Light-Pollution : all you need to know

Light Pollution 

                       

During the week of the new moon in April an event called International Dark-Sky Week gets organized every year since 2003 by International Dark-Sky Association; this period is considered perfect in which the sky can be as dark as possible for optimum viewing conditions. Willing participants turn off all unnecessary lighting indoors and outdoors sources to reduce light pollution of the night sky. The term Light pollution stands for excess artificial light that brightens the night sky. Types of light pollution (also known as photo pollution) are glare, over-illumination, light clutter (grouping of lights of cities), etc. 

The goals of the event are to reduce light pollution and raise awareness about its effects on the night sky and encourage the use of better lighting systems that direct light downwards on the ground rather than at 360 degrees leading to light trespass (a kind of light-pollution). 

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." In the year 2003, the then high school student Jennifer Barlow of Midlothian, Virginia was the founder of the event National Dark Sky Week, which later came to be known as International Dark Sky Week. This event raises awareness about the adverse effects of light pollution which are : 

• Disruptions in the circadian rhythm of humans as light pollution decrease the amount of melatonin (a natural hormone that regulates the Circadian rhythm) 

• Disrupts the growing pattern of trees and effecting their adjustment capacity to seasonal changes. 

• Distraction to nocturnal birds in flight also affects reproduction and migration timings. the feeding behavior of insects, bats, fish, and reptiles is also getting affected.

At present, there are no nationwide standards regarding light pollution. However, the initiative to facilitate dark-sky cities to reduce light pollution and view the night sky in selected cities across the United States and Canada are there. The need of the hour is to recognize the upcoming new category of pollution and address it before it gets too late as is evident in air pollution, marine, and plastic pollution to name a few.

-Bhavna Geed.