Light Pollution/Observing Sites

Every year and across the world, thousands of fledglings of different petrel species crash into human structures because they are disorientated by artificial lights during their first flights. As this phenomenon is rather predictable, rescue campaigns are organized to help birds to reach the ocean, but unfortunately, a low proportion gets hurt or dies. Despite the huge number of affected individuals, and the fact that the problem was detected a long time ago, little is known on this source of mortality. We have studied the factors (i.e. body condition, plumage development, fledging date and sex) influencing the mortality of Cory's Shearwater Calonectris diomedea fledglings stranded inland due to light pollution in Tenerife (Canary Islands) during two consecutive breeding seasons (2009 and 2010). Late fledglings showed lower values of a body condition index than early ones. No sex biases were detected, neither considering stranded birds overall, nor for recovery dates or in the body condition of rescued fledglings. Our results indicate that late birds stranded by lights showing abundant down are more susceptible to fatal collisions and that the lights do not selectively kill birds with lower body condition indices. An enhancement of veterinary care should be done during the last part of the fledging period when more fatal collisions occur, especially focused on fledglings with abundant down. More research to determine why some individuals end up disoriented around artificial lights and others do not is urgently needed to minimize or prevent fallouts. bs_bs_banner Animal Conservation. Print

La nuit n’est pas un espace-temps inexploré par le géographe [Deleuil, 1994 ; Fiori, 2000 ; Mosser et Devars, 2000 ; Paquot, 2000 ; Gwiazdzinski, 2002, 2005 ; Mos- ser, 2003, 2005, 2007 ; Mallet, 2009], mais il reste jeune et nécessite donc d’être observé, afin d’être cerné, dans une globalité parfois déroutante, mais souvent sti- mulante. Si la nuit, et plus spécifiquement la nuit urbaine, a effectivement été ap- préhendée par le chercheur, il s’agit souvent – encore aujourd’hui – d’analyser comment cet espace-temps peut être optimisé dans ses différents usages, notamment par la lumière artificielle qui les accompagne. Prenant le contre-pied de ces démarches, nous proposons ici de montrer le renversement qui s’opère actuelle- ment quant aux considérations de cette lumière artificielle, la faisant passer du statut quasi-exclusif de progrès technologique à celui d’une source de gêne, de nuisance, voire même de pollution.

Light pollution is one of the most rapidly increasing types of environmental degradation. Its levels have been growing exponentially over the natural nocturnal lighting levels provided by starlight and moonlight. To limit this pollution several effective practices have been defined: the use of shielding on lighting fixture to prevent direct upward light, particularly at low angles above the horizon; no over lighting, i.e. avoid using higher lighting levels than strictly needed for the task, constraining illumination to the area where it is needed and the time it will be used. Nevertheless, even after the best control of the light distribution is reached and when the proper quantity of light is used, some upward light emission remains, due to reflections from the lit surfaces and atmospheric scatter. The environmental impact of this "residual light pollution", cannot be neglected and should be limited too. Here we propose a new way to limit the effects of this residual light pollution on wildlife, human health and stellar visibility. We performed analysis of the spectra of common types of lamps for external use, including the new LEDs. We evaluated their emissions relative to the spectral response functions of human eye photoreceptors, in the photopic, scotopic and the ‘meltopic’ melatonin suppressing bands. We found that the amount of pollution is strongly dependent on the spectral characteristics of the lamps, with the more environmentally friendly lamps being low pressure sodium, followed by high pressure sodium. Most polluting are the lamps with a strong blue emission, like Metal Halide and white LEDs. Migration from the now widely used sodium lamps to white lamps (MH and LEDs) would produce an increase of pollution in the scotopic and melatonin suppression bands of more than five times the present levels, supposing the same photopic installed flux. This increase will exacerbate known and possible unknown effects of light pollution on human health, environment and on visual perception of the Universe by humans. We present quantitative criteria to evaluate the lamps based on their spectral emissions and we suggest regulatory limits for future lighting.► This work presents a new additional way to limit light pollution effects. ► We summarize light pollution consequences on health, environment and astronomy. ► We summarize the technical prescription to limit light pollution. ► We found that a limit to the short wavelength blue light should be implemented. ► New white LEDs pollute the blue part of the spectrum and should be regulated.

