Posted on 01/03/2016 8:06:48 AM PST by rktman
I can see a lot fewer stars from my front yard now than I could 20 years ago. Some of it may be my failing eyesight but the majority of it is from lights of the city to the east about 20 miles.
Interesting thing, the city population has increased by about 1/3 in the last 45 years, losing manufacturing jobs but the light pollution is increasing significantly. So much for energy conservation of years past.
The blue LED breakthrough is one way to both save massive amounts of energy, reduce cost, increase bulb life and reliability and with hoods added can significantly reduce the upward blaze of lights. It is the reflected light and blaze upward that does no good to anyone that is the problem.
I forget the exact numbers of energy savings for LED lights but something like 20% of all power goes to lighting and that can be reduced by at least half by LEDs. All LED lighting would reduce power consumption by 10%. That is a massive gain.
Wrong.
Close your eyes?
Actually, even the darkest parts of west texas aren’t all that dark anymore. McDonald observatory has shadows cast by El Paso.
The problem isn’t your porch light. It is idiots who point 50,000 watts worth of halogen lights into the sky. Car dealers are the worst. Funny thing is that if you just point the light at the ground where it can do some good, the problem goes away.
It doesnt help anyone see when you shine a light in their eyes. And by the way, contrary to popular belief criminals do not have the magical ability to see in the dark. They need light the same as the rest of us, and tend to avoid the dark.
I guard my night vision.
I know what you mean about light sources. Traveling between populated areas you can spot a city for miles depending on terrain. Misuse of light should not be called pollution.
dear stormer,
re; your 1972 report, a collegiate class grade-inducing organ, i imagine.
Roadways reflect moonlight, therefore, any ‘downward’ directed artificial light will be reflected, as well.
Any urban structure, including store displays, has reflected artificial light.
One thing that you might not have considered in your conglomeration of ‘light pollution’ ...
according to U.S. Code, any U.S. Flag that is still on the flagpole after sunset, must be illuminated. I guess that shoots down your ‘downward-directed emanation of light’, doesn’t it?
dear cletus,
why did you send that to ME?
Damn good question.
I’ll look back at the thread but, it is quite possible that I pick up your handle from something tangentially related.
Maybe I’ll apologize -even more profusely- in the morning. Right now, I’m crashing with my Beta Blocker and asprin.
Night, night.
:-)
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