Light Pollution and Stargazing
by John Heidtke

Skywatching is an ancient pastime. Our ancestors gazed at bright planets, stars and meteors to figure out the order of the heavens and seasons of the year. The ancient Greeks proved that the planet Earth was round. The Babylonians and Chinese used their observations of rising and setting stars to develop the earliest calendars. Today people of all ages are purchasing telescopes and books on astronomy in record number. As the media reports new space discoveries and galaxies, the public's interest in the far away heavens grows.

Recreational stargazing is an enjoyable pastime that allows me to escape everyday stressors. The brilliant sky stimulates my sense of wonder and awe. Observing distant stars and planets is also a way of appreciating and communing with nature on a grand scale. But here is the rub for me. Just as the environment is becoming more polluted with fouled air, water and soil, so is the starry night canopy. Light pollution - the glare of street and other artificial light - blocks our full view of the heavens. Hence, to really view stars, planets and even the Milky Way, I retreat further and further into the countryside.

So here is something to mull over. Author Terrence Dickinson, in his book, Night Watch, notes that many people 55 or older can remember viewing the spectacular starry sky from their front porch or yard, regardless of where they lived. Children growing up in the final decades of the 20th century are the first generation in human history to live in a world where stars and galaxies are the last thing noticed at night. More and more kids see the night sky masked with a yellowish gray glow.

I have come to appreciate the value of dark, lonely country roads in the Thumb. To discover a spot where a remote farm house is surrounded by nighttime quiet is a treasured find. No cars or trucks. No noise (except for an occasional distant dog bark). No offensive artificial light. Just experiencing an ink black sky with its marvelous cosmic environment is most satisfying.

Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803) once observed, "The man in the street does not know a star in the sky." Hmmm, I wonder if Emerson wasn't peering into the dilemma of our 21st century. That is something I will mull over as I head out searching for another quiet rural road in the middle of the night.