This paper aims to derive a design framework for dovetailing darkness and light while planning outdoor spaces using the concept of pragmatic utopia. Pragmatic utopia is a sustainable design movement characterized by an inclusive outlook towards ecologically, economically, and socially sustainable design. Ideological concepts of pragmatic utopian lighting design derived from literature are presented via their criteria for expanding sustainable lighting. Values of darkness derived from literature are presented via their spatial characteristics and temporal outlook. These ideological lighting concepts are then systematically matched with the darkness values to develop a dark-light design framework that can be used as a guidance tool for analysing and designing outdoor spaces with darkness and light. The applicability of this framework is tested by analysing three popular outdoor lighting projects that have addressed critical issues such as biodiversity protection, darkness preservation, heritage conservation, and social interaction as case studies. The objective is to use this framework for improving the ecological, economical, and socio-cultural fabric of outdoor spaces with carefully planned darkness and lighting.

Light pollution has become the principal barrier to the night sky. Its documented growth charts a seemingly inexorable decline in simple, direct access to most astronomical phenomena. We tend to think of this as a problem of our time, possibly emerging as far back as the immediate post-World War II years. Is this true? When does an awareness that light pollution could be a problem for astronomy arise in the consciousness of the amateur community, as exemplified by the Royal
Astronomical Society of Canada (RASC)?

The extent and intensity of artificial night lighting has increased with urban development worldwide. The resulting light pollution is responsible for mortality among many Procellariiformes species which show nocturnal activity on their breeding grounds. Here, we report light-induced mortality of Procellariiformes during a 9-year study (1998)(1999)(2000)(2001)(2002)(2003)(2004)(2005)(2006) on Tenerife, the largest island of the Canary archipelago. A total of 9880 birds from nine species were found grounded, the majority being Cory's Shearwaters Calonectris diomedea (93.4%). For this species the majority of grounded birds were fledglings (96.4%), which fall apparently while leaving their nesting colony for the first time; for the smaller species (storm-petrels) adult birds were more often grounded than fledglings. For almost all species, grounding showed a seasonal pattern linked with their breeding cycle. Certain phases of the moon influenced grounding of Cory's Shearwater, with the extent of grounding being reduced during phases of full moon. The percentage of fledglings attracted to lights in relation to the fledglings produced annually varied between species and years (0-1.3% for the Madeiran Storm-petrel Oceanodroma castro; 41-71% for Cory's Shearwater). Mean adult mortality rates also varied between species (from 0.4% for the European Storm-petrel Hydrobates pelagicus and the Cory's Shearwater, to 2.3% for the Manx Shearwater Puffinus puffinus). Here we show that light-induced mortality rates are of concern, at least for petrels and small shearwaters. Thanks to efforts involving civil cooperation, 95% of grounded birds have been returned to the wild. To minimize the impact of artificial lights on petrels we recommend several conservation measures: continuing rescue campaigns, alteration of light signatures and reduction of light emissions during the fledging peaks. Furthermore, we recommend that a monitoring program for petrel populations be implemented, as well as further studies to assess the fate of released fledglings and continued research to address why petrels are attracted to lights.

We extend the method introduced by Cinzano et al. (2000a) to map the artificial sky brightness in large territories from DMSP satellite data, in order to map the naked eye star visibility and telescopic limiting magnitudes. For these purposes we take into account the altitude of each land area from GTOPO30 world elevation data, the natural sky brightness in the chosen sky direction, based on Garstang modelling, the eye capability with naked eye or a telescope, based on the Schaefer (1990) and Garstang (2000b) approach, and the stellar extinction in the visual photometric band. For near zenith sky directions we also take into account screening by terrain elevation. Maps of naked eye star visibility and telescopic limiting magnitudes are useful to quantify the capability of the population to perceive our Universe, to evaluate the future evolution, to make cross correlations with statistical parameters and to recognize areas where astronomical observations or popularisation can still acceptably be made. We present, as an application, maps of naked eye star visibility and total sky brightness in V band in Europe at the zenith with a resolution of approximately 1 km.

