For thousands of years, people from every part of the world have been studying the stars. Ancient Egyptians and Babylonians to notable astronomers like Galileo and Carl Sagan have looked to the stars to try and understand our place in the universe and how it all works. As the world’s oldest science, astronomy has captivated the minds of many. The hundreds of objects that have been seen in the night sky since ancient times, like planets, stars, and galaxies, have given people the foundation to research and learn. Today’s Astronomers would not know as much as they do without the study of these objects. But with light pollution increasing at a rate twice as fast as the world’s population, dimmer objects are vanishing from our view and studying astronomy, as an amateur or professional, is getting harder.

Sitting up in the International Space Station, astronauts get to look out over the Earth to find a dazzling view of towns and cities twinkling in the night. Images, like this one from NASA, showcase the towns and cities where people live. This image and others like it look beautiful, but they are actually a result of light pollution. All of the light that is shines toward the sky from billboards, security lighting, and other sources not only creates skyglow, but also wastes billions of dollars in energy every year.

Happy first day of our International Dark Sky Week virtual celebration! The McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center is using this week to bring awareness to light pollution and the various effects that it has on humans and the natural world. Each day of this week we will be uploading a new blog post with different activities, story times, or infographics that explore a different aspect of light pollution. Some of the topics we will be covering include impact on natural ecosystems, health and safety, and astronomical research. Join us on social media and on our website all week long to learn more about light pollution and ways that we can all help to make a difference.

From stars and meteor showers to fireflies and owls, the night is full of awe-inspiring sights. Depending on where you live though, enjoying these sights can be hard due to light pollution. Follow along April 5 - 12 as we virtually celebrate International Dark Sky Week with videos, blog posts, and activities you can do at home. Each day we will be exploring a different aspect of light pollution and how we can all make a difference to protect the night.