Light Pollution and Light Pollution and the IESthe IES

The Observations of an ObserverThe Ups and Downs of Lighting

“Sight Lighting?”

Dan Caton

Our shared interestOur shared interest

What you do What I do

Another shared interestAnother shared interest

What we will look at…What we will look at…

Why is the night sky of interest? Why is the night sky of interest? Why do we care?Why do we care?

Regional observatoriesRegional observatories The light pollution issue—a brief The light pollution issue—a brief

primer and personal observationsprimer and personal observations

Why should we care about Why should we care about astronomy?astronomy?

Some ‘practical’ reasons…

First, “look” at the sun and its spots …

Our Sun: The Maunder Our Sun: The Maunder MinimumMinimum

We need to study other solar type stars!

Deep Impact?Deep Impact?

Are we alone in the galaxy?Are we alone in the galaxy?

You are here

• Most interesting question science can ask.

•We now have >100 extrasolar planets.

•We will image Earth-size planets within a few decades.

100,000 hobbyists100,000 hobbyists

                                     

Everyman…Everyman…

Just as importantJust as important

ASU’s Dark Sky Observatory

18-inch Telescope’s dome (1981)

Instrumentation

(little visual use)

18-inch Telescope

Spectrograph

CCD camera

32-inch Telescope’s Dome and Cline Visitor Center

32-inch Telescope

CCD camera

Fork mountWarm room

In the Warm Room…

Typical observing …

The Horsehead NebulaThe Horsehead Nebula

M13 Globular ClusterM13 Globular Cluster

Other NC ObservatoriesOther NC Observatories

Three College Three College Observatory Observatory near Greensboronear Greensboro

(UNCG, NCA&T, (UNCG, NCA&T, and Guilford and Guilford College)College)

Cline ObservatoryCline Observatory

Guilford Guilford Technical Technical Community Community College College (Greensboro(Greensboro))

UNC-CHUNC-CH

Morehead Morehead Observatory, Observatory, on campuson campus

SOAR SOAR telescope in telescope in ChileChile

Light Pollution and Light Pollution and the IESthe IES

Light Pollution: the loss of the night sky

The basic problem: Sky The basic problem: Sky GlowGlow

Light from fixtures Light from fixtures reflects off particles in reflects off particles in the sky—”Sky Glow.”the sky—”Sky Glow.”

Large cities visible Large cities visible from tens of miles.from tens of miles.

The stars are not The stars are not brighter in the brighter in the country—the country—the skysky is is darker!darker!

Reminds me of …Reminds me of …

Thursday’s lunar eclipseThursday’s lunar eclipse

• An email exchange led to the comment …

• …”The stars seemed slightly brighter as the moon dimmed”

Our Global ProblemOur Global Problem

Light “Made in the Light “Made in the USA”USA”

Closer to homeCloser to home

You are here!

Boone,NC 35 years Boone,NC 35 years ago…ago…

… … todaytoday

Even at Kitt PeakEven at Kitt Peak

Charlotte…Charlotte…

Courtesy Spencer Rackley

Light Pollution CausesLight Pollution Causes

Poor fixture designPoor fixture design Lack of shieldingLack of shielding Over-lightingOver-lighting Poor installationPoor installation Market pressureMarket pressure Let’s look at a few Let’s look at a few

specific problemsspecific problems

FloodlightsFloodlights Almost horizontalAlmost horizontal No shieldingNo shielding At night …At night …

Typical fast-food lightingTypical fast-food lighting

Better: Full Cut OffBetter: Full Cut Off

Even Even Better!Better!

• Van Gogh’s Café Terrace at Night,1888

• Experience at Tweetsie.

• Result from California study: reduce glare and you can reduce the overall lighting level

Roadway lighting-overhead Roadway lighting-overhead glareglare

Majority of the”light budget”?

Sag-Lens Cobra headsSag-Lens Cobra heads

Glaring to Glaring to driverdriver

Light Light pollutingpolluting

Better, FCO FixturesBetter, FCO Fixtures No light above No light above

horizonhorizon Non-glaring to Non-glaring to

drivers, too!drivers, too! May require more May require more

poles per mile—but poles per mile—but could we get the could we get the DOT to DOT to specifyspecify FCO?FCO?

CP&LCP&L And at night …And at night …

Car Sales LotsCar Sales Lots

Often grossly Often grossly overlitoverlit

This one at 60-This one at 60-110 Fc on lot, 65 110 Fc on lot, 65 on roadon road

CanCan be done be done nicely…nicely…

… … like this (Tampa)like this (Tampa)

Wall PacksWall Packs

One of the worst One of the worst fixtures for fixtures for pollution as well pollution as well as glare (or even as glare (or even for its intended for its intended purpose!)purpose!)

AreAre available in available in FCO FCO

What is the point What is the point of these? of these?

I will give you I will give you architecture, but…architecture, but…

Why shown in day?Why shown in day?

Ever notice?Ever notice?

Bad area/security lightingBad area/security lighting

Solution: put a lid on it!Solution: put a lid on it!

New GE New GE SkyGard shown SkyGard shown here.here.

Guaranteed to Guaranteed to 100 mph, tested 100 mph, tested to 120to 120

Modern Gas Station Modern Gas Station CanopiesCanopies

This about 85 fc – several times IES RP

This “1973” shot impossible This “1973” shot impossible today!today!

“Space Jam”

Real sports lightingReal sports lighting

Often done Often done poorly with lots poorly with lots of light pollution of light pollution and light and light trespass.trespass.

Can be done well Can be done well as shown here, as shown here, using fixtures using fixtures like Musco’s like Musco’s shown hereshown here

Let’s hope it does not come to Let’s hope it does not come to thisthis!!

How the you can helpHow the you can help Support the development of lighting Support the development of lighting

ordinances in your region.ordinances in your region. Embrace the new ideology at the IES Embrace the new ideology at the IES

and the emerging National Outdoor and the emerging National Outdoor Lighting CodeLighting Code

Work to increase the membership of Work to increase the membership of IES so there are more designers IES so there are more designers and and designed jobs!designed jobs!

Tell us IDA people what Tell us IDA people what wewe can do to can do to bring about change—bring about change—youyou know the know the business!business!

Join the IDA and learn about the dark Join the IDA and learn about the dark sky movement. (sky movement. (II joined the IES!) joined the IES!)

SummarizingSummarizing

Light pollution almost always caused by Light pollution almost always caused by luminaires and techniques that do not do luminaires and techniques that do not do their task well.their task well.

We can all work toward better lighting and We can all work toward better lighting and (thus) darker, starry skies.(thus) darker, starry skies.

Thank you for your time and attentionThank you for your time and attention www.darksky.orgwww.darksky.org and and www.ncdarksky.orgwww.ncdarksky.org

dan@caton.namedan@caton.name

www.dan.caton.namewww.dan.caton.name