The Movement to Save Our Night Skies | PBS Terra
"For most of human history, darkness meant danger. Humans sought out light to stay safe and extend our active hours. Centuries later, we’ve succeeded so well in our illumination efforts, we have literally dimmed the stars."
"Join host Baratunde Thurston in exploring one small town’s mission to become a Dark Sky Community and reclaim the darkness of night. Follow researchers in Western Colorado to discover how the darkness of night is not just important to experience the wonders of the cosmos, it’s vital to maintaining healthy ecosystems—and saving the epic migrations of America’s birds."
The Fading Milky Way
Light pollution is a growing environmental problem that threatens to erase the night sky before its time. A recent study revealed that perhaps two-thirds of the world's population can no longer look upwards at night and see the Milky Way—a hazy swath of stars that on warm summer nights spans the sky from horizon to horizon.
The Milky Way is dimming, not because the end of the Universe is near, but rather as a result of light pollution: the inadvertent illumination of the atmosphere from street lights, outdoor advertising, homes, schools, airports and other sources. Every night billions of bulbs send their energy skyward where microscopic bits of matter—air molecules, airborne dust, and water vapor droplets—reflect much of the wasted light back to Earth.
(Source: NASA)
Learn more:
International Dark-Sky Association
https://www.darksky.org/light-pollution
Globe at Night
Night Sky Network (NASA/JPL)
https://nightsky.jpl.nasa.gov/index.cfm
Credit: PBS Terra
Duration: 13 minutes
Release Date: Sept. 13, 2023
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