A North Yorkshire village may become a stargazing hotspot soon as it will start dimming lights to enhance night sky visibility.
Hawnby: First "Dark Skies" Village in England
The Daily Mail reports that officials from the North York Moors National Park have revealed their plans to make Hawnby the first "Dark Skies" village in England.
This project entails that streetlights and outdoor lighting will be dimmed to help counter light pollution and make the Milky Way more visible. These lights include ones stationed in public areas and on individual properties.
According to the Telegraph, the project will see over a hundred lights on 30 properties changed. The village hall and local pub will also have different lights installed.
The Yorkshire Dales National Park, which is nearby, will also see the funding of three businesses for the light switch. These businesses include the Station Inn and a hotel.
According to Mike Hawtin, the North York Moors National Park's Dark Skies Officer, a study has revealed that, globally, people see fewer stars directly because of the skyglow that artificial lighting causes.
Hawtin states that they aim to demonstrate how easy it is for communities to adapt a similar approach as Hawnby and help protect the dark skies.
There are other areas across Scotland and Wales that have switched their lights in order for the villages and towns to become "dark sky friendly." However, they think that Hawnby will be the first to go a step further by switching external building lights and streetlights when the project is finished.
Preventing light nuisances could be as simple as changing the floodlight angle to make sure that rays do not get wasted by casting a strong glare in a dark alley.
According to the North York Moors, this Dark Skies project will also decrease energy consumption levels and bills. It may also reduce the carbon footprint in the village.
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Light Pollution
According to the Daily Mail, artificial light that has become obtrusive, wasteful, and excessive is considered light pollution. It directly impacts the brightness of the night sky.
With over nine million streetlights and 27 million factories, homes, offices, and warehouses across the UK, huge amounts of light get cast into the sky. Though some of the light escapes right into space, the rest gets scattered by atmospheric molecules. This leads to a glow that makes it hard to spot stars in the vast night sky.
This project will enable visitors and locals to get a better glimpse of the Milky Way, which may look like a band of stars. Stargazers may also be able to observe meteors, planets, and even the Northern Lights.
Effects of Light Pollution
As per the Daily Mail, research has also revealed how light pollution affects people's circadian rhythms. This internal body clock has been associated with cancer, weight issues, and depression.
Light pollution also impacts wildlife to some extent. There are even experts who say that light pollution could be fostering an insect apocalypse of some sort, as lighting fixtures fatally lure beetles and moths and make it easier for predators to find other insects.
The phenomenon could also affect marine life's lunar compass and pigeon and magpie sleeping patterns.
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