Light pollution
Light pollution affects us all; you don't need to be an astronomer to appreciate the beauty of the night sky. It also represents a waste of energy and money, especially using badly designed and installed domestic floodlights. Furthermore, lights shining into other people's windows may constitute a statutory nuisance.
"The night sky is part of our human inheritance. We are poorer without it." - Libby Purves
Light pollution..."It's looking down instead of up. It's 2 thirds of the global population, 5 billion people, unable to truly see the night sky. It's the indifferent blinking out of 200 billion stars."
Take a look at the following websites (click on the links)
Commission for Dark Skies
CPRE
Hidden costs of light pollution - video
October 23 2016. A recent skybeam display visible from Somerby was from three searchlights belonging to Planet Circus, which was located in Play Close in Melton Mowbray, 5 miles away. (A similar display was used during their recent visit to Leicester.)
I have contacted Melton Mowbray Town Estate, on whose land this display was based, as well as Melton Borough Council and the local MP Sir Alan Duncan, to point out that moving lights in the sky are a distraction to motorists. (In Circular 03/2007 of the TOWN AND COUNTRY PLANNING (CONTROL OF ADVERTISEMENTS) (ENGLAND) REGULATIONS 2007 paragraph 155 specifically mentions public safety issues with regard to the use of lasers, searchlights and beams of light for advertising, and that they should have express consent. Although this document has been replaced by these guidelines, the hazard to motorists still exists.)
In December 2017 Rutland County Council was responsible for a skybeam display at Oakham Council - in order to advertise the location of the Castle.
By the way, it's not just Leicestershire being affected by light pollution from Planet Circus, here is an article from The Scunthorpe Telegraph earlier in 2016.
In 2018 a couple of my neighbours started using bright outdoor lights which shone into our windows. After explaining that I didn't want lights shining into my windows they both redirected the lights so they were no longer causing a nuisance. Talking to the right people in the right manner can be the best course of action.
In my humble opinion, light pollution has got so bad because astronomers prefer to complain - endlessly - to each other about it rather than make representations to the people who actually cause it. If they don't know it's causing problems then why should they do anything to reduce it?
"The night sky is part of our human inheritance. We are poorer without it." - Libby Purves
Light pollution..."It's looking down instead of up. It's 2 thirds of the global population, 5 billion people, unable to truly see the night sky. It's the indifferent blinking out of 200 billion stars."
Take a look at the following websites (click on the links)
Commission for Dark Skies
CPRE
Hidden costs of light pollution - video
October 23 2016. A recent skybeam display visible from Somerby was from three searchlights belonging to Planet Circus, which was located in Play Close in Melton Mowbray, 5 miles away. (A similar display was used during their recent visit to Leicester.)
I have contacted Melton Mowbray Town Estate, on whose land this display was based, as well as Melton Borough Council and the local MP Sir Alan Duncan, to point out that moving lights in the sky are a distraction to motorists. (In Circular 03/2007 of the TOWN AND COUNTRY PLANNING (CONTROL OF ADVERTISEMENTS) (ENGLAND) REGULATIONS 2007 paragraph 155 specifically mentions public safety issues with regard to the use of lasers, searchlights and beams of light for advertising, and that they should have express consent. Although this document has been replaced by these guidelines, the hazard to motorists still exists.)
In December 2017 Rutland County Council was responsible for a skybeam display at Oakham Council - in order to advertise the location of the Castle.
By the way, it's not just Leicestershire being affected by light pollution from Planet Circus, here is an article from The Scunthorpe Telegraph earlier in 2016.
In 2018 a couple of my neighbours started using bright outdoor lights which shone into our windows. After explaining that I didn't want lights shining into my windows they both redirected the lights so they were no longer causing a nuisance. Talking to the right people in the right manner can be the best course of action.
In my humble opinion, light pollution has got so bad because astronomers prefer to complain - endlessly - to each other about it rather than make representations to the people who actually cause it. If they don't know it's causing problems then why should they do anything to reduce it?