The ‘Night’ Sky Is Turning Into the ‘Light’ Sky

By: Ayaan Atif

Photograph shot at the editor's garden

Astral skies are in serious pitfall because all that can be seen under them is brightly illuminated
metropolises as a result of humanity's day-to-day advancements. Before it's too late, we all
need to get together and take action.
The night sky is absolutely stunning. One feels both large and small when gaping at the
numerous stars in the pitch- blackness that surrounds us at night. The idea of a horizon less
cosmos may induce anxiety, but it also raises the question of what further might be out there.
The deepest, darkest regions of space are only visible through telescopes and are unnoticeable
to the unaided eye. Only the faintest stars, still, play themselves in the sky due to the sky glow.
Only Saturn and Jupiter were observable when I first started to pick up interest in
planetography; even though they were not examined with an effective tool, they still appeared
to be scenes from a science fiction film.

"I bet people's lives would be very different if they spent every
evening sitting outside and gazing at the sky.  You realize there are
more significant things than what people do all day when you gaze
into eternity "-Calvin & Hobbes
While I'm lying in bed, my mind is racing with images of
Saturn and its magnificent rings, and it makes me sad to
consider how many destitute people will never get to see
them. People don't realize that profound beauty can be
found not just on the ground but also in the expanse of sky
over their heads. Studies suggest that light pollution has
increased by over 49% between 1997 and 2017 and by 400%
Saturn from the editor’s telescope
in some regions, including the city of light and a well-known
tourist destination, Paris. As a result, about two-thirds of the
world (including 80% of all American residents), has not experienced a clean sky. 

Light Pollution Is A Problem For All

Problems of various kinds are associated with light

pollution, for example: "Sadly, up to 50% of that light is
lost." That equates to $3.3 billion in revenue and the
release of 21 million tons of CO2 every year! To balance
all of that CO2, we'd need to grow 875 million trees
yearly." says the
Non copyright IDA.
image fromBy going here, you may view further
google.com

informative information regarding light pollution. Furthermore, several species and ecosystems
have suffered effects. The most seriously harmed species include fireflies. When I was a child, I
believed that fireflies solely utilized light to guide them in the dark. It seems that light is useful
for a lot of things. In addition to using it for general communication and to attract partners,
they may also use their light to fend off predators. Firefly mating patterns are severely
hampered by artificial light. Each year, fewer fireflies are born as a result of decreased mating.
Additionally, studies suggest that light pollution affects people negatively, leading to sleep loss,
headaches, and a host of other unpleasant health issues that you definitely don't want to
become
accustomed to.

Pakistan Being
One Of The
Hotspots For
Light Pollution

Karachi, the City of

Light, photographed
from space
Pakistan has the highest levels of air pollution worldwide. It is nearly hard to see even a few
stars at night due to haze generated by uncontrolled combustion of fossil fuels and the yearly
burning of dead crops. Sky light is visible in the summer while pollution is abundant in the
winter. How can Pakistanis take in the stars at night? If someone were to educate them, they
would take advantage of this chance to enjoy every bit of it as much as they are fully entitled to
and would do so. As the population grows, previously uninhabited lands have become home to
millions. I was surprised to notice that there was still sky glow when I recently travelled to the
northern part of Pakistan. I had expected to view the Milky Way galaxy at one of the major
regions where we were spending a day or two (such as Hunza or Skardu), but instead, there was
still some sky light. Even while it wasn't as bad as it was in Lahore, it did nevertheless interfere
with my ability to see the stars at night. This demonstrates that disruptions occur everywhere
there are many people present.
We are the root to all the issues and also the ones who can solve it. Light pollution is the only
type of main issue that can be solved in a short period of time. It just requires the union of all
the citizens so they can carry out some basic acts. These acts include:
1) Limit The Use Of Lighting Outside Your House
2) Take Difference Measures To Stop Light Trespass
3) Use Bulbs With Little To No Wavelengths

Anytime I pass a different house on my street, I notice that each one has extra lighting to make
their home appear inviting and lovely. This illumination is really aimed into the sky, allowing the
light cells to disperse all over the place. If I
were to employ a light like this, I would not
only modify the orientation by putting it on
top of the house and aiming it towards the
bottom (only reaching a specific region rather
than spreading all about), but I would also
choose a bulb with a warmer hue and a
shorter wavelength. This light isn't even necessary! Installing motion sensors outside to switch
on the light will help you conserve energy and take advantage of contemporary improvements.
Furthermore, we may petition the government to hold an Earth Day once or twice a year, which
is closely observed by the city's illiterate residents. This will give us a sense of what the sky
might look like if it were completely black. Maybe the entire vista of the horizon will persuade
people to continue this effort and not underestimate light pollution.
 Bortle Dark Sky Scale
This scale was created by John Bortle,
an amateur American astronomer, who
desired a technique to determine how
much artificial light was present in the
region and which areas were labelled as
dark sky and light polluted skies. The
scale runs from 1 to 10, with 1 being
the lowest and 10 being the highest.
Bortle levels in most polluted cities
exceed 6. (For example: Lahore has a
Bortle of 7 and Karachi has a Bortle of
Captured By Bryce R. Bradford 8-9). Only a few places on Earth have a
Bortle of 1, including Death Valley in Arizona and Grand Canyon National Park in Arizona, therefore
telling us that these places need to be protected. Many regions throughout the world are preserved
thanks to groups like the IDA (international deep sky association), which has safeguarded over 110,000
square kilometers of dark space and has expanded its influence to
51 countries. Their primary purpose is to ensure that the starry
night sky is appreciated and maintained across the world as a Bortle Scale
common legacy benefiting all living beings. You may help them by visiting their website and following
the instructions stated here.

Conclusion
The entire point of this post was to make you realize that by working together as a community, we can
protect our sky. You should attempt to study your surroundings and see if there is anything out of place
that you can quickly correct by talking. Remember that all of this must be done not just for this
generation, but also for the next.