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[dhm794]

Seriously, why are there no laws against light pollution?

It's really this easy:

1) Make car headlights have a shield so that they do not project light upwards and into the night sky

2) Mandate that all streetlights have flat lenses with a shield over the top (like this)

3) Reduce excessive lighting from stadiums and other large complexes

4) Reduce other pollution!  Haze can ruin a night that would normally be clear.  The light from the ground bounces up into the sky, illuminating the haze and therefore blocking out the stars)

This was a picture taken of the night sky over an urban area in the Northeastern US during a blackout:



While we probably wouldn't get this much accomplished, we could at least be able to see a general outline of the  Milky Way if we reduced light pollution.

[matty406]

I think the problem is people not wanting ugly shields on their car lights. It's a good idea though, some vintage cars have them. There's probably also the issue of aerodynamics and people just not caring, unfortunately. Street lamps sound like a possibility if the authorities wouldn't mind spending a little bit more to implement them.
Unfortunately for me, there's a stadium in my field of view from my bedroom window.

I like your ideas.

[Bla]

Screw what people think about the look of their cars, and do what we can to stop cars from polluting - whether it's light pollution or more like the opposite.
I'd like being able to see the Milky Way clearly... It's hard to imagine how clear it could become...

But I'm curious if normal light sources aren't themselves a big part of the problem, whether they face up or down. If they face down, some of the light is reflected anyway, although not anything near what they'd emit if they emitted upwards. But simply being bombarded with photons from sharp street lights or other sources will make the eyes less sensitive. :/
Of course, improvement is better than nothing, even if we can't have perfection.

[matty406]

I must agree. I've seen the Milky way slightly well once, and only once.
I would very much like to see it again.

[mudkipz]

you know those cruise ships..
well if you get to the top deck in the middle of the night, theres absolutely no one and the lights *should* be off
and the view is just gorgeous! the only light is moonlight and you can see millions of stars

[APODman]

Exist a very good equipment to reduce great part of the light pollution that comes of street lights in the cities:





Even now there are groups dedicated to the cause of reducing light pollution in the world:

- http://toledotales.blogspot.com/2007/08/local-teens-form-streetlight-slingshot.html


[ ]´s

[dhm794]

you know those cruise ships..
well if you get to the top deck in the middle of the night, theres absolutely no one and the lights *should* be off
and the view is just gorgeous! the only light is moonlight and you can see millions of stars

What cruise ships have you been on?! 

[mudkipz]

there are actually "astronomy cruises" which are cruises that are specifically for gazing at the night without any light pollution

[atomic7732]

the only light is moonlight

completely ruins the point

[dhm794]

the only light is moonlight

completely ruins the point

Not really.  On some days the moon rises a couple hours after the sun sets.  Other days it sets before the sun rises.

[atomic7732]

Not really.  On some days the moon rises a couple hours after the sun sets.  Other days it sets before the sun rises.

If the object you happen to be looking at isn't up then, you've got a major problem.

There's only a few days during new moon you can really do deep space astrophotography (for example).

[dhm794]

There's a fair number of nights were the moon doesn't come up until 10PM, at least where I live anyway.  Most deep-space objects are visible for me once the moon has set.

[Teh_Saccade]

I just wish someone would tell the blooming Mayor of London to get people to lower the lighting a bit!
There are birds singing 24 hours a day, it's that bright... confused little things :/

[dhm794]

Yeah, I was once in a very urban area and there was so much skyglow that the streetlights thought it was daytime.

[atomic7732]

I just wish someone would tell the blooming Mayor of London to get people to lower the lighting a bit!
There are birds singing 24 hours a day, it's that bright... confused little things :/

Yeah it is believed (and probably is true) that it messes with many animals' (including humans) internal clocks.

[deoxy99]

I think it's true. Hell, even cellphones may screw up our internal clocks. Or at least the signals they receive and produce.

[bong]

Just drive to some farm and walk where there are no plants growing. It shan't be to hard to see if there army much clouds.

[mudkipz]

i have a new favorite word.


most people shan't decide to drive an hour or more to some rural farm every night. And the army clouds might fire light bazookas.

[bong]

"army" was suppose to be "are many"
what to you mean by "fire light bazookas."?

[dhm794]

Just drive to some farm and walk where there are no plants growing. It shan't be to hard to see if there army much clouds.

Problem is I live in New Jersey.  There are literally now dark skies here, since the state is so small/densely populated.  I've even gone star gazing from the Appalachian Mountains and skyglow is everywhere.  I'm thinking of moving to Maine when I get older.

[clockworks]

you know those cruise ships..
well if you get to the top deck in the middle of the night, theres absolutely no one and the lights *should* be off
and the view is just gorgeous! the only light is moonlight and you can see millions of stars

we're thinking of going on a cruise this year... I better be able to see some