Dark skies ‘ face new risk from rising light pollution’
VAST SWATHES of Yorkshire face a mounting threat to their sight of the stars, a dark skies consultant has warned, as he calls for a revolution over the damages of light pollution.
Richard Darn, an amateur astronomer who is supporting the region’s national parks in ambitions towards dark skies status, has spoken of the joys and wonders which can be witnessed in astonishing detail in some of the area’s more rural landscapes.
Tomorrow is to see the launch of the North York Moors’ first ever fringe festival, with observation evenings, stargazing and ‘‘ bubble’’ midnight walks, to celebrate its unfettered access to the skies. Yet even amid a rising appreciation of such experiences, Mr Darn warns, sight of the stars is waning for so many others with mounting light pollution.
“There has never been a time when there has been greater pleasure, but that great pleasure has come when we are almost suffering the greatest risk to the dark skies,” he said. “I’ve seen the quality of the sky deteriorate over the past 10 years. Many people don’t realise what a dark sky looks like – in Sheffield, you could be lucky to see a handful of stars.
“We are so lucky in our national parks that we have this access, but we have got to get out of the notion that it doesn’t matter in towns and cities,” he added. “We could all have a better environment if just stopped using light with abandon.”
An International Dark Sky Reserve is an area recognised for its exceptional quality of starry nights, with some of the world’s best known being in Snowdonia and the Brecon Beacons.
In both of Yorkshire’s national parks, from the North York Moors to the Yorkshire Dales, authorities have ambitions of se
curing such status, with the latter having submitted applications.
Access within the national parks is stunning and improving, Mr Darn said, but with advances in technology it is too easy for the nation to turn towards a greater quantity, rather than of greater quality ‘‘ friendly’’ lights.
Last year, a review of the national park system famously called for every schoolchild in England to “spend a night under the stars” to reignite a sense of wonder. Mr Darn, warning there is a “blind spot” when it comes to perceptions of light pollution, has called for a greater recognition of the changes that can be made in planning and personal use.
“People want to get out and to see the dark skies, see the Milky Way and feel that immersion with Mother Nature,” he said. “Older people realise what has been lost. The young have probably no concept of what is behind this fog of light.”