Looking Out for Looking Up: Preserving and Enhancing the Adirondack Night Skies ARC: 12 th Annual Conference on the Adirondacks Aileen O’Donoghue (SLU) Marc Staves Adirondack Public Observatory Aileen O’Donoghue (SLU) Marc Staves Adirondack Public Observatory

Wilderness Wild Something characterized by bewildering vastness Occurring, growing, or living in a natural state; not domesticated, cultivated, or tamed Something characterized by bewildering vastness Definitions …

Outdoor Lighting  Purpose  illuminate what we need to see  playing fields, streets, sidewalks, pedestrians, pets, thugs, etc.  warn of dangers  Purpose  illuminate what we need to see  playing fields, streets, sidewalks, pedestrians, pets, thugs, etc.  warn of dangers Outdoor lighting is not to protect us from the dark But that’s what much of it tries to do …

Outdoor Lighting  Lighting Assumptions  More light, brighter light is better and safer  Everyone wants more light  lighting up my neighborhood is OK  Light always has a positive effect  Darkness is unimportant  Lighting Assumptions  More light, brighter light is better and safer  Everyone wants more light  lighting up my neighborhood is OK  Light always has a positive effect  Darkness is unimportant

Lighting & Safety Studies  No significant reduction in crime with lighting (eg. US Dep’t of Justice cf. )  “Dark Campus Policies” have reduced vandalism at some schools (  Lights help criminals see victims, goods  Lights in typically dark areas attract attention so crimes can be stopped  No significant reduction in crime with lighting (eg. US Dep’t of Justice cf. )  “Dark Campus Policies” have reduced vandalism at some schools (  Lights help criminals see victims, goods  Lights in typically dark areas attract attention so crimes can be stopped

Light Pollution Glare  light that interferes with sight  Light trespass  lighting others’ property  Energy Waste  illuminating undersides of airplanes  Sky Glow  obscuring our view of the sky Glare  light that interferes with sight  Light trespass  lighting others’ property  Energy Waste  illuminating undersides of airplanes  Sky Glow  obscuring our view of the sky

Light Pollution  Glare, Light Trespass, Sky Glow

Glare  Eye brightness range of about 1 million …  Iris size adjusts to light levels  Eye switches from cone to rod cells  rods more sensitive to low light … “averted vision.”  rods adjust to light level … “dark adaption.”  Eye can discern details over 10:1 brightness variation in a single scene  Eye brightness range of about 1 million …  Iris size adjusts to light levels  Eye switches from cone to rod cells  rods more sensitive to low light … “averted vision.”  rods adjust to light level … “dark adaption.”  Eye can discern details over 10:1 brightness variation in a single scene Visibility limit ≈ brightest object 10 1

…and populated. Glare  Direct bright light that reduces the eye’s ability to see dimly illuminated objects.  Bright lights vs. pedestrians, animals  Direct bright light that reduces the eye’s ability to see dimly illuminated objects.  Bright lights vs. pedestrians, animals Light fixture easy to see! Shadow VERY dark!

Park Street at Night: Glare Direct light from acorn and drop-down fixtures, and headlights very bright. Students seen as shadows against glare Street well lit!

Glare “If unshielded or poorly-aimed lights are in view of drivers, then the lights set the upper brightness range - things 10 times less bright like potholes, trees or pedestrians become featureless.” - Royal Astronomical Society of Canada “If unshielded or poorly-aimed lights are in view of drivers, then the lights set the upper brightness range - things 10 times less bright like potholes, trees or pedestrians become featureless.” - Royal Astronomical Society of Canada

Glare is Deadly East Hampton, NY John Jiras, 71, killed while crossing street from movie theater to parking lot John Jiras, 71, killed while crossing street from movie theater to parking lot

Reducing Glare  Shielding lights  No light emitted above 20º below horizontal  Shielding lights  No light emitted above 20º below horizontal Shielded street lights.

Full-Cutoff Lights  International Dark-Sky Association (IDA)

Light Trespass Healthy, Safe, and Energy Efficient Outdoor Lighting Act A7404 (Assembly), S4474 (Senate) Healthy, Safe, and Energy Efficient Outdoor Lighting Act A7404 (Assembly), S4474 (Senate) Retirement Home at night … and the neighbor's house … placement of a light in “a manner whereby illumination or glare is cast unnecessarily on the property of another with the effect of reducing privacy, limiting use or enjoyment, hindering sleep and/or detracting from the appearance of the illuminated property …”

Light Trespass  Harmful to  Human health, linked to  circadian rhythms (sleep) disruption  increased cancers  damage to children’s eyesight  Wildlife  nocturnal animals  insects  birds  Harmful to  Human health, linked to  circadian rhythms (sleep) disruption  increased cancers  damage to children’s eyesight  Wildlife  nocturnal animals  insects  birds

Health Effects  Links to many health problems appearing

Wildlife Effects  Attraction, fixation & repulsion  baby turtles in Florida head toward highway instead of ocean  Disorientation  birds fly into buildings, towers  disoriented animals use extra energy  Disruption of biological rhythms  Robins in UK singing at night  disturbs egg-laying in moths (  Attraction, fixation & repulsion  baby turtles in Florida head toward highway instead of ocean  Disorientation  birds fly into buildings, towers  disoriented animals use extra energy  Disruption of biological rhythms  Robins in UK singing at night  disturbs egg-laying in moths (

Wildlife Effects Research in beginning stages “Even brief exposure to bright light can cause some nocturnal frogs to freeze for hours.”

Energy Waste Estimated energy usage & cost Dark-to-Dawn lighting Mercury Vapor High Pressure Sodium net/~poulsen/lightc ost.html

Sky Glow Familiar North Country Scene  Village and city light domes obscure sky

Sky Glow  Adirondacks in darkest part of eastern US  A resource to be preserved and cherished!  Adirondacks in darkest part of eastern US  A resource to be preserved and cherished! Ottawa Syracuse Albany Watertown Tupper Lake

Dark Sky Preserves “Healthy, Safe and Energy Efficient Outdoor Lighting Act” “… areas of the state which are especially suitable for astronomical observations and/or which provide, due to their darkness, nocturnal benefits to flora and fauna, or to citizens desiring views of unpolluted or relatively unpolluted night skies” … sounds like Adirondack Park

References  International Dark Sky Association   SELENE-NY   International Dark Sky Association   SELENE-NY 