Light pollution is a growing problem that is affecting communities around the world. The excessive and unnecessary use of artificial light is causing unwanted brightness and glare in the night sky, leading to a range of negative impacts on the environment. In this blog post, we will explore the reasons why we need to reduce light pollution and the benefits that it can bring to our communities.

Community Character

One of the primary reasons to reduce light pollution is that it can have a significant impact on the character of our communities. The night sky is a beautiful and awe-inspiring sight, and it has been an essential part of human culture for thousands of years. However, excessive artificial light can obscure the stars and constellations, robbing us of the opportunity to experience the wonder of a dark night sky. This is particularly true in urban and suburban areas, where the prevalence of streetlights, advertising lights, and other types of artificial illumination can create a permanent haze of light pollution.

Wildlife

Light pollution can also have a significant impact on wildlife. Many animals rely on natural darkness for survival, and the presence of excessive artificial light can disrupt their natural behavior patterns. For example, sea turtles rely on moonlight and starlight to navigate when they hatch and return to the ocean. However, bright artificial lights near the beach can disorient them, leading them to head in the wrong direction and die. Similarly, many species of birds use the stars to navigate during migration, and bright city lights can confuse and disorient them, causing them to collide with buildings.

Human Health

Another important reason to reduce light pollution is the impact that it can have on human health. Exposure to artificial light at night can disrupt our circadian rhythms, leading to a range of health problems such as sleep disorders, depression, and an increased risk of cancer. It can also create a sense of disorientation, as the constant presence of light can make it difficult for our brains to distinguish between day and night. This can be particularly problematic in urban areas, where bright lights can create a perpetual sense of daylight, even in the middle of the night.

Public Safety

Light pollution can also impact public safety. Bright lights can temporarily blind drivers and pedestrians, making it more difficult for them to navigate at night. In addition, the creation of dark shadows caused by bright lights can be used by criminals to hide and commit crimes. Reducing light pollution can, therefore, enhance public safety and make our communities more secure.

Wasted Energy

Finally, reducing light pollution is an important step in reducing our energy consumption and protecting the environment. Artificial light requires energy to produce, and much of this energy is wasted. This is because many lights are placed in areas where they are not needed, such as empty parking lots or unoccupied buildings. By reducing light pollution, we can reduce our energy consumption and help combat climate change.

In conclusion, light pollution is a growing problem that is affecting communities around the world. It can have a significant impact on community character, wildlife, human health, public safety, and energy consumption. Reducing light pollution is an important step that we can all take to protect our environment and enhance the quality of life for ourselves and future generations. Whether it is by using low-energy lighting, reducing the number of lights used in public areas, or simply turning off unnecessary lights, we can all play a role in reducing light pollution and creating a more sustainable and healthy future.

We have began efforts to save our night skies, thanks to the joined effort of the Community Foundation of Jackson Hole, the Teton Conservation District, 1% for the Tetons, the JH Travel and Tourism Board, Free Roaming Photography, the Teton Photography Group, the Jackson Hole Conservation Alliance, and many private donors we’re trying to help the Town of Jackson and Grand Teton National Park achieve Dark Sky Certification from the International Dark Sky Association. Learn more about our efforts here, and get involved if you can!

During the fall of 2017, Jackson was lucky enough to see a total solar eclipse. We were able to see a solar eclipse when the Moon was located directly in a straight line between the Sun and the Earth. an alignment is known as syzygy on August 21st, 2017. Here in Jackson the Moon blocked out the Sun’s light completely, leaving us in its dark shadow known as the umbra. The small area on the Earth that was inside the Umbra is known as the line of totality.

When the Moon completely covered the Sun here in Jackson, there was about two minutes and seventeen seconds of totality. The rest of North America was able to view a partial eclipse, this partial shadow is known as the penumbra. The total solar eclipse of 2017 was special for the folks living in the US because it was visible from the West Coast to the East Coast through 12 States. 

