Astronomers: Light pollution obscuring views
Posted November 6, 2010 2:26 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
MAPLE RIDGE (NEWS1130) – You’ve heard of noise pollution and visual pollution, but what about light pollution? Local astronomers say it’s a big problem.
Amateur Astronomer Mark Eburne says 30-40 per cent of the light pollution obscuring our view comes from streetlights. “Inefficiencies and energy waste that comes with having streetlights pointing up to the sky and not down where it’s needed.”
Mark Eburne with the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada says that’s mainly due to inefficient street lights pointing light up at the sky and the rules around them.
He is working with the group to try and make streetlights more efficient. “There’s no set policy to control light pollution at a municipal level. We want to have the proper legislation that’s in there to control the types of lights that can go in.”
He says the Golden Ears Bridge is a good example of proper lighting that doesn’t point up. He points to Maple Ridge as a community that is looking at changing bylaws to reduce light pollution.
The City of Vancouver is looking at eventually replacing burnt out streetlights with LEDs.
He says with less light pollution in the city we should be able to see stars at a magnitude six, which the furthest the naked eye can see.
