Sky News - CA (2020-03 & 2020-04)

Losing stories written in the sky

Many of the stories of New Zealand’s Mori peoples —

who live in tribes, or “iwi” — are written in the stars.

Unfortunately, artiicial lights brightening the night skies

make it diicult for the Mori to pass this part of their

culture to younger generations.

his was just one stark example of the harm caused by

light pollution highlighted at the New Zealand Starlight

Conference from October 20 to 23, 2019.

Representing Canada, the Royal Astronomical Society of

Canada’s Robert Dick attended the conference, which was

held in the Lake Tekapo region and hosted by the Aoraki

Mackenzie International Dark Sky Reserve. Notably, the

host group received the International Dark-Sky Association

Dark Sky Place of the Year award for 2018.

Dick said RASC began focusing its attention on light

pollution in 1991, and members in some cities have been

working on the issue for over 40 years.

“he RASC has a lot to ofer the international community,”

he added, noting RASC made a presentation on the society’s

existing Guidelines for Outdoor Lighting, which were led

by Dick and developed and adopted over a decade ago.

Some of these RASC guidelines include only using illu-

mination where necessary, illuminating for as short a time

as possible, and reducing the amount of blue spectrum

present in the light. Studies cited in the guide show that

reducing light is associated with positive impacts on

human and animal health.

RASC met with municipal, regional and federal government

oicials to raise awareness of programs it manages

in Canada, and speciically the lighting guidelines.

“here was a growing consensus that a lighting guideline

was needed to protect the night environment,” Dick said.

he New Zealand conference drew more than 100 people

from 15 countries. he program listed about 50 presentations,

on topics ranging from ecology and human health to national

and international dark sky programs. A key theme was the

establishment of New Zealand — “Aotearoa” in Mori — as a

“Dark Sky Nation.” Attendees also called for dark sky reserve

accreditation plans for many places in New Zealand.

“New Zealand’s aspiration to become the irst Dark Sky

Nation is supported by national pride in protecting the

environment, which has large areas of unlit countryside

and a low population density,” Dick said, explaining that

the process would likely take a few years.

“hey have a grassroots strategy,” he continued. “he dark

sky reserves are not necessarily in parks, but large rural

areas. hey reach a local popular consensus, then approach

the governments for support. hen they apply for accredita-

tion from the International Dark-Sky Association.”

An extended version of this story is being published in the

Journal of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada. •

Matt Palmer/Shutterstock

SKYNEWS BRIEFS

SKYNEWS • MAR/APR 2020