18 Facts About Light pollution

Light pollution is the presence of unwanted, inappropriate, or excessive artificial lighting.

Light pollution can be understood not only as a phenomenon resulting from a specific source or kind of pollution, but as a contributor to the wider, collective impact of various sources of pollution.

Solutions to light pollution are often easy steps like adjusting light fixtures or using more appropriate lightbulbs.

Light pollution is the presence of anthropogenic artificial light in otherwise dark conditions.

Light pollution competes with starlight in the night sky for urban residents, interferes with astronomical observatories, and, like any other form of pollution, disrupts ecosystems and has adverse health effects.

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Awareness of the deleterious effects of light pollution began in the second half of the 19th century, but efforts to address effects did not begin until the 1950s.

Energy conservation advocates contend that light pollution must be addressed by changing the habits of society, so that lighting is used more efficiently, with less waste and less creation of unwanted or unneeded illumination.

Light pollution is caused by inefficient or unnecessary use of artificial light.

Specific categories of light pollution include light trespass, over-illumination, glare, light clutter, and skyglow.

Light pollution trespass occurs when unwanted light enters one's property, for instance, by shining over a neighbour's fence.

Light pollution poses a serious threat in particular to nocturnal wildlife, having negative impacts on plant and animal physiology.

Light pollution affects the visibility of diffuse sky objects like nebulae and galaxies more than stars, due to their low surface brightness.

Light pollution trespass makes it hard for a visual observer to become sufficiently adapted to the dark.

Study presented at the American Geophysical Union meeting in San Francisco found that light pollution destroys nitrate radicals thus preventing the normal night time reduction of atmospheric smog produced by fumes emitted from cars and factories.

Research surrounding light pollution focuses on the quality of lighting and reducing our ability to clearly view the sky at night.

However, light pollution has many root causes and effects across the spectrum of life.

Research suggests that, like other environmental issues, light pollution is primarily a problem caused by industrialized nations.

For instance, light pollution can be reduced by turning off unneeded outdoor lights, and lighting stadiums only when there are people inside.