How to View an Eclipse

Even with the Sun partially covered by the Moon, it is still dangerous to look at directly. Looking directly at the sun during a solar eclipse can cause solar Retinopathy. In some cases the cells in the retina have been permanently damaged. Regular sunglasses are NOT adequate protection for viewing an eclipse. To view the sun you will need a special pair of glasses. These glasses will block out enough of the light to view the sun safely. Solar eclipse glasses are made with filters that block out more light, Regular sunglasses allow too much light to pass through.

There are some atmospheric changes that take place during a total solar eclipse that can be studied, such as temperature and associated wind speeds. There is some evidence that local weather has been changed by a total solar eclipse. Also, the Sun’s outer atmosphere, the corona, becomes visible to the unaided eye. Usually that part of the Sun’s atmosphere is obscured by the much brighter photosphere, which is the part of the Sun that we can see with our eyes. Even the most sophisticated instruments astronomers use today to study the corona, called coronagraphs, are unable to get a full view of the corona without the Moon’s assistance during a total solar eclipse.

When is the Next Solar Eclipse?

The next solar eclipse that will be visible from the United States will be October 14 2023. The next  total solar eclipse visible from the United States will be on April 4th 2024. This eclipse will be special because it will be the last time the line of totality passes over the united states until 2044. The line of totality will begin on the south pacific ocean and will pass over Mexico, United States and Canada. 

As we approach the upcoming solar eclipses we will announce any viewing events we might hold so please check back with us. You don’t have to wait for a special event to enjoy the night stars at night. We are always holding public and private stargazing tours. If you have any questions about what we do, comments or anything you’d like to share, please contact us. We want to hear from you!

Add viewing the universe to your list of things to do in Jackson hole. You’ll leave our programs with a new understanding of the Universe and a sense of how you are connected to the Cosmos.  We offer year-round Private Stargazing and Photography Tours at your convenience. Let us come to your private residence or bring you to a dark sky location within Grand Teton National Park. We’ll set up one of our large telescopes and entertain you and your guests by showing you all that the extraordinary night skies of Jackson Hole have to offer! You’ll get personal attention from our knowledgeable stargazing leaders, bringing the secrets of the universe closer to you and your guests.

Reasons Jackson hole is one of the best places for stargazing

High Elevation

The high elevation in Jackson Hole (6,500ft on the valley floor where we stargaze) means that you’re looking through much less atmosphere than at sea level. That makes the night sky that much clearer!

Big Telescopes

We’ll have a big telescope in use during our stargazing programs. That means we can collect a ton of light from distant objects, allowing you to be able to see galaxies millions of light years away!

Predictable Weather

The low humidity and predictable weather in Jackson Hole, especially in the summer, means that we have lots of clear night skies. We rarely have to cancel a stargazing program in the summer because of bad weather.

Dark Skies

Jackson Hole, the valley where the town of Jackson resides, is mostly protected, undeveloped public land. That means there is relatively little light pollution, allowing you to see thousands of stars on moonless nights, the arms of the Milky Way Galaxy and so much more.

Stargazing Leaders

Wyoming Stargazing employs knowledgeable and enthusiastic astronomy educators for our Stargazing Leaders. That means they not only have a huge amount of knowledge of the night sky, but are also very good at explaining the complicated details about what you are looking at.

The proceeds from our private stargazing programs allow us to offer inexpensive programming in public schools, to offer free public programs throughout our community, and to Save Our Night Skies. We strongly recommend booking your stargazing program at the beginning of your trip. That way if we need to reschedule because of bad weather we have a better opportunity to do so. We encourage you to contact us with any questions you may have

This year we are focusing our end of the year appeal on our JEDI in STEM Mentorship & Scholarship Program to get Opportunity Youth into STEM!

Last Thrusday Dr. Sam and Dr. Mike were invited to do a Virtual Stargazing Program with Astronomy Prof. Brian Keating and Tony Darnell of Deep Astronomy. We had a bit of technical diffuclties at the beginning, but we ended up having a great program over all. You can watch the entire program by clicking on the following YouTube link.

We’d also greatly appreciate it if you clicked here and subscribed to the Wyoming Stargazing YouTube Channel! Our goal is to have over 1,000 subscribers.