Light is essential to our well being – a bright clear day is energising, a dull overcast day clouds our emotional wellness. But in our quest for more light we have lost something else essential to our sense of belonging – a truly dark night sky ablaze with stars.
Scientists are finally starting to look at light pollution and find solutions to reconnect humans with their place in the universe, and help nocturnal animals confused and distressed by our insistence on lighting up the night. This article at the National Geographic site explains the problem.
It seems decades since I saw a dark sky filled with stars. When I was a child, I didn’t see as much light pollution as now. Later I saw the sky from the decks of ships in mid ocean, and from campsites in the Australian bush. Letting our children see the the night sky was something we felt was essential to their humanity. A truly dark sky is something you never forget, and almost impossible to describe to younger people who have never seen one. The sheer immensity of space, the uncountable numbers of stars, the ability to see small clusters of stars, clouds of gas and the planets shining so brightly that they rival the moon – it is the most profoundly spiritual experience.
I see a correlation between the disappearance of the night sky and our rampant materialistic selfishness, resulting in the destruction of our community spirit, our care for future generations and our spiritual emptiness. How can you believe anything when the very thing that drove our ancestors to create myths and art and beauty is hidden from us?
The article at Nat Geo talks about changing our approach to night lighting, so we can see more of the sky. I suggest we choose one night of the year to turn all the lights off and let people see what we have been missing. Of course that won’t be a popular suggestion – we have become so afraid of the dark, that everyone will predict lootings, muggings and murders unabated – and perhaps they will be right.
But far too many people today have never seen more than the moon, and a few defiantly bright planets and stars. No wonder they feel so isolated and alone.
7 Comments
When I’m in Hawaii, or up in the Mountains here in Washington the stars are so bright it’s like you can reach up and touch them.
Here in the burbs?
Forget it.
But like you said, that’s the problem
anita marie
I can’t remember the last time I actually saw the Milky Way. The night sky of a metropolitan area of about 13 million people is a dark slate gray. The unchanging stars are one of the few things that connects us with our ancestors. That disconnect is a wretched shame.
Great piece, Anita. It’s been so long since I experienced a truly dark night. It seems that no matter where you are any more, artificial light intrudes. Even looking at Earth from Space, there are few places hidden in total darkness. Some time ago, I read where the observatories were having difficulties due to too much light. It’s a shame indeed.
I couldn’t agree more–night skies when I was young gave a sense of wonder that no amount of money can buy. I remember asking my former neighbor if he could do anything about the sensor light he used as a porch light. My bedroom was so flooded with light it was like sleeping in a football stadium—and the darn thing was so sensitive if a cricket chirped it came on–which meant it was rarely off. Ugh.
Thanks, Gail, as always, I really enjoy this blog.
This is why I always love going to the mountains and provinces (we call areas not in the cites provinces, here in the philippines) and staying up late to look at the sky.
There are still places by me where I can get away with seeing a pretty dark night skyscape, but I’m fooling myself into thinking I’m seeing as much as total darkness would allow. A night of trading streetlights for starlight would be nice.
How beautiful. I grew up in a very small town and could see the stars every night. It was a magical time and I still remember lying on the trampoline and thinking about things while looking at the stars and the moon. We told stories and dreamt of the future. Those memories will stay with me forever.
Today I have posted something to do with a star, but of course, nothing compared to those nigts in the bush with only the sounds of animals and the stars to keep us company…