SUNSET: 
The Pandemic and Light Pollution
Student Kathryn Huth set out to conduct astronomical experiments when she noticed that — amidst the pandemic — she could see more stars in the sky.
Discover the Night: International Dark Sky Week is Here!
Light pollution is insidious in today’s world. This International Dark Sky Week, become inspired to see what you can do to raise awareness.
Astronomers Dim Street Lights to Home in on Light Pollution
Street lights contribute to light pollution, but they are far from the only culprits — and fixing street lights is far from the only solution.
The Lost LED Revolution: Light Pollution Is Increasing
The transition from sodium lights to LEDs, the so-called “lighting revolution”, was supposed to reduce energy consumption and bring back the starry sky, but new satellite data indicate it’s not working out that way.
Starry Success: Protecting the Night Sky Above La Palma
Ten years ago, La Palma was declared a "Starlight Reserve" and measures were implemented to protect its skies from light pollution. How did they work?
Measuring the Impacts of Light Pollution
Light pollution is pervasive, and its impact on people is larger than you might think.
Astronomy and Stargazing Projects
111 Deep Sky Wonders for Light-Polluted Skies
Bright skies aren't empty skies. See for yourself how many treasures lie hidden in the glow of a city sky.
Will meteor showers be enchanced if you fly 3,000 feet above the ground in an airplane?
I recently got my pilot license. Will meteor showers be enhanced at all for my girlfriend and me in a low-winged Tomahawk airplane, flying 3,000 feet above the ground?There are several tradeoffs to consider. True, you’ll be 1 kilometer closer to the meteors overhead. But most of them flash into…
How does the Moon's phase affect the skyglow of any given location, and how many days before or after a new Moon is a dark site not compromised?
How does the Moon's phase affect the skyglow of any given location? How many days before or after a new Moon is a dark site not compromised? The answer is complicated because the Moon's glow is even more directional than light pollution. Skyglow is several times brighter near the Moon…
What’s the difference between nebula filters and light-pollution filters?
What’s the difference between nebula filters and light-pollution filters? Nebula filters block out most of the visible spectrum while transmitting the handful of finely tuned colors that emanate from the most luminous constituents of cosmic gas clouds: hydrogen atoms and oxygen ions. Light-pollution filters, by contrast, are designed to block…
Gauging Light Pollution: The Bortle Dark-Sky Scale
Excellent? Typical? Urban? Use this nine-step scale to rate the sky conditions at any observing site.