International Dark Sky Week

It's International Dark Sky Week. What lights are you going to turn off?

International Dark Sky Week was established in 2003 by high school student Jennifer Barlow in order to raise awareness about the effects of light pollution and light trespass on views of the night sky. Light trespass is the kind of light that spills out across the boundaries of the area in means to illuminate. 

Now, 12 years later, a lot of individuals and associations have jumped on board to honor International Dark Sky Week, including the International Dark Sky Association at www.darksky.org.  At their website, the IDA has a week's worth of themes focusing on ways each us of us can become better dark sky advocates, wherever we are. These themes include: Why light pollution matters; its effect on habitat; the consequences of artificial light in human health; and how to create safe nighttime environments through appropriate outdoor lighting. The list is extensive and well-resourced, so you can get involved that way, or you can turn off the lights and step outside to see what the night sky has to offer this week.

Looking to the west shortly after sunset, our evening star, brilliant Venus, is positioned near the star cluster of the Pleiades, in the constellation Taurus the Bull. High and to the south is the planet Jupiter near the large constellation Leo, the Lion. 

Venus and Jupiter are moving closer to one another throughout the season, and in early summer they'll be positioned in a tight circle with the heart star Regulus in the constellation Leo. 

During International Dark Sky Week, it's a really good time to get yourself acquainted with what's going on overhead, and then watch it throughout the season.