Our view: Do more to protect night skies

It was a rare event this week, Jupiter in opposition. Planets look their biggest and brightest in opposition.

But beyond that, Earth and Jupiter are the closest they have been in nearly 60 years, and the two won’t be this close again until 2129. Officially, the distance was 367 million miles; Jupiter at its farthest is nearly twice that distance.

Fortunately, we get to see it. Even gazing at the Jupiter with a decent pair of binoculars on Monday night revealed at least four of its moons. Even a small telescope, experts said, will pick up the planet’s giant red storm on the surface of Jupiter, which is larger than the planet Earth.

It is a rare sight, made even more appreciable by the fact that so much of the night sky has been lost to light pollution.

According to the International Dark-Sky Association: “Less than 100 years ago, everyone could look up and see a spectacular starry night sky. Now, millions of children across the globe will never experience the Milky Way where they live.”

Vincent van Gogh painted his “Starry Night” in France in 1889, the Association noted, and then said: “Now, the Milky Way can no longer be seen from there. If he were alive today, would he still be inspired to paint “Starry Night”?

The Association also cites the “World Atlas of Artificial Night Sky Brightness,” which reports: “80% of the world’s population lives under skyglow. In the United States and Europe 99% of the public can’t experience a natural night!”

(Skyglow is the brightening of the night sky caused by artificial lighting.)

It’s more than just the loss of the night sky at risk. The natural world evolved to the rhythms of day and night, and artificial light disrupts that. Artificial light lures sea turtles away from the sea and toward the cities after they hatch; light pollution affects migratory and breeding patterns in animals.

The group has been working urging homeowners and cities to replace outdoor lighting that is “inefficient, overly bright, poorly targeted, improperly shielded, and, in many cases, completely unnecessary.” Sometimes it is as simple as keeping blinds and curtains closed at night.

You can learn a lot more about steps you can take to protect the night sky views, and steps you can encourage your communities to take, at https://www.darksky.org.