National Dark-Sky Week
Participation
Two girls exchange a high-wattage light bulb for a low-wattage light bulb to reduce stray light.
The key to the success of National Dark-Sky week is participation. The more people that turn out their lights, the less light pollution there will be. How can you help? First and foremost, turn out your outdoor lights during the week. Also, encourage friends and neighbors to participate as well. It is difficult to see the benefits of turning out your porch lights when the neighbor’s lights are blinding you. This is also very important because the lights off at one house will not make a difference. Many people must participate. Finally, find out if there are any star parties or events at a local observatory during the week and attend them with friends or family. If there are no events in your area, you can start one or you can simply dust off the old telescope from the attic and enjoy the best show the universe has to offer from your own backyard. Also, now is a great time to look into purchasing dark-sky friendly lighting. Please visit Night Sky Friendly Outdoor Lighting from Starry Night Lights.
Important note about safety: Do not turn off lights that are necessary for public safety such as busy parking lots or busy walk ways. Hopefully they will eventually be the proper kind of lighting, but whether they are or not they are important for avoiding accidents. When stargazing, carry a red-tinted flashlight so that you can see where you are going without losing your night vision. Also, it is best to go in groups when stargazing in a dark area.
Want to do something more? Contact Jennifer Barlow, the founder of the event, if you want flyers to distribute, need ideas for spreading the word in your area, or if you have any ideas that might help raise awareness about National Dark-Sky Week.