Save the Night ! Dark Skies & Light Pollution Awareness Banner Week 2024

Star Bright! Save the Night! Dark Skies & Light Pollution Awareness Week

25 November - 2 December 2024

Be Part of the Solution to End Light Pollution.

Join the DarkSky NOVA, Dark Sky Friends & the Town of Vienna, Virginia, for a special self-guided week dedicated to learning about and raising awareness for light pollution and empowering you, your family, and friends to make a difference.

1. Certify Your Home or Business as Dark Sky Friendly
Learn how to make your home or business more night-sky and neighbor friendly by following these simple guidelines. Make adjustments to outdoor lighting to ensure it is shielded, directed downwards, has a warm color temperature, has timers and dimmers and is necessary.

2. Participate in the Globe at Night Program
Become a citizen scientist and measure light pollution in your area using the Globe at Night program. Use their app to record observations and contribute to a global database, all while enjoying time outdoors with family or friends.

3. Borrow a Dark Skies Backpack from the library
Visit your local Fairfax County library and borrow a Dark Skies backpack equipped with a sky quality meter. Use it to measure the night sky's brightness in your area and learn more about your community’s light pollution levels. Report your readings to DarkSky NOVA.

4. Neighborhood Light Audit
Take a walk through your neighborhood with family or friends and observe the outdoor lighting. Ask these questions:

• Are they targeted?
• Are the lights shielded?
• Do they have a warm or amber color?
• Is the illumination contained within property boundaries?
• Are they useful and necessary?
• Do they shine downward?

Use the 5 Principles forResponsible Outdoor Lighting as a guide.

This activity is not only educational but also a conversation starter about making changes to improve the night environment.

5. Stargazing and Sky Appreciation
Spend an evening stargazing from your backyard or a local park. Use this time to appreciate the night sky and discuss the impacts of light pollution on our ability to see stars. Encourage your children or friends to create art or write stories inspired by the experience.

6. Create and Share Your Work
Encourage creativity by writing a poem, story, or creating artwork about any of the areas light pollution impacts or the night sky. Share your work with DarkSky NOVA. We will feature it on our website and social media.

7. Have Conversations with Neighbors
Start a friendly conversation with your neighbors about outdoor lighting and its impacts. Use the 5 Principles forResponsible Outdoor Lighting as a guide to explain simple changes everyone can make to reduce light pollution.

8. Talk to Local Leaders
Reach out to local officials or community leaders to express the importance of protecting the night sky and stopping light pollution and light trespass. Share what you’ve learned about the benefits of responsible lighting.

9. Explore the observatories and Dark Sky Parks

Visit George Mason's Observatory in Fairfax VA and Observatory Park at Turner Farm in Great Falls. Check their websites for more information. Visit Virginia's DarkSky International designated dark sky parks and explore other state, local and national parks.

10. Join and

Human Health Benefits
Reducing light pollution improves sleep quality and overall health by protecting natural circadian rhythms. This can lead to better mood, less fatigue, and fewer health issues related to disrupted sleep.

Protecting Wildlife and Ecosystems
Light pollution impacts nocturnal wildlife, birds, insects, and plant life. Simple actions can help reduce these effects, supporting healthier local ecosystems.

Saving Energy and Money
Shielding and minimizing outdoor lighting saves energy and reduces electricity bills, making this not just an environmental choice but an economically wise one.

Spend time rediscovering the wonder of the night sky and see firsthand how reducing light pollution can bring back its beauty. Protecting dark skies isn’t just for scientists or environmentalists; it’s a simple, impactful change that benefits everyone.

Explore More Resources
Visit DarkSky NOVA and DarkSky International for tips, tools, and information on how to make a difference and preserve the night sky for future generations.

This self-guided week is your opportunity to take small, meaningful steps toward reducing light pollution while enjoying time with family and friends.

DarkSky NOVA information about this week.

Join us on November 17, 2024, for an event to learn from experts about the far-reaching effects of light pollution on our shared night skies, wildlife, ecosystems, human health and even our sleep and circadian rhythms.

photo credit Joyce Harmon

https://www.oldragphoto.com/gallery-collection/C0000FkzxHZyVv3U

Host or Publisher Dark Sky Friends