The photons that went into making this image are just a fraction of the photons that were released, many were reflected by particles in the atmosphere, bouncing around to increase the general brightness of the sky. Where once a person with normal vision could see perhaps 2,500 stars in the sky at once, the sky from a city or suburban area is now brighter than most of those stars making them invisible. The grandeur that the shear number of stars visible created is lost. However, unlike so many other natural resources that have been irrevocably corrupted or consumed by the progress of modern technology, the nighttime sky is one that can be recovered. It is still there waiting for us, we only need to eliminate the ignorance of those who design buildings, roads, bridges, and "corporate identities" to the consequences of poorly designed and wasteful lighting. What is ultimately more important, to have the corporations that locate their headquarters in our cities continually reminding us of the fact with garish logos, or to pass onto to the next generation and the generations to follow, the human heritage that every one of us shares?
| Page | Organization/Sponsor | Comments |
|---|---|---|
| POLC | Pennsylvania Outdoor Lighting Council | Maps, advice, and ordnances |
| IDA | International Dark Sky Association | Invaluable source for information |
| Night Lighting | Environmental Building News | Good article with lots of hard data and photographs |
| Light Pollution Awareness Website | LiteLynx | Loads of good photographic before and after images, good info. |
| Dark Sky Finder | International Dark Sky Association | Find how far you have to go to find dark skies |
| Slide Show | Dark Skies Northwest | Online slide show illustrating the causes and effects of light pollution |
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