Light Pollution Hides Milky Way From 80 Percent Of North Americans, Atlas Shows

NPR ^ | June 10, 2016 | Nell Greenfieldboyce

[al baby]

I have been in the middle of the Mojave and the first couple times it was darn scary looking up and seeing all those stars it was obscene

[Hot Tabasco]

Light Pollution

Shame on me, I thought light pollution was exactly that, light atmospheric stuff such as smoke and smog.......Duh!

[notdownwidems]

Solution:
1. Get in car
2. Drive to country
3. Look up, see God’s magnificence
The End

[VanDeKoik]

"Who shines needlessly into the sky?"









"When there are hundreds of thousands of lights, the sky would be naturally “polluted”."

*facepalm* When you have incredibly bright lights that have no top shield, or are just pointed straight out, that is FAR DIFFERENT.

"Look at the night sky from space. Civilized places have glowing nights."

And what does this have to do with anything?

It's almost like you guys know what we are talking about, but purposely try to be obtuse by acting like not having floodlights by the tens of thousands shining light dead up into the sky, blotting out the stars, is the same as NO LIGHTS. Here is a cartoon so that it can be explained simply.



"If you want to see the best view of the milky way, nobody is stopping you from going to Africa or Antarctica."

"Well if you want to pray, go to a church". Yeah sounds more or less the same.

"Btw, the modern Western Civilization was built on electricity."

So not only do you lack basic astronomy knowledge, but you have never picked up a history book either.

[little jeremiah]

Seeing the night sky is nutrition for the mind and soul. When I have lived in cities where I could not see stars, I hated it.

Thankfully I live so far away from street that I can see the night sky without a tinge of light pollution.

People who never see the night sky are missing one of the glories of creation and the poorer for it.

[huldah1776]

Me, too. Even some birds (usually mockingbirds) sing all dang night. I gave my telescope to my kid in NC.

[Roccus]

Forget it.

You’ll never get through to this crowd.

[Texan5]

Maybe those who insist that more lights and a brighter glow for miles mean an area is “civilized” like their neighborhood and property looking like the parking lot of a mall at night-if so, let them live in cities-even in this remote place, people are tired of the RV parks, guest ranches and tourist cabins being so brightly lit on weekends and holidays that it disturbs neighbors-the county is about to pass an outdoor lighting ordinance soon...

I prefer night to be night-not as bright as day-I’m not afraid of the dark, I can turn on outside lights if there is a need-and firearms are better protection than bright lights-plus they don’t keep you awake unless you have those claustrophobia-inducing blackout curtains...

Maybe some aerospace company should get their scientific staff to come up with a low orbiting device of some sort that hovers over major cities to reflect the vertical light back to ground level, and market it to the cities-it would utilize the light more efficiently and allow people miles away to have a better view of the night sky...

[R. Scott]

I never enjoyed the night sky more than when I worked the Pacific Ocean. The night sky was filled with sparkling multicolored gems.

[terycarl]

That is absolutely true, we vacation on some land that we own in far northern Wisconsin....the night skies there are FANTASTIC and that does not give then enough credit....the Milky Way, the northern lights.....WONDERFUL.....

[dfwgator]

You can always move to North Korea.

[Larry Lucido]

It’s okay. Not planning to go to the Milky Way anyway. And if I do, I’ll use GPS to get there. :-)

[SunkenCiv]

We should all be 'green' and live like North Koreans. Thanks C19fan, extra to APoD.

[goodnesswins]

Well duh...government regs cause it in their city codes

[terycarl]

I have been in the middle of the Mojave and the first couple times it was darn scary looking up and seeing all those stars it was obscene

I agree...it is awesome.....when I see the northern lights in Wisconsin....they are FRIGHTENING....you actually duck when the light flows toward you.

[Terry L Smith]

Light pollution brought on by the to be secure from invaders in our homes!

[ameribbean expat]

Ask 80% of North Americans if they can find the Milky Way and they’d probably tell you it’s right next the the Snickers.

[Godebert]

Lol.

[minnesota_bound]

It is awe inspiring.
A new neighbor to my parents installed a street light in the front just so he could play basketball at night. The light was so bright the neighbors across the street had him paint out the half that shown thru their bedroom window.
Not only did he block the view of the stars from the front of the house but he also caused a lot of noise at night shooting hoops.

[minnesota_bound]

#30 “SoCal has never seen it”
Yes we have. Just once in January 1994 when the earthquake hit and knock out all the lights.