Hello! I hope all of you reading this are well, and staying safe. With the recent events and less travel happening, pollution is disappearing. Multiple astronomers are noting how clear the sky looks with less air traffic (and ground traffic, for that matter). The water in Venice is clearing up. Let’s add some light pollution reduction to the mix! What is light pollution? Check out this page: https://www.idapgh.org/lpbasics
With International Dark Sky week fast approaching, April 19th through the 26th, let’s plan to see the stars from our backyards while we are all at home.
While we are in this challenging time, let’s bring back some beauty and wonder to our lives. The night sky is amazing to behold, and is always enjoyable to look at.
How?
Business owners: if you are closed anyways, turn off your advertising signs and any decorative lights. Leave on only your security lights.
Downtown business owners. We understand you have to keep some lighting on the tall buildings. For those of you that can, please dim them and if possible, turn them red. Red lights scatter less harsh than white or blue-white lights, and will help dim things down. If possible, have someone turn off the lights in rooms inside the building that aren’t in use.
Everyone at home: Turn off your porch lights, and cover any inside window where a light is required. And again, please turn off decorative lights.
More lights we get turned off, the darker the sky, and the more stars you can see. Doing this will help ease the electricity bill throughout this as well!
Where?
Everywhere, really. While this is IDA Pittsburgh, anyone who reads this should participate!
When?
All of Dark Sky week! When it’s clear, pop outside and look up. Bundle up if it’s chilly! Or sit inside a dark room and look out the window. Just give yourself 20 minutes for your eyes to adjust, and shield yourself from any direct lights, like a street light or cars driving nearby.
If you are in a dense area, please use caution and practice social distancing! If you have to walk a little, bring a flashlight but point it down in case someone else nearby is looking up!
Of course, to ease your electric bills you could turn the lights off now and just leave them off until we are all back to normal.
What will you be able to see?
Shortly after sunset, the real bright one to the west is Venus. If you have a telescope or binoculars, take a look! It has phases just like the moon, head over to https://www.facebook.com/IDApghOrg/ to comment on the post for this, and tell us which phase you saw!
Looking a little southwest, the constellation Orion sits, with his sword ready for you to find the nebula. Even small binoculars will give a great view of the Orion Nebula.
Going to be up early mornings instead? Mars is close to Jupiter (from our perspective), and Saturn is nearby as well. They are the bright ones to the south just before sunrise. To the east right before sunrise is Mercury.
Of course, there are many, many more things to look at in the sky, check out https://earthsky.org/tonight for a more expanded list.
Let’s see how we can band together from home, and shine some star light into this dark time! Please share!
Stay safe and healthy!