What we do
Urban Night Sky Project
We are promoting a five step A list framework ... with visual aids
A is for Awareness
Understanding the problem, is the first thing to do. The causes and effects – the issues. To accept that there’s a certain urgency, to stop things getting worse. To be aware that there is some basic science, but it’s not rocket science. It’s most important to get over any inertia or blase dismissal of the issues; to not adopt an attitude of if we don’t know SAY NO. Let’s be more proactive, if we don’t know, HOW SO? FIND OUT. Be curious: ask why this is worth DOING something about. Then be a force for good, because there’s something wonderful to advocate about.
A is for Advocacy
There’s a good news story to be told once our awareness has been tweaked. Let’s talk about the benefits. How easy they are to action. Our creative response is all that’s needed – even when up against an entrenched mindset. Creating a captivating story that resonates with people, morphs into being active.
A is for Action
From simply chatting over the dinner table, to posting a brochure on the tea room notice board, to writing a story for an organisation newsletter, the methods for engagement are open ended. Short attention grabs might be the go. Taking it to the streets with a pop-up stand. Posts on social media. We can do this!
A is for Association
Actions taken in unison with others, builds confidence to speak up and to become a defender of the night sky. Family, friends, colleagues … we can work together, to build networks and momentum. To be part of a thinking globally while acting locally process is a proven method for getting results.
A is for Affiliation
Standing shoulder to shoulder with organisations and industry groups already across what’s required to preference best practice lighting principles, means we don’t have to reinvent the wheel. We can direct our time and effort into doing what works and produces positive results.
We are taking readings of the night sky
Light that's just right
Befriend the night sky
CERTIFY your home, business or workplace as DARK SKY SENSITIVE
with the Australasian Dark Sky Alliance (ADSA) and Dark Sky International (DSI).
It’s free and fun to do!
We take account of the bigger picture
Human health and wellbeing
How stargazing and looking to the night sky boosts mental health and wellbeing, by James Bullen for All in the Mind. ABC Health & Wellbeing, 11 August, 2024.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/health/2024-08-11/stargazing-and-mental-health-night-sky-can-boost-your-wellbeing/104177006
Darkness for Wellbeing, DSI
https://darksky.org/news/darkness-for-well-being/
The Human Values of Dark Skies: Light pollution as an emerging justice issue.
https://www.nespsustainable.edu.au/sites/default/files/documents/DarkSkies_Report_Final4_doi.pdf
Stargazing boosts mental health and wellbeing
https://www.instagram.com/abchealth/p/C-l7AE9TDdp/?img_index=1
Protecting Dark Sky Country:
For as long as we’ve been human, we’ve looked to the sky to find ourselves. Ever-increasing light pollution threatens not just our sense of identity, but our relationship with the whole biosphere, b
A story for children (and adults)
There Once Was a Sky Full of Stars, Bob Crelin
.. A bedtime story that celebrates the beauty of the stars and moon at night. Book reading, Virtual Storytime: McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center Join one of our museum educators as she reads the children’s book There Once Was a Sky Full of Stars by Bob Crelin, with illustrations by Amie Ziner.
! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1I3rZqoWUEA
Blinded by the Lights: The Impacts of Light Pollution, By Dr Catriona Nguyen-Robertson MRSV, Senior Editor, Science Victoria, 3 September, 2024 – In what should be the darkest hours of night, urban landscapes are increasingly illuminated. The stars, once clear and bright, are hidden amongst the glow of artificial light.
Blinded by the Lights: The Impacts of Light Pollution – The Royal Society of Victoria
Business, Energy efficiency and savings
Light pollution lingo – Credit ADSA
https://www.instagram.com/p/CgilsUUvGt4/?img_index=1
Light Pollution: How It Affects Your Business And The Environment, September 27, 2024.
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/light-pollution-how-affects-your-business-environment-lumenstream-vkwqe/
Light pollution wastes energy and money and damages the climate
https://darksky.org/resources/what-is-light-pollution/effects/energy-climate/
From Stargazers to Astronomers: The Importance of Dark Skies: 4 reasons why dark skies matter … A business perspective. https://www.rte-es.com/the-importance-of-dark-skies/
Wildlife health and wellbeing
“We are just now understanding the
nocturnality of many creatures… Not protecting the night will destroy the habitat of many animals.”
– Chad Moore, formerly of the
U.S. National Park Service.
Nocturnal pollinators go dark under street lamps, Nature https://www.nature.com › news
2 Aug 2017 — Plants illuminated by artificial lights see a drop in the number of insects that move pollen at night.
Dim the lights for pollinators and plants at night, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. https://www.fws.gov › story › dim-lights-pollinators-and…
31 July 2023 — The studies that have been conducted show artificial lighting can drastically affect the behavior of insects and pollinators.
Street light switch-off benefits night-time pollinators,University of York
https://www.york.ac.uk › news › research › street-light-… 21 Jan 2019 — Night-lighting disrupts nocturnal pollination by attracting moths upwards, away from the fields and hedgerows so they spend less time feeding …
Mitigating the impacts of street lighting on biodiversity and ecosystem functioning, Darren M Evans https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10613540/
From bats to moths, species working the night shift are suffering as light pollution soars, by Paul Hetherington. The Guardian, 21 Feb 2025.