It was concluded that light pollution in Malta is a serious problem not just for shearwaters but also in terms of emissions and quality of life. However, simple, relatively inexpensive and practical solutions were identified to deal with these issues. Implementing these will however require focus and funding and may be most efficiently tackled through a project based approach.

Résumé : Cet article explique la naissance d’un problème environnemental, la pollution lumineuse, appréhendé comme une controverse sociotechnique. Sur une quarantaine d’années, en appui sur la démarche de l’acteur réseau, il retrace les conditions de son émergence, de sa transformation et de sa diffusion aux échelles locales, nationales et transnationales, traversant différents champs professionnels et disciplinaires. Sa mise à l’agenda politique débouche sur des décisions institutionnelles qui peinent à le saisir dans toutes ses dimensions sociale, scientifique et spatiale. La dissémination spatiale de la controverse dans les zonages et le processus de normalisation apparaît alors comme une réponse régulatrice partielle et segmentée à ce problème.

Abstract: Our paper explains the birth of an environmental problem, i.e. light pollution, viewed as a socio-technical controversy. Supported by the actor-network approach, it traces over forty years the conditions of its emergence, transformation and dissemination to local, national and transnational levels and through various professional disciplines. Schematically, “environmentalists” uphold a holistic approach of “nocturnality” and define artificial light as a pollutant. Facing them, the “technicist” defends a segmented approach and defines artificial light as a nuisance. The introduction of this controversy into the political agenda leads to institutional decisions that grasp with difficulty all its social, scientific and spatial dimensions. The spatial spread of the controversy in the zoning and standardization process appears as a partial and segmented regulatory response to this problem.

We investigate the effect of light pollution as the important considerations that limits the quality of the sky brightness for the astronomical purpose. Selected sites that covered: Klang, Selangor, Merlimau Melaka, Ipoh, Perak ad Kuala Lipis, Pahang, Malaysia have been chosen in order to investigate the visual estimation magnitude for observing visible stars. The results also based on Bortle scale theory provides glimpses of potential quality of night sky quality that is currently lost in most urban area in Malaysia. From the results, Kuala Lipis, Pahang is the best candidate site for astronomical purpose with the range of magnitude from 20.3 till 21.5 magnitudes per arc second. Some recommendation for a better solution will also be discussed.

Light pollution is one of the most rapidly increasing types of environmental degradation. Its levels have been growing exponentially over the natural nocturnal lighting levels provided by starlight and moonlight. To limit this pollution several effective practices have been defined: the use of shielding on lighting fixture to prevent direct upward light, particularly at low angles above the horizon; no over lighting, i.e. avoid using higher lighting levels than strictly needed for the task, constraining illumination to the area where it is needed and the time it will be used. Nevertheless, even after the best control of the light distribution is reached and when the proper quantity of light is used, some upward light emission remains, due to reflections from the lit surfaces and atmospheric scatter. The environmental impact of this "residual light pollution", cannot be neglected and should be limited too. Here we propose a new way to limit the effects of this residual light pollution on wildlife, human health and stellar visibility. We performed analysis of the spectra of common types of lamps for external use, including the new LEDs. We evaluated their emissions relative to the spectral response functions of human eye photoreceptors, in the photopic, scotopic and the 'meltopic' melatonin suppressing bands. We found that the amount of pollution is strongly dependent on the spectral characteristics of the lamps, with the more environmentally friendly lamps being low pressure sodium, followed by high pressure sodium. Most polluting are the lamps with a strong blue emission, like Metal Halide and white LEDs. Migration from the now widely used sodium lamps to white lamps (MH and LEDs) would produce an increase of pollution in the scotopic and melatonin suppression bands of more than five times the present levels, supposing the same photopic installed flux. This increase will exacerbate known and possible unknown effects of light pollution on human health, environment and on visual perception of the Universe by humans. We present quantitative criteria to evaluate the lamps based on their spectral emissions and we suggest regulatory limits for future lighting.

