When city dwellers look up at the night sky, a few stars might be visible. What if you could see billions? Your eyes would just trail on forever without resetting. Is this even possible? With the right lighting you will be amazed just how far your vision can take you. During the day, we can see the world. After hours, we should be able to view the galaxy. After all, we are part of it. The stars and planets should be there when you look for them. The trouble isn’t on their end though as we put in urban lighting to block the view. An epiphany such as this one can change the way we live when the right people get involved. Welcome to Dark Sky where the human perspective on sky watching is as original as the Milky Way.
The International Dark Sky Association‘s objective is to educate the public and create dark sky communities where applicable. One example is Dripping Springs. Here they passed a city ordinance limiting the use of artificial light. In addition to eco-friendly lifestyles, they’re bringing the community together in the process. With the advent of modern convenience our lives have become essentially devoid of back porch star gazing. Taking a few helpful hints into consideration, we can return to our roots beneath a canopy of stars. This is precisely the purpose of Dark Sky.
Dripping Springs is honored to be known as the first International Dark Sky Community in Texas. This is accomplished by installing outdoor security lighting to reflect away from the moon and stars ensuring the wonders of the cosmos such as meteor showers and constellations are still visible.
The Dark Sky program teaches us a lot of irreplaceable lessons namely the value of preserving the horizon’s beauty and protecting the purpose of the stars. The night sky is nature’s navigator provided free of charge. Take away from the systems put in place eons ago and you subtract from the environment hindering productivity of the nocturnal creatures whose habitat and survival depend on the bigger picture. The raccoon or possum both see the world through a midnight lens. Their lives are built after the sun goes down. As nature would have it, they need the night simply to carry on.
We can talk about light pollution, but until we define it we’re lost as far as making the necessary changes. Dark Sky illuminates our world with knowledge literally empowering individuals through the understanding of preservation by presenting the choices homeowners can make to ensure they’re not taking away from the night time ecosystems. After all, we’re living under one sky.