Photographs taken of our planet in 2012 revealed a disturbing reality. [See the August 2021 post, Memories of Dark Skies.] In them, it’s possible to see that a large portion of Earth’s populated areas are blinded to the night sky by perpetual lights − lights inside and outside homes and businesses, lights on billboards, lights to illuminate highways, and the list goes on.
– WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF THERE WAS NO NIGHT? –
In addition to the negative effect constant light would have on animals and plant life, what if light pollution on Earth becomes so extensive that most people are never able to look up and see the stars? It’s becoming an increasing possibility.
Isaac Asimov’s 1941 science fiction short story, Nightfall, which he and author, Robert Silverberg, adapted into a novel in 1990, is rather fitting for our time. The setting is a planet that has six suns, so the people are not familiar with nighttime and lack of light. But every two thousand years the planet experiences a total solar eclipse and is plunged into darkness for a time. The event causes people to go mad as the planet’s scientists work to avert a disaster. Nightfall is considered classic science fiction – it's well worth reading.
While the 2012 photographs of Earth are concerning, the results of a study published in 2016 by an international team of scientists in the journal, Science Advances, are even more alarming. The findings revealed that over 80% of the world’s population live under light-polluted skies, 99% of the populations in just the U.S. and Europe live under polluted skies, and more than one-third of the world’s population cannot see the Milky Way. (DarkSky.org)
The findings in this study are troubling. Imagine never having actual night, but an artificial twilight where stargazing is reduced to viewing a few of the planets, the moon, and only a few hundred very bright stars that now appear dim due to light pollution.
– SEARCHING FOR THE DARKNESS –
It's been quite a few years since I've been anywhere dark enough to see the stars very well. The last time I tried to plan a trip to do that was in January 2020 (yes, that year). I talked with my son, Michael, to see if he would be interested in renting a place for a week in a location where we could actually look up and see the Milky Way again. He was all for it.
Adirondack Park in New York was the first place that came to mind. It’s as large as the state of Vermont, covering one-fifth of New York State. But given our time constraints, its distance from Indiana was prohibitive.
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| The large black area with the red arrow is Adirondack Park in New York State, a designated dark skies park. |
Then I found an announcement that the Dr. T. K. Lawless County Park in Cass County, Michigan had been designated an International Dark Sky Park by the International Dark-Sky Association. That was great news because it’s only 25 miles away from my home. However, the park isn't open on weekends. Since it would be a late night on a weekday, we decided this wasn't an option either.
The eastern horizon at Dr. T. K. Lawless County Park, Cass County, Michigan.
Finally, we settled on northern Michigan. Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lake Shore is an easy five-hour drive north from South Bend. My children and I stayed in the area many times over the years, so Michael and I knew the view of the stars would be breathtaking. The vastness of the sky is mesmerizing, serene, and almost overwhelming.
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| Explore dark skies at Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lake Shore in Michigan. (Photo credit: National Park Service) |
In early February, we reserved a place in mid-July near Glen Lake, Michigan. We would be close to Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lake Shore so we could take advantage of its water activities and dark sky designation. We were both excited about what we would be experiencing there and being able to share it with my grandchildren.
Then, on March 11, 2020, the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a pandemic. By early April we began to think we would have to cancel our trip. But the rental agency extended all cancellation dates for another thirty days, so we waited. The pandemic continued to worsen, with new cases and deaths on the rise in many cities and states; we canceled the first week of May.
At the end of June, after a decline in new COVID-19 cases, Governor Gretchen Whitmer started reopening Michigan with extreme caution, still leaving many restrictions in place. Beaches were open at Sleeping Bear Dunes, but the Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive there was closed, along with the various museums. There was no ferry service to the Manitou Islands. Then new cases started rising again in many states, including Michigan. The Grand Traverse County Health Department started posting lists of locations that were potential COVID-19 exposure sites. Michael and I decided we wouldn’t be comfortable traveling anywhere that summer.
– A WAITING GAME –
Plan B was to take advantage of the Dr. T. K. Lawless County Park in the fall, accompanied by as many of my children and grandchildren as I could gather. We waited to see what would happen. We had no idea how life would change over the next three years. In the meantime, I made the most of what I could see of the night sky from my own yard. It wasn't a particularly satisfying experience.
In August 2023, the pandemic was behind us. I scheduled a trip to see my siblings in Chautauqua County, New York where I grew up. I still hadn't made a designated dark skies trip, but because the county is largely rural I knew I would be able to see the Milky Way and a sky full of stars.
One night my brother, Chris, and I were sitting outside next to the fire pit which now contained only embers. Suddenly, we saw a bright light moving across the sky. It clearly wasn't a meteor or a plane. Then I remembered reading about how Starlink satellites are launched. I told Chris about it, and within a couple of minutes, the rest of the satellite train came trailing along. It was quite something to see.
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| SpaceX usually launches 50-60 Starlink satellites at the same time. The satellites stay in a low Earth orbit (LEO) for a few days before climbing to their final orbital height of about 342 miles. This photo was taken by The Aurora Chasers on September 2, 2022, about 150 miles from Fairbanks, Alaska with the glow of the aurora borealis as a backdrop. (Space.com) |
– FINAL THOUGHTS –
Do you want a quiet but awe-inspiring experience? Go outside and do a little stargazing. Find somewhere as far away from city lights as possible. Turn off your devices; give your eyes at least fifteen to twenty minutes to adjust to the darkness. You’ll be amazed at what you can see in the sky.
Then pause and consider the vastness of the universe, contemplate the incomprehensible distances between Earth and the stars, and think about how incredibly small we are compared to the galaxies. And, if you’re able to see the Milky Way, realize that you are actually looking at an arm of our spiral galaxy. Amazing!
Finally, consider ways to contribute to the effort of reducing light pollution and preserving the darkness so future generations will be able to experience the magnificence of the night sky. It can be as simple as turning off unnecessary lights in and outside of your home, keeping your blinds or curtains closed at night, or switching to LED bulbs to eliminate harsh and harmful blue light.
Here’s to clear and unpolluted skies.
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North Bar Beach,
Empire, Michigan near Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. (Photo by
@puremichigan)
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– SOME DARK SKY PARKS AND OBSERVATORIES –
New York: https://www.iloveny.com/blog/post/dark-sky-destinations-and-planetariums/
In Chautauqua County: https://www.iloveny.com/listing/martz-kohl-observatory/2714/
Ohio: https://www.geaugaparkdistrict.org/park/observatory-park/
Pennsylvania: http://www.observingsites.com/ds_pa.htm
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– DIG A LITTLE DEEPER –
Read the International Dark Sky Places Conservation Program guidelines to learn what your community can do to preserve the night sky in your area. Go to https://www.darksky.org/our-work/conservation/idsp/.
- This beautiful, three-minute video with no narration illustrates the importance of preserving the night:
- Learn what to look for when choosing LED bulbs at
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Bradish-Scott Family History - February 2025
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