We extend the method introduced by Cinzano et al. (2000a) to map the artificial sky brightness in large territories from DMSP satellite data, in order to map the naked eye star visibility and telescopic limiting magnitudes. For these purposes we take into account the altitude of each land area from GTOPO30 world elevation data, the natural sky brightness in the chosen sky direction, based on Garstang modelling, the eye capability with naked eye or a telescope, based on the Schaefer (1990) and Garstang (2000b) approach, and the stellar extinction in the visual photometric band. For near zenith sky directions we also take into account screening by terrain elevation. Maps of naked eye star visibility and telescopic limiting magnitudes are useful to quantify the capability of the population to perceive our Universe, to evaluate the future evolution, to make cross correlations with statistical parameters and to recognize areas where astronomical observations or popularisation can still acceptably be made. We present, as an application, maps of naked eye star visibility and total sky brightness in V band in Europe at the zenith with a resolution of approximately 1 km.

We present the first World Atlas of the zenith artificial night sky brightness at sea level. Based on radiance-calibrated high-resolution DMSP satellite data and on accurate modelling of light propagation in the atmosphere, it provides a nearly global picture of how mankind is proceeding to envelop itself in a luminous fog. Comparing the Atlas with the United States Department of Energy (DOE) population density data base, we determined the fraction of population who are living under a sky of given brightness. About two-thirds of the World population and 99 per cent of the population in the United States (excluding Alaska and Hawaii) and European Union live in areas where the night sky is above the threshold set for polluted status. Assuming average eye functionality, about one-fifth of the World population, more than two-thirds of the United States population and more than one half of the European Union population have already lost naked eye visibility of the Milky Way. Finally, about one-tenth of the World population, more than 40 per cent of the United States population and one sixth of the European Union population no longer view the heavens with the eye adapted to night vision, because of the sky brightness.

Résumé : Notre société occidentale entretient une relation complexe avec la nuit, espace-temps protégé des cadences diurnes qui favorise la réflexion, l’imaginaire, la création, l’écoute et le rapprochement de l’autre, tout en révélant la ségrégation, la peur, et donc la restriction. Nous mettons en regard de l’éclairage urbain des pays développés – véritable projet lumière porteur d’une symbolique forte – les coûts socioculturels, écologiques et sanitaires engendrés par la lumière artificielle. Une caractérisation de ces différents impacts de la lumière artificielle nocturne à l’aide d’outils conceptuels de l’économie de l’environnement permet de définir comme réelles pollutions les dé- gradations écologiques et sanitaires, et comme nuisance la diminution – voire la perte – de l’accessibilité au ciel étoilé. Nous montrons comment le bien environnemental « ciel étoilé » a été saisi par les astronomes pour porter un projet positif intégrant dé- sormais l’environnement nocturne dans son ensemble : « Sauver la nuit ». Des opposi- tions à ce projet ont jalonné son histoire, mais les nécessaires économies d’énergie et les contraintes budgétaires des collectivités territoriales amènent désormais les acteurs locaux à reconsidérer avec plus d’intérêt les différentes propositions faites par les as- sociations de « protection du ciel et de l’environnement nocturnes ». Mais la difficile efficience des mécanismes de marchandage dans le cadre du « théorème de Coase » nous amène à soutenir que la protection de ces biens publics purs, non appropriables et non marchandisables, doit être prise en charge par la puissance publique.

Mots-clés : nuit, éclairage public, lumière urbaine, empreinte lumineuse, nuisances et pollutions lumineuses, gouvernance des territoires.

