As you may know, light pollution is an ever-increasing problem as urban areas continue to grow across the world. More and more people now grow up in or near areas where stars are all but invisible, and don’t know what it is like to see more than a couple of stars in the night sky.
Light pollution occurs when there are enough artificial light sources in an area to drown out the light that comes in from outside our atmosphere. Not only does it fade out the celestial objects in our night sky, but also wastes energy, impedes scientific research, disrupts ecosystems, and even damages our health.
Globe at Night is an international citizen science campaign to raise awareness of light pollution’s impact, and anyone, from anywhere in the world, can be involved in their citizen science program. Using a computer or smartphone, you can become a citizen scientist and measure the night sky brightness and submit your observations.
Globe at Night’s campaign is a great opportunity for eVscope users to discuss our Challenges of the Week with friends and family who may not have eVscopes. Together, anyone can contribute to citizen science and raise awareness for the preservation of our dark skies.
Citizen scientists from 180 countries over the last 14 years have contributed over 200,000 measurements, making Globe at Night the most successful light pollution awareness campaign!
Be sure to check out Globe at Night’s citizen science campaign and their interactive map with the last 14 years of data!