A Chinese man I know lives in Chongqing(Chungking), China. It’s so polluted that once when it rained the water turned to acid from the air pollution and corroded all metal that got wet. He says they can see one star there. They call it the moon.
I see shows like Survivor where they show the majesty of the Milky Way. Lighting up the night may give us a false sense of security but it also forces us to focus on the ground instead of dreaming of the stars.
National Geographic Magazine contained an article about light pollution in November, 2008. The last paragraph is:.“In the end, humans are no less trapped by light pollution than the frogs in a pond near a brightly lit highway. Living in a glare of our own making, we have cut ourselves off from our evolutionary and cultural patrimony—the light of the stars and the rhythms of day and night. In a very real sense, light pollution causes us to lose sight of our true place in the universe, to forget the scale of our being, which is best measured against the dimensions of a deep night with the Milky Way—the edge of our galaxy—arching overhead.”.http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2008/11/light-pollution/klinkenborg-text/1
There’s been a movement in many cities to change lighting to use less power, and screen them to reduce light pollution.http://www.pbs.org/pov/citydark/photo_gallery_background.php?photo=8#.VaZoSvlVi1g
I feel sorry for you Denis. Every one of your posts is about fear and anxiety, even regarding a poignant toon decrying the loss of our wondrous sky. I wonder where the joy and peace lies in your soul. It must be there somewhere.
The night-sky seen from the Southern Hemisphere is wayyyyyy more interesting.
Last year, my 2 British friends were stunned into silence when we looked up into the night sky from the middle of the Amazon, with no light-pollution whatsoever. For me it is was similar (in number and detail) to what I saw as a kid in southern Africa but I was also struck speechless, the stars’ colours seemed way more intense than I remembered.Simply amazing sight.
timgilley almost 9 years ago
A Chinese man I know lives in Chongqing(Chungking), China. It’s so polluted that once when it rained the water turned to acid from the air pollution and corroded all metal that got wet. He says they can see one star there. They call it the moon.
billsarar almost 9 years ago
I see shows like Survivor where they show the majesty of the Milky Way. Lighting up the night may give us a false sense of security but it also forces us to focus on the ground instead of dreaming of the stars.
emptc12 almost 9 years ago
National Geographic Magazine contained an article about light pollution in November, 2008. The last paragraph is:.“In the end, humans are no less trapped by light pollution than the frogs in a pond near a brightly lit highway. Living in a glare of our own making, we have cut ourselves off from our evolutionary and cultural patrimony—the light of the stars and the rhythms of day and night. In a very real sense, light pollution causes us to lose sight of our true place in the universe, to forget the scale of our being, which is best measured against the dimensions of a deep night with the Milky Way—the edge of our galaxy—arching overhead.”.http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2008/11/light-pollution/klinkenborg-text/1
lonecat almost 9 years ago
I’ve spent some time in the north of Ontario, and the night sky is just beyond description.
Motivemagus almost 9 years ago
There’s been a movement in many cities to change lighting to use less power, and screen them to reduce light pollution.http://www.pbs.org/pov/citydark/photo_gallery_background.php?photo=8#.VaZoSvlVi1g
woodwork almost 9 years ago
I haven’t seen the stars for two weeks (cloudy and raining), but they are usually glorious here in East Tenessee
twclix almost 9 years ago
I feel sorry for you Denis. Every one of your posts is about fear and anxiety, even regarding a poignant toon decrying the loss of our wondrous sky. I wonder where the joy and peace lies in your soul. It must be there somewhere.
OmqR-IV.0 almost 9 years ago
The night-sky seen from the Southern Hemisphere is wayyyyyy more interesting.
Last year, my 2 British friends were stunned into silence when we looked up into the night sky from the middle of the Amazon, with no light-pollution whatsoever. For me it is was similar (in number and detail) to what I saw as a kid in southern Africa but I was also struck speechless, the stars’ colours seemed way more intense than I remembered.Simply amazing sight.