Abstract: Our Western society has a complex relationship with night, the period of time which is protected from diurnal rhythms and which both facilitates thought, reflection, the imagination, creativity, listening to others and coming together while, at the same time, reveals segregation, fear and hence restriction. We consider urban lighting in developed countries – a real project with a strong symbolic value - in relation to the socio-cultural, ecological and health costs of artificial light. Describing the different impacts of artificial nocturnal light with the help of concepts drawn from environmen- tal economics makes it possible to see damage to health and the environment as well as the reduction - and even the loss - of accessibility to the starry sky as significant sources of pollution. We show how the starry sky, considered as environmental prop- erty, has been seized on by astronomers in their promotion of “Save the night”, a sub- stantial project which now concerns the nocturnal environment in general. From its inception, the project has met with opposition, but the essential energy-saving measures and budget restrictions of communities have brought about an increased lo- cal interest in the different propositions put forward by associations for the “protec- tion of the nocturnal sky and environment”. The questionable efficiency of the “Coase Theorem” bargaining mechanisms, however, leads us to maintain that the protection of this totally public property, which can be neither appropriated nor marketed, must be the responsibility of public authorities.

Keywords: night, public lighting, urban lighting, light footprint, light pollution, terri- torial governance.

Artificial Light At Night (ALAN), causing light pollution (LP), is not a matter restricted to astronomy anymore. Light is part of modern societies and, as a consequence, the natural cycle day-night (bright-dark) has been interrupted to a large segment of the world population. There is increasing evidence that exposure to light at night of certain type and beyond certain levels may cause hazardous effects to human beings and to the environment. The concept of “dark skies reserves” is a step forward in order to preserve the night sky and a means of increasing the public awareness to the problem of the spread of light pollution worldwide. We assessed the skyglow in two sites in Portugal, the Peneda-Gerês National Park (PNPG) and the region now known as Dark Sky® Alqueva Reserve. The latter site was classified as a “Starlight Tourism Destination“ by the Starlight Foundation (the first in the world to achieve this classification) following a series of night sky measurements in situ described in this communication. Our measurements at the PNPG also contributed to the new set of regulations concerning light pollution at this National Park. Here we present the first in situ systematic measurements of the night sky brightness, showing that at the two sites the skies are mostly in the 3rd to 4th levels of the Bortle nine-levels scale (level 1 being the best achievable). We find that the sources of light pollution and skyglow can be assigned mostly to contamination from nearby urban regions.

Résumé : L’appel « Sauvons la nuit ! » résume à lui seul tout l’enjeu d’une perception émergente de la lumière artificielle comme objet de dommages. Lancé en 1995 par des acteurs issus pour l’essentiel des milieux de l’astronomie amateur et professionnelle cherchant à alerter les citoyens et les décideurs sur une nouvelle nuisance, cet appel est désormais relayé par les écologues et les médecins sous la forme d’un nouveau champ de savoir scientifique relatif aux effets et impacts écologiques et sanitaires de la lumière artificielle. Les savoirs – qu’ils soient vernaculaires ou scientifiques, « profanes » ou « experts » – ainsi développés ne vont cependant pas sans susciter, depuis plusieurs années, de vifs conflits entre ces nouveaux acteurs et d’autres, plus institutionnels et historiquement bien ancrés dans le paysage national et international de l’éclairagisme. Nous montrons ici comment, cognitivement, a été construit le problème des nuisances et pollutions lumineuses, et comment les dissonances d’échelles entre les référents – culturels, territoriaux – des acteurs continuent à sous-tendre la conflictualité dérivant des usages contradictoires de la nuit. Mais des modes de participation émergent, qui ne sont pas sans effet, tant sur la fabrique de la décision en matière d’éclairage que sur les acteurs eux-mêmes. Évolutions de la manière de dire, évolution du savoir, du savoir-faire, effets sur les processus décisionnels, mais aussi – surtout – évolution culturelle mettant en exergue la positivité de la nuit.

Mots-clés : Nuit, lumière artificielle, nuisances lumineuses, pollutions lumineuses, territoires, jeu d’acteurs, gouvernance des territoires, conflits d’usage, participation.

