1. Light Pollution and the IES The Observations of an Observer The Ups and Downs of Lighting “Sight Lighting?” Dan Caton

2. Our shared interest What you doWhat I do

3. Another shared interest

4. What we will look at… Why is the night sky of interest? Why do we care? Why is the night sky of interest? Why do we care? Regional observatories Regional observatories The light pollution issue—a brief primer and personal observations The light pollution issue—a brief primer and personal observations

5. Why should we care about astronomy? Some ‘practical’ reasons… First, “look” at the sun and its spots …

6. Our Sun: The Maunder Minimum We need to study other solar type stars!

7. Deep Impact?

8. Are we alone in the galaxy? You are here Most interesting question science can ask. We now have >100 extrasolar planets. We will image Earth-size planets within a few decades.

9. 100,000 hobbyists

10. Everyman…

11. Just as important

12. ASU’s Dark Sky Observatory

13. 18-inch Telescope’s dome (1981)

14. Instrumentation (little visual use) 18-inch Telescope

15. Spectrograph CCD camera

16. 32-inch Telescope’s Dome and Cline Visitor Center

17. 32-inch Telescope CCD camera Fork mount Warm room

18. In the Warm Room… Typical observing …

19. The Horsehead Nebula

20. M13 Globular Cluster

21. Other NC Observatories Three College Observatory near Greensboro Three College Observatory near Greensboro (UNCG, NCA&T, and Guilford College) (UNCG, NCA&T, and Guilford College)

22. Cline Observatory Guilford Technical Community College (Greensboro) Guilford Technical Community College (Greensboro)

23. UNC-CH Morehead Observatory, on campus Morehead Observatory, on campus SOAR telescope in Chile SOAR telescope in Chile

24. Light Pollution and the IES Light Pollution: the loss of the night sky

25. The basic problem: Sky Glow Light from fixtures reflects off particles in the sky—”Sky Glow.” Light from fixtures reflects off particles in the sky—”Sky Glow.” Large cities visible from tens of miles. Large cities visible from tens of miles. The stars are not brighter in the country—the sky is darker! The stars are not brighter in the country—the sky is darker! Reminds me of … Reminds me of …

26. Thursday’s lunar eclipse An email exchange led to the comment … …”The stars seemed slightly brighter as the moon dimmed”

27. Our Global Problem

28. Light “Made in the USA”

29. Closer to home You are here!

30. Boone,NC 35 years ago…

31. … today

32. Even at Kitt Peak

33. Charlotte… Courtesy Spencer Rackley

34. Light Pollution Causes Poor fixture design Poor fixture design Lack of shielding Lack of shielding Over-lighting Over-lighting Poor installation Poor installation Market pressure Market pressure Let’s look at a few specific problems Let’s look at a few specific problems

35. Floodlights Almost horizontal Almost horizontal No shielding No shielding At night … At night …

36. Typical fast-food lighting

37. Better: Full Cut Off

38. Even Better! Van Gogh’s Café Terrace at Night,1888 Experience at Tweetsie. Result from California study: reduce glare and you can reduce the overall lighting level

39. Roadway lighting-overhead glare Majority of the”light budget”?

40. Sag-Lens Cobra heads Glaring to driver Glaring to driver Light polluting Light polluting

41. Better, FCO Fixtures No light above horizon No light above horizon Non-glaring to drivers, too! Non-glaring to drivers, too! May require more poles per mile—but could we get the DOT to specify FCO? May require more poles per mile—but could we get the DOT to specify FCO? CP&L CP&L And at night … And at night …

43. Car Sales Lots Often grossly overlit Often grossly overlit This one at 60-110 Fc on lot, 65 on road This one at 60-110 Fc on lot, 65 on road Can be done nicely… Can be done nicely…

44. … like this (Tampa)

45. Wall Packs One of the worst fixtures for pollution as well as glare (or even for its intended purpose!) One of the worst fixtures for pollution as well as glare (or even for its intended purpose!) Are available in FCO Are available in FCO What is the point of these?  What is the point of these? 

46. I will give you architecture, but…

47. Why shown in day?

48. Ever notice?

49. Bad area/security lighting

50. Solution: put a lid on it! New GE SkyGard shown here. New GE SkyGard shown here. Guaranteed to 100 mph, tested to 120 Guaranteed to 100 mph, tested to 120

51. Modern Gas Station Canopies This about 85 fc – several times IES RP

52. This “1973” shot impossible today! “Space Jam”

53. Real sports lighting Often done poorly with lots of light pollution and light trespass. Often done poorly with lots of light pollution and light trespass. Can be done well as shown here, using fixtures like Musco’s shown here Can be done well as shown here, using fixtures like Musco’s shown here

54. Let’s hope it does not come to this!

55. How the you can help Support the development of lighting ordinances in your region. Support the development of lighting ordinances in your region. Embrace the new ideology at the IES and the emerging National Outdoor Lighting Code Embrace the new ideology at the IES and the emerging National Outdoor Lighting Code Work to increase the membership of IES so there are more designers and designed jobs! Work to increase the membership of IES so there are more designers and designed jobs! Tell us IDA people what we can do to bring about change—you know the business! Tell us IDA people what we can do to bring about change—you know the business! Join the IDA and learn about the dark sky movement. (I joined the IES!) Join the IDA and learn about the dark sky movement. (I joined the IES!)

56. Summarizing Light pollution almost always caused by luminaires and techniques that do not do their task well. Light pollution almost always caused by luminaires and techniques that do not do their task well. We can all work toward better lighting and (thus) darker, starry skies. We can all work toward better lighting and (thus) darker, starry skies. Thank you for your time and attention Thank you for your time and attention www.darksky.org and www.ncdarksky.org www.darksky.org and www.ncdarksky.orgwww.darksky.orgwww.ncdarksky.orgwww.darksky.orgwww.ncdarksky.org dan@caton.name www.dan.caton.name