96: Sleeping or Stargazing, Dark Skies are Best

With the Lyrid meteor shower imminent, I had astronomy on my mind. I loved looking through my telescope, even though I am surrounded my more light pollution than I would like. I used to be a member of the International Dark-Sky Association. Dark-Sky does many things like certifying  "places around the world that recognize and promote excellent stewardship of the night sky through responsible lighting and public education." (http://darksky.org) My favorite and one of the most effective things Dark-Sky assists with is fixture design and use to promote and protect the viewable skies. They work with both light fixture designers/manufacturers and with areas using them to promote eco-friendly "outdoor lighting fixtures that minimize glare, reduce light trespass, and don’t pollute the night sky." (http://darksky.org) This may seem irrelevant to people who don't enjoy stargazing or astronomy, but it seriously helps everyone, even if the goal is sleeping better and not looking at the stars and planets. I notice the impact and changes in the cities near me over time as I drive at night, and  I can still tell the difference even if I am walking to the mailbox in the dark. I broke my telescope a few years ago and lost track of many things, but I am glad to see Dark-Sky making such difference and look forward to what I do get to see in our skies. 

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