Abstract: The call to "Save the night!" sums up the whole issue of an emerging perception of artificial light seen as a source of damage. Launched in 1995, essentially by actors from the astronomical community, both amateur and professional, seeking to alert citizens and policymakers to a new form of pollution, this appeal has since been taken up by ecologists and doctors with the development of a new field of scientific knowledge concerning the effects and impact of artificial light on the environment and health. However, the resulting knowledge - be it informal or scientific, non-specialized or expert – has for several years now given rise to heated conflicts between these new actors and others, more institutional and historically well rooted, both nationally and internationally, in the domain of lighting. We show here how, cognitively, the problem of light pollution was built up, and how the divergence in scale between the actors’ points of reference – cultural and territorial – remains the basis of a conflict arising from contradictory uses of night. But emerging patterns of participation are having some effect, both on decision-making in lighting as well as on the actors themselves. Thus we can note changes in discourse and in the evolution of knowledge and of skills, effects on decision-making processes, but also – most importantly – a cultural evolution highlighting the positivity of night.

Keywords: Night, artificial light, light pollution, territories, actors’ interactions, territorial governance, use conflicts, participation.

Durant la période nocturne, la lumière constitue l’un des marqueurs principaux de l’activité humaine, activité avérée (éclairage festif, éclairage événementiel, etc.) ou activité possible (éclairage fonctionnel et permanent de voies de circulation, éclai- rage sécuritaire des zones commerciales, éclairage de bâtiments de bureaux vides). Si elle est indispensable à certaines fonctions, la lumière n’en est pas moins altératrice de la nuit, du noir, des moments nocturnes (au sens astronomique du terme) bref, d’une ressource naturelle commune.

La nuit, qui nécessite – ou permet, selon les cas – l’usage de lumière artificielle pour la plupart des activités, est une ressource en accès libre pour l’Homme. ressource qui n’a aucune valeur de marché (comme l’air par exemple) et que tout un chacun peut exploiter avec pour seuls coûts apparents, ceux des infrastructures déployées et ceux de l’énergie électrique nécessaire à la production de lumière. Ne sont que très rarement considérés les coûts environnementaux, sociaux ou sanitaires de cette perte du noir, ce qui entraine souvent une surestimation des bénéfices que l’on peut tirer de l’éclairage artificiel nocturne en termes de mise en valeur du patrimoine, d’image de marque de la ville, de vie sociale nocturne, de facilité de déplacements, ou de sécurité par exemple. Les décisions en matière d’éclairage public sont donc prises au regard des bénéfices qui en seront tirés et des coûts directement supportés par les décideurs, sans tenir compte des coûts sociaux, culturels, sanitaires et environnementaux qui seront supportés par la société et l’écosystème dans son ensemble. Cette logique n’est pas sans rappeler la « tragédie des biens communs », menant à une surexploitation des ressources en accès libre.

Au moment où, pour la première fois dans l’histoire de l’éclairage urbain, se posent chez beaucoup de concepteurs!lumière les questions de surintensité des flux lumineux, de réduction des niveaux d’éclairement pour ne pas transformer la nuit en milieu urbain en un jour permanent, il convient de mener une réflexion multidisciplinaire approfondie pour arriver à concilier les fonctions consensuelles de l’éclairage public avec une certaine « sauvegarde » du noir, du nocturne comme ressource culturelle, sociale, sanitaire et comme biotope. Cette prise en considération de tous les coûts de la lumière artificielle doit passer avant tout par une nouvelle vision de l’éclairage public, avant de s’appliquer à tous les types d’éclairage que l’on trouve dans la ville nocturne. L’arrivée de nouveaux acteurs, comme les associations dites « de défense du ciel nocturne », dans les processus de concertations préalables à toute nouvelle installation d’éclairage public force les acteurs de l’aménagement du territoire à se pencher sur la problématique de la pollution lumineuse.

La réflexion ici menée se propose donc tout d’abord de présenter, au vue des connaissances actuelles, les différentes facettes de la problématique de la pollution lumineuse, puis de montrer comment, dans la pratique, une concertation et une réflexion interdisciplinaire entre les acteurs locaux intéressés de près ou de loin par la lumière pourraient amener à prendre en considération de façon plus systématique cette problématique dans la mise en place d’un nouvel éclairage public.

