New Light Pollution Study

[NigeB]

Some rather depressing reading...

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-42059551

http://www.skyandtelescope.com/astronomy-news/lost-led-revolution-light-pollution-increasing/

[Paul M]

I suppose it isn't even news. It's been a worsening situation for all of the 40 odd years I've been looking at the stars. Never really expected any improvement.

But then I very recently realised that the street lighting along our end of the street has been replaced with well shielded LED fittings. I suspect the overall illumination on the roads is less, particularly at the midpoints between lamps. I didn't really notice until the clocks changed in October and had me coming home and going to work in darkness when I noticed that as I reach our driveway I can't see a thing. It used to be reasonably well lit but now too dark to see if there is anything on the drive until I actually turn in.

Separately I also noticed that the dog wasn't keen on going out in the back yard for it's bedtime routine unless I switched on the outside light. It's got that much darker out there!

I'm just waiting for some clear sky to see if that is improving too

So my own conclusion is that LED street lighting is better for the environment and when well designed can offer a great improvement of nighttime glare.

[knobby]

Can't see it ever changing, it's just another example of our species negatively affecting our planet... Unless someone introduces fines/target limits for light pollution then something may change !

[Shibby]

15 hours ago, Paul M said:

It's got that much darker out there!

You're lucky. Around me, it just keeps getting brighter and brighter due to the constant increase in the number of lights. Also, as it mentions in the article, the LED light is scattered more by the atmosphere - in addition to that, light pollution filters are becoming useless

[scarp15]

This new data has gained attention on Radio 4 news today so probably on the BBC news as well, which at least raises the issue more widely. Focused on the impact upon human health, bio-rhythms being effected due to disturbed sleep patterns and migratory and nocturnal habits of birds and other wildlife indicating signs of becoming increasingly distorted, also upon the realisation that led lighting, contrary to improving light pollution circumstances has increased in developed and developing countries. The blue light component is the culprit, which if removed would mitigate light scatter, so I understand. Unfortunately on 'the world at one' programme, when this issue was being debated the conversation drifted and became more about led lighting in mobile phones used at night in the home more than the wider critical issue of urban light expansion.  

[Beulah]

It's not that we're against people getting about at night but I think street lights are just too bright! I agree with Prof Gaston - just dimming the lights would be a great help. Just imagine if the lumens were tamped down by 20%?

[RWB]

Not so much a case of street as such but in the area I live in the council  has gone totally

stupid with new traffic  systems and done away with  at least six  roundabouts and  installed

traffic lights (they say that the lights are low power but my view is  a light is a light)

one such installation turned a roundabout into a T junction with about twelve set of lights

if that is not light pollution I would like to know what is

Ok that's off my chest I shall now  go and have a wee dram(might  be a treble ) and a lie down

      Best wishes to all                         Robin.  

[Dave In Vermont]

It seems that by using the 'medical' aspect of this expanding mess, it's being considered 'newsworthy' and drawing more attention of the mainstream-press over here. Here's another article from the auspicious magazine 'TIME' - commonly found in waiting-rooms of doctor-offices and dentists:

Light Pollution Is Getting Worse Every Year. That's Bad For Your Health.pdf

Cough! Ack!

Dave

[Timebandit]

 

My personal view is in this modern age we cannot prevent light use up to a point. But I consider street lighting , industrial lighting etc  should have a lights off curfew imposed by government/law ,Say from midnight onwards. Just look at the vast amount of light pollution levels this would save which must be good for us stargazers as well as saving a fortune in electricity  bills to rates payers ect. And the assistance to the  planet in regards mitigation on green house gas which is obviously a by product of some electricity supply. A win win ?

 

 

[Pete Presland]

Its strange walking around my home town of Biggleswade tonight, the street lights generally didn't seem that bright. The worst culprits be far are the shops, businesses, schools and car parks. All illuminated like a seafront promenade. Such a waste of money, if nothing else!  

[JimB]

I have been watching the sky glow from Camberley getting worse every year and now the council have installed LED street lights on my road, including one directly outside my house. Just a downward spiral. I did get to see what I was missing whist on a visit to Cork in Ireland. I was staying by the coast in a rural setting when the big storm hit and power was lost over a wide area. We had two clear nights and the sky was breathtaking. It was even difficult to make out some of the constellations in the Milky Way due to the crowds of background stars. Sad that such a view is so rare for us urbanites.

[Shibby]

You can view the LP survey on the following map: https://www.lightpollutionmap.info/#zoom=6&lat=6814905&lon=-118846&layers=B0TFFFFFFF

[knobby]

Comparing 2014 to 2017 its almost tear inducing !

[Alan White]

It is most notably worse, but how can that change so much in such a short time?

 

[Stub Mandrel]

There's enough sceptic in me to say those two maps cannot be directly comparable. It looks as though the methodology for collecting data a low light levels has changed.

Actually  folks should read the popup that appears before you can view the map:

Quote

Direct annual comparisons are to be avoided as there are too many factors involved.

 

[knobby]

4 hours ago, Stub Mandrel said:

There's enough sceptic in me to say those two maps cannot be directly comparable. It looks as though the methodology for collecting data a low light levels has changed.

Actually  folks should read the popup that appears before you can view the map:

 

Well spotted !