from 2011 to 2024 in Hong Kong, primarily as a result of a small but critical number of lights-out instances in central business districts, as evidenced by crowd-sourced photography records. The emission reductions mostly occurred in the 445–500, 500–540, and 615–650 nm spectral ranges---corresponding to peak emissions from LED billboard screens--- and in the 585–595 nm range, associated with metal halide floodlights used for facades and billboards. Our study identifies these sources as major contributors to urban light pollution.”
(Note: not yet peer reviewed, but the authors are legit.)
https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-6241967/v1
#LightPollution #Cities #LED #DarkSkies #EarthHour #Lighting #OutdoorLighting
Jane Slade has an interesting article in the current issue of the IES LD+A magazine that suggests when it comes to outdoor lighting and security, we're asking the wrong question.
"I propose that the dangerously oversimplified question 'Is more light safer?' be distilled out of our discourse in the lighting industry. When we hear this question being asked, let us actively design the discourse, redirect the question, call out how it has typically created less quality in design, and elevate the conversation with other, more open-ended and truth-seeking questions"
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/03606325251332534
#Lighting #LightPollution #DarkSkies #OutdoorLighting #Safety #Security