Light pollution is the by-product of anthropogenic activities result from the increases in advanced economic and urbanization. Light pollution limits the ability to view the night sky by astronomers, on biodiversity, and ecosystems. This technology nowadays has led us to increase the convenient method to observe the brightness of night sky to determine how much the night sky polluted by artificial light. The study used SQM device and monitored the sky brightness of the KUSZA Observatory in Merang, Setiu, Terengganu, Malaysia. The results obtained were used to compare with the results obtained by simulation data generated from Earth Observation Group (EOG) of National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), National Geophysical Data Center. It is the first world atlas of the artificial night sky brightness using GIS Interpolation tools. The result showed that the Kusza Observatory Merang is still appropriate to be the place of observation of celestial objects to either optical or radio astronomers. Hence, we recommended that through the data obtained from Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP) satellites, the value of sky brightness from all over the world can be used to make further analysis and to increase the precision of data recorded through observations. This study provides a clear view mapping of the accessing the sky condition using Geographic Information System (GIS) analysis in the study area.

Light pollution has been proposed as a factor in
the decline of Lampyris noctiluca because it has the
potential to interfere with reproductive signaling and has
been shown to impact the ability of males to locate light
lures in a suburban environment. To compare and test the
replicability of this effect in a natural setting and population,
imitation females were set out under light polluted
and control conditions at varying light pollution intensities
in an undisturbed British chalk grassland. Very low levels
of light pollution were found to interfere with phototaxis:
no males were attracted at either 0.3 or 0.18 lux background
lighting versus 33 males collected at paired dark
controls. These background illumination levels are much
lower than that of 1.5 lux which is recommended by local
city councils in Britain to light footpaths. A survey of
female L. noctiluca numbers and distribution showed a
trend towards female clumping that was not statistically
significant. We also found no evidence of light interfering
with female signaling behavior.

Quebecers are among the worst light polluters in the world, producing 2 to 3 times more light than Americans or Europeans. Nevertheless, there is hope of losing this infamous title in the near future. Recently, there was a large increase in awareness both from the public and policy makers and action is now taken to preserve the dark sky elsewhere in Quebec. A Dark-Sky Preserve is now being put in place around Mont Mégantic Observatory. With a radius of 50 km, it will be will be, once completed, one of the largest in North America. In addition, the city of Sherbrooke is putting in place its own dark-sky policy to complement the protection provide by the preserve. These efforts are expected to stop the growth of light pollution at Mont Mégantic, which has doubled in the last 25 years. Even the cities of Montréal and Québec are taking action against the light pollution. This is a good example of how a few dedicated persons can change perceptions and fight efficiently against light pollution.

We present a portable automatic instrument for monitoring night sky brightness and atmospherical transparency in astronomical photometrical bands. Main requirements were: fast and automatic coverage of the entire sky, lightness, transportability and quick set-up in order to take measurements from more sites in the same night, easily available commercial components and software to be reproduced by any interested institution, included amateurs astronomers groups.

We present a project to map the artificial sky brightness in Europe in the main astronomical photometrical bands with a resolution better than 3 km. The aim is to understand the state of night sky pollution in Europe, to quantify the present situation and to allow future monitoring of trends. The artificial sky brightness in each site at a given position on the sky is obtained by the integration of the contributions produced by every surface area in the surroundings of the site. Each contribution is computed taking in account the propagation in the atmosphere of the upward light flux emitted by the area and measured from DMSP satellites. The project is a long term study in which we plan to take in account successively of many different details in order to improve the maps. We present, as a preliminary result, a map of the V-band artificial sky brightness in Italy in 1998 and we compare it with the map obtained 27 years earlier by Bertiau, Treanor and De Graeve. Predictions for the a...

The artificial sky brightness in each site at a given position on the sky is obtained by integration of the contributions produced by every surface area in the surroundings of the site. Each contribution is computed taking into account based on detailed models the propagation in the atmosphere of the upward light flux emitted by the area and measured by the Operational Linescan System of DMSP satellites. The modelling technique, introduced and developed by Garstang and also applied by Cinzano, takes into account the extinction along light paths, a double scattering of light from atmospheric molecules and aerosols, Earth curvature and allows to associate the predictions to the aerosol content of the atmosphere.

