Light Pollution and Night Skies.
Light Pollution:
We are aware of different kinds of Pollution like Air Pollution, Water and Land Pollution, etc. But have you heard of Light Pollution?. Light Pollution refers to the excessive external artificial light misdirected into the night sky by human activities disturbing the natural darkness of the sky. If not taken care of properly, it can have adverse effects on human life, the Biosphere, and even on astronomy and space research. Some negative effects of Light Pollution are listed below.
Human Life:
We humans have evolved for thousands of years according to the Day and Night cycles of Earth. The Light Pollution disrupts the circadian rhythm and makes it difficult to sleep or stay asleep which could lead to sleep disorders and reduced sleep quality. The after-effects of disturbed sleep are known to cause stress, anxiety, and even depression. Research shows that Cardiovascular diseases, vision impairment, and certain types of cancer can be caused by light pollution. And even a lot of energy gets wasted while the light is getting released unnecessarily in the night sky...
Nocturnal and migratory birds use stars and their orientations and the dark sky to navigate while migrating. Lightened Night Skies mislead them leading to collisions which may be fatal. Every year thousands of birds are found dead and Light Pollution can be blamed for this. Moreover, birds tend to be attracted to Artificial Light known as ‘Fatal Attractions’ which may disrupt their migration cycles and cause them to be trapped in urban areas. The natural behavior of birds such as Nesting, Breeding, and Mating cycles may be altered. This can have an effect on ecosystems as well like pollination and the abundance of insects.
Astronomy and Night Skies
By now we have seen the effects of Light Pollution on different aspects of Nature. But let’s come back to the topic – How does Night Sky get affected by Light Pollution? The excess Light that gets ejected into the atmosphere makes the night brighter than before making it difficult for astronomers and space researchers to see the stars and faint and distant Galaxies at night. In the olden days, when there was almost no Light Pollution, people were able to see an arm of the Milky Way Galaxy no matter if we were on Earth. But how many of us have actually seen the beautiful night sky loaded with thousands of Stars and Constellations?
There are places on Earth though where the Original Night Sky can be seen and one such place in the Southern Hemisphere – the largest Night Sky reserve – ‘‘The Aorki-Mackenzie '’ Dark Sky Reserve is where you can see the Original dark sky. But you can see at your place as well and it can done by shutting all the lights in the area and Voila! The beautiful night sky is right above you!
Measures to Control Light Pollution
The reason why Light Pollution is different from other pollutants is that it can be reduced in a really short span of time. Shutting the lights is just Temporary. But some ways to reduce Light Pollution are minimizing the use of lights, controlling the light entering the sky, and replacing the use of Bright White lights with Dim and Warm Lights.
Note: Views expressed by the author are personal
Pic Source: Pixabay
Manognya Akella
View Details
Like
3 Comments
Repost
You may also like
Annaji Aysola
Published 7d+
Belief-Astra
Never heard of Beliefastra right!! Sounds strange? We have heard of Nagastra, Varunastra, Garudastra, Pashupatastra and popular well-known Brahmastra (a big banner Bollywood movie is on cards with Ranbir
EdGe: Your Academic Co-pilot
Published 7d+
A Mathematician Who Inspires and Transforms
Dr. Umadhar Patnaik is the Managing Director of Ascent Classes and HOD of Mathematics in Visakhapatnam.Dr. M. Umadhar Patnaik, an exceptional mathematician and dedicated educator, has been a beacon
Dr. Ravi Saripalle
Published 7d+
Need for
What is proved just before 30 seconds of our heartbeat stops! Did we compile our memory book for the last reflash? Need for Happy Hour in Institutions. Read this interesting perspective.Dear Friends
EdGe: Your Academic Co-pilot
Published 7d+
A Transformative Scientific Odyssey
Discovering, Creating, and Growing at India's Premier Science InstitutionsThe Indian Institutes of Science Education and Research (IISERs) represent more than just a degree-granting body —
Dr. Ravi Saripalle
Published 7d+
Departments to Domains
From Departments to Domains: Adapting Engineering Education for the Software-Driven Era- My PerspectiveDear Friends and StudentsToday I had an opportunity to listen to the Message of Ford CEO on
EdGe: Your Academic Co-pilot
Published 7d+
Computer Science Engineering
What is computer science Engineering Computer Science Engineering (CSE) is an academic programme that integrates the field of Computer Engineering and Computer Science. It is one
Dr. Ravi Saripalle
Published 7d+
K-Shield : Must for road safety
Probably India’s First, Edge Computing Device in Road Safety (K-Shield) is Ready for Industrial Production (K-Shield)! Proud Moment to the Institution, Founders, of course to me as a Mentor!!Dear
Dr. Ravi Saripalle
Published 7d+
Story of a boy from GVP to Apple!
The Story of a boy from GVP to Apple! Humble Beginning to Whopping Package! Studious to Super coder!! Read this Interesting Story of a GVPcian!Dear Students and FriendsAs I said before, I met a GVPCE
EdGe: Your Academic Co-pilot
Published 7d+
Top 10 Soft Skills Essential for Career Success: A Guide for Students
In today's dynamic job landscape, technical skills alone are not enough. Employers seek professionals who are adaptable, collaborative, and emotionally intelligent. Here's a look at the top 10
EdGe: Your Academic Co-pilot
Published 7d+
Chemistry Pavan Sir: Inspiring Minds, Shaping Futures
M. Pavan Kumar, fondly known as "Chemistry Pavan Sir," is a dedicated and passionate educator with over 23 years of teaching experience in Chemistry. After completing his Master's in Physical
VENKATESH PANYAM
Published 7d+
Sunflowers Trait
Dear students when you score low marks or when you fail to get what you want, you may feel bad and want to give up. Wait a minute, don’t lose hope. Talk to your parents, or friends or teachers, and
Related Blogs
Karunakar. T
Published 7d+
Lead us into ‘light’
The darkness was absolute. Nothing could be seen. I stretched my arms trying to find something, anything. My groping hands touched the wall. I started feeling my way around moving forward gingerly. The
Dr. Ravi Saripalle
Published 7d+
Leadership is Light, not Heat!
Leadership is Light, not Heat! Spectacular Picture of the Sky at 2 PM IST 20-12-2022! Let’s build a Healthy Space Competition as No Geography defined!Dear Friends and StudentsToday afternoon,
VENKATESH PANYAM
Published 7d+
Sunflowers Trait
Dear students when you score low marks or when you fail to get what you want, you may feel bad and want to give up. Wait a minute, don’t lose hope. Talk to your parents, or friends or teachers, and
Sri Chaitanya Ayyagari
Published 7d+
Chemical engineering: For a better tomorrow
Role of Chemical Engineer in Pharmaceutical Industry:As the world is slowly recovering from the Pandemic of COVID crisis. We all know how much damage COVID 19 virus has done to humanity. Scientists
ELCSLAB @ Lendi
Published 7d+
CLIMATE CHANGE AND INDIVIDUAL RESPONSIBILITY.
“Let us nurture nature to have a nurturing future”…...Climate change is recognized as a most serious threat facing humanity.No one is immune to its effects.The impact of climate
ELCSLAB @ Lendi
Published 7d+
FITNESS IS NECESSARY FOR ALL...
Fitness is necessary for all...The maintenance of health and fitness helps a person to be in the general state of health and well-being. It provides ability to perform physical actions without being