Bring Back the Stars
During a summer camp out a few years ago, I woke up around three a.m. and stepped outside the tent. I was in awe at the appearance of the night sky. It had been a long time since I had seen the sky look like that. Living near the city, most artificial light blocks us from viewing the sky. It is unfortunate that we find ourselves so disconnected from the heavens. I’ve often thought that there are probably people living in cities who have never seen the Milky Way on a dark night.
Today, my brother Jason sent me this article which told the story of such an incident:
“When the Northridge earthquake knocked out power in Los Angeles in 1994, numerous calls came into emergency centers and even the Griffith Observatory from people who had poured into the streets in the predawn hours. They had looked into the dark sky to see what some anxiously described as a “giant silvery cloud” over the shaken city.
Not to worry, they were assured. It was merely the Milky Way…“
The article mainly highlights some technology in lighting which minimizes the upward glare from outdoor city lighting, making the night sky a little bit brighter. Maybe someday we’ll figure out that night isn’t so bad, and we’ll just turn out the lights.
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