We have determined the B-band and V-band sky brightness over Cerro Tololo during the years 1988 to 2001 using CCD images obtained with the CTIO 0.9-m and 1.5-m telescopes. CCD observations have the potential of being much more accurate than single channel photometry of the ...

I review recent progresses toward a second world atlas of the night-sky brightness. Almost all main steps have been or are being improved. I present up-to-date Extended Garstang Models (EGM), which provide a more general numerical solution for the radiative transfer problem applied to the propagation of light pollution in atmosphere. I present the LPTRAN software package, an application of EGM to DMSP-OLS radiance measurements and to digital elevation data, which provides an up-to-date method to predict the artificial brightness distribution of the night sky at any site in the World at any visible wavelength for a broad range of atmospheric situations and the artificial radiation density in atmosphere across the territory. I present new primary indicators, including a specific indicator for popularization purposes: the number of visible stars in a clean night. I introduce the tomography of light pollution, an analysis technique based on the capability of LPTRAN to collect radiation density and scattered flux density on a 3D grid. I also review the other main preliminary results of the efforts of the world atlas team to improve methods of validation of map predictions with Earthbased measurements, to obtain night sky brightness measurements independent from atmospheric conditions and time, to solve primary issues of photometry and radiometry of light pollution and to carry out new observational campaigns. I finally shortly review progresses in satellite data analysis toward an improved knowledge of the upward emission function and the growth of light pollution with time. I divided the presentation in four parts, each of which presents my results or reviews subprojects carried on by different grouping of team members.

We present a project to map the artificial sky brightness in Europe in the main astronomical photometrical bands with a resolution better than 3 km. The aim is to understand the state of night sky pollution in Europe, to quantify the present situation and to allow future monitoring of trends. The artificial sky brightness in each site at a given position on the sky is obtained by the integration of the contributions produced by every surface area in the surroundings of the site. Each contribution is computed taking in account the propagation in the atmosphere of the upward light flux emitted by the area and measured from DMSP satellites. The project is a long term study in which we plan to take in account successively of many different details in order to improve the maps. We present, as a preliminary result, a map of the V-band artificial sky brightness in Italy in 1998 and we compare it with the map obtained 27 years earlier by Bertiau, Treanor and De Graeve. Predictions for the a...

Quebecers are among the worst light polluters in the world, producing 2-3 times more light than Americans or Europeans. Nevertheless, there is hope of loosing this infamous title in the near future. Recently, there was a large increase in awareness both from the public and policy makers. A Dark sky preserve is now being put in place around Mont Mégantic Observatory. With a radius of 50 km, it will be will be, once completed, one of the largest in North America. In addition, the city of Sherbrooke is putting in place its own dark sky policy. These efforts are expected to stop the grow of light pollution, which has doubled in the last 25 years. Even the city of Montreal is taking action against the light pollution. Quebec City will do the same in the near future. This is a good example of how a few dedicated persons can change perceptions and fight efficiently against light pollution.

Light pollution is widely recognised as being a major threat to seabirds and nocturnal migrant species. This report examines its effect on seabirds and other fauna firstly in an international context and then at the local Maltese level. Using the LIFE project site of Rdum ...

Straßenbeleuchtung wirkt sich auf verschiedenen Wegen auf die Umwelt aus: Sie verbraucht nicht nur Energie und beeinflusst damit die Klimabilanz einer Kommune; sondern trägt darüber hinaus erheblich zum Problem der Lichtverschmutzung bei, welches wiederum mit einer Vielzahl an negativen Folgen verbunden ist. Vor diesem Hintergrund streben die Oberharzer Kommunen Braunlage und Clausthal-Zellerfeld die energetische und ökologische Optimierung ihrer Beleuchtung an. Als erster Schritt in Richtung einer lichttechnischen Neuausrichtung erfolgte im Jahr 2018 eine Geokartierung der existierenden Beleuchtung sowie eine Erfassung aller für die Beplanung relevanten Beleuchtungsparameter durch Studierende der Hochschule Harz.