Light Pollution Trend Will Bring Starless Nights in 20 Years, Experts Say

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Starless nights in 20 years are predicted due to light pollution trend.

In 20 years, starless nights are predicted due to an ongoing rise in light pollution trend, according to experts.

Worsening Trend in Light Pollution

The British astronomer Royal Martin Rees noted in an interview that light pollution levels have rapidly gotten worse over the past few years, particularly after 2016 when astronomers discovered that the Milky Way was not visible to a third of humanity. He claimed that the night sky is currently becoming dramatically brighter due to the growing usage of LED lighting and other types of illumination.

According to Rees, just as it would be if they had never seen a bird's nest, it would be a great loss if the following generation never got to see the night sky.

Rees pointed out that caring about this matter does not require being an astronomer, just as being concerned about not having songbirds in his garden does not require him to be an ornithologist, as per The Guardian. 

Separately, Christopher Kyba of the German Centre for Geosciences claimed that children now will only be able to see 100 stars (out of 250 stars that are currently visible in the night sky) by the time they become 18 years old.

According to Kyba, what was once commonplace is now incredibly rare. A few generations ago, humans would have encountered this glittering image of the cosmos regularly. That is no longer experienced by anyone but some of the world's poorest people. It's very much gone for everyone else.

The German scientist also claimed that modifying lightning may result in significant improvements. As part of these precautions, outdoor lights should be shielded, pointed downward, and their brightness should be kept to a minimum. Additionally, lights should be primarily blue-white with some red and orange components.

Kyba emphasized that such measurements would have a significant effect.

Also Read: Earthshine: Earth Illuminates Moon with Ghostly Da Vinci Glow 

Starved of Red Light

Robert Fosbury, a professor at University College London (UCL) asserted that red or near-infrared light is completely absent from the bluish emissions of LEDs. Communities are running out of red and infrared light, according to Fosbury, and this has major ramifications.

Human bodies respond to reddish light by stimulating various physiological processes, such as those that break down high blood sugar levels or increase melatonin production. That portion of the spectrum has been eliminated from artificial light with the advent of fluorescent lighting followed by LEDs, and according to Fosbury, this is contributing to the current waves of obesity as well as rises in diabetes diagnoses, NDTV reports.

Experts have also highlighted that light pollution disrupts migratory birds and sea turtles, which rely on moonlight for navigation. They added that longer nights provide a cover for criminal behavior and other risks to people.

Although many insects are attracted to light, artificial lights can have a lethal attraction. All species that depend on insects for sustenance or pollination are badly impacted by declining insect populations. Some predators take advantage of this attraction, changing the food chain in unexpected ways, according to International Dark Sky Association.

Related Article: 6 Astronomical Delights for Skywatchers, March 2023