✦THE DISTANT SUNOBSERVATORY

PROTECTING THE VIEW · PROTECTING THE NIGHT

Let the night
stay night.

Dark skies make room for discovery.
Thoughtful lighting helps keep them within reach.

Explore the light-pollution map ↓

WHAT IS LIGHT POLLUTION?

Light that goes
beyond its purpose.

Artificial light is useful. Problems arise when it is too bright, poorly directed or left on where it is not needed.

Skyglow brightens the sky as artificial light scatters in the atmosphere. Glare is excessive brightness that makes seeing uncomfortable. Light trespass is light spilling onto neighbouring property or into unwanted spaces.

For an observatory in Northern Ontario, protecting darkness starts nearby—with the lights on a building, along a driveway and at the edge of a property.

WHY DARKNESS MATTERS

More than a view of the stars.

01 / ASTRONOMY

A quieter sky

A brighter sky reduces the contrast of faint galaxies and nebulae. Fewer stars become visible, and astrophotography becomes more challenging. A larger telescope cannot replace a naturally dark sky.

02 / WILDLIFE

Natural rhythms

Many species use natural light and darkness to navigate, feed and time their activity. Artificial light can disorient migrating birds and alter the behaviour of nocturnal animals. Effects depend on the species and setting.

03 / OUR SURROUNDINGS

Light with care

Unnecessary lighting uses energy and can spill into neighbouring homes and habitats. Reducing glare and directing light onto the task can make outdoor spaces more comfortable while preserving the night.

EXPLORE YOUR SURROUNDINGS

How dark is
your sky?

Explore David Lorenz’s interactive Light Pollution Atlas.

Search or navigate to a region, then compare the pattern of artificial sky brightness around towns and rural areas. Use the map’s legend and information to interpret its colours.

Open the Light Pollution Atlas

SMALL CHANGES, A BETTER NIGHT

Five ways to light thoughtfully.

Adapted in our own words from the responsible-lighting principles developed by DarkSky International and the Illuminating Engineering Society.

  1. Give every light a purpose.

    Decide whether lighting is needed and what task it serves.

  2. Aim it where it belongs.

    Use shielding and careful placement to keep light on the intended area.

  3. Use only enough.

    Avoid unnecessary brightness. Consider how pale surfaces and snow reflect light.

  4. Choose when it is on.

    Use timers, suitable motion sensors and dimming to limit lighting to the times it is needed.

  5. Keep the colour warm.

    Prefer warm-coloured light and limit blue-violet output, alongside shielding, low brightness and controls.

Explore the five lighting principles ↗

CONTINUE EXPLORING

Resources for a darker sky.

Return to the observatory ←