Seventh Annual Dark-Sky Week Celebration

15 April 2009

International Dark-Sky Week will occur from April 20 to April 26, 2009. This event began as National Dark-Sky Week in the United States in 2003, endorsed by the International Dark-Sky Association, the American Astronomical Society, and the Astronomical League. This year, the International Year of Astronomy (IYA) "Dark Skies Awareness" Global Cornerstone Project is also endorsing the event on a global level as the International Dark Skies Week (IDSW), part of IYA's dark skies preservation efforts. The first night of IDSW will coincide with the Starlight Initiative's "World Night in Defense of Starlight."

The goal of International Dark-Sky Week ultimately is to encourage better lighting. Turning out the lights for one week will only temporarily reduce light pollution and raise awareness about the problem, but lighting fixtures that focus the light downward instead of up into the sky will have the lasting effects that this campaign seeks to achieve. Light pollution is a growing problem since more and more lights are being used to illuminate cities that continue to expand. Not only does light pollution have detrimental effects on the night sky, but it also disrupts the natural environment, wastes energy, and has the potential to cause health problems. In order to reverse these effects, International Dark-Sky Week encourages the awareness of light pollution and promotes lighting fixtures that minimize it.

"The only way that International Dark-Sky Week can succeed is if more people participate every year," says Jennifer Barlow, founder of the event, "no reduction in light pollution can be made unless a significant number of people turn off their lights." Another way to participate in addition to turning out the lights is to attend a star party or visit a local observatory. Nevertheless, be sure to not turn out lights that are necessary for public safety and when going stargazing, carry a red-tinted flashlight and stay in a large group.

Jennifer Barlow comments, "International Dark-Sky Week is a great opportunity to dust off the old telescope from the attic and share in the wonder of the universe that has been part of the human tradition for thousands of years."

Robert Gent, past President of the Astronomical League, a federation of 275 astronomical societies with nearly 17,000 members says, "This is a great way to raise awareness about the problems and solutions of light pollution. If we use the right amount of light only when and where it's needed, we see better, save energy, and preserve the beauty of our night skies."