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/feb/21/light-pollution-bright-nights-invertebrates-bats-moths
Birds rely on the stars for navigation:
Help Birds Migrate by Reducing Light Pollution
https://www.instagram.com/murryloub/p/CjdSWwkukqK/?img_index=1
8 ways to tone down the Christmas lights to help wildlife – and why we should, by Dr Loren Fardell, Research Fellow, University of Queensland.
https://stories.uq.edu.au/research/2023/8-ways-to-tone-down-christmas-lights-to-help-wildlife/index.html
We highlight guidelines and examples of action
Raising the awareness of local decision-makers and the general public about light pollution-related issues can contribute significantly to a general acceptance of (or even demand for) lighting policies and regulations. Effective policies and regulations come from an understanding of proper lighting design standards. These basic design standards can be described as a “three-legged stool” and form the basis for dark-sky-friendly lighting and policy decisions. Reference:
…The bottom line for planners and elected officials is what’s good for dark skies also saves money, by making sure light is used most efficiently—
including the most effective ways to improve public safety.”
– John Barentine, IDA Director of Public Policy
National
National Light Pollution Guidelines for Wildlife
https://www.dcceew.gov.au/environment/biodiversity/publications/national-light-pollution-guidelines-wildlife
Let’s switch off light pollution together
https://www.dcceew.gov.au/campaign/light-pollution
Light pollution – spot the difference. (An educational resource for teachers).
https://www.dcceew.gov.au/sites/default/files/env/pages/b1ac3828-be73-42a8-a9fc-b7241524341a/files/light-pollution-spot-difference.pdf
Dark Sky Planning – Guidance and Practices – An introduction for local leaders
https://cpdarkskies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/dark-sky-web-_2-7-2020-2.pdf
National Capital Authority – Outdoor Lighting Policy – Part Four: Environment and sustainability.
https://www.nca.gov.au/outdoor-lighting-policy-part-four-environment-and-sustainability#
State and Local
DarkSky Recognised Codes and Statutes guidelines
https://darksky.org/what-we-do/advancing-responsible-outdoor-lighting/darksky-recognized-codes-and-statutes/darksky-recognized-codes-and-statutes-guidelines/
Dark Sky Planning Guideline – NSW
https://www.planning.nsw.gov.au/sites/default/files/2023-03/dark-sky-planning-guideline.pdf
Eastern suburbs council darkens the night sky to reduce light pollution, by Andrew Taylor. SMH, February 28, 2021.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/eastern-suburbs-council-darkens-the-night-sky-to-reduce-light-pollution-20210226-p5766s.html
Outdoor lighting guideline – Factsheet
Clarence Valley Council
https://www.clarence.nsw.gov.au/files/assets/public/v/1/building-and-development/files/factsheets/factsheet_outdoor_lighting_guideline_april_2018.pdf
Household
“I want people to be able to see the wonder
of the night sky without the effects of light pollution. The universe is our view into our past
and our vision into the future. …
I want to help preserve its wonder.”
– Jennifer Barlow,
Founder of Dark Sky International
Dark Skies Start at Home, Dark Sky International – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RcSxNolSBH4
Teach children in our households the basics …
Light Pollution | Reasons and Effects | Video for Kids. 2 min 45 sec Animation
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5gYIeT6GrkA
Why we need to reconnect with the night sky, Angela Heathcote, Australian Geographic, 20 August 2018.
https://www.australiangeographic.com.au/topics/science-environment/2018/08/why-we-need-to-reconnect-with-the-night-sky/
Best Practice Lighting standards and examples of product suppliers
The Australasian Dark Sky Alliance (ADSA) has a register of suppliers that meet their Best Practice Lighting standards:
https://www.australasiandarkskyalliance.org/certified-luminaires
The ADSA luminaire approval process is divided into three categories. For details :
https://www.australasiandarkskyalliance.org/adsa-approved
The following companies have met the ADSA standards: Bega, ERCO Lighting, Intralux Australia, RZB Lighting, Selux, Thorlux Lighting Australasia and WE-EF.
Stramac Lighting is a distributor of dark sky compliant lighting that has partnered with ADSA to promote dark sky principles.
The Illuminating Engineers Society (IES) hosted an event in Newcastle: Preserving Our Dark Skies with guest speaker Marnie Ogg from ADSA. The business partner for this event was Stramac Lighting.
________
Bega is a dark sky advocate. The product range includes some wall light options that are relevant for the residential level project:
https://www.bega.com/en-au/products/solutions/dark-sky-luminaires/
________
We-ef is another producer of dark sky friendly lighting fixtures. In the Hunter / Central Coast / mid-north coast regions, these are supplied by Stramac lighting. Stramac, under the WE-EF brand has some good information resources (see the links below) and some products that can be installed in both commercial and residential projects:
https://wp.we-ef.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/DarkSky_Brochure_USA_2024.pdf
Residential and small business.
There is a big gap in the availability of products for the residential and small business sector.
Householders and small business owners wishing to purchase and install dark sky friendly products are limited in the range from which they can make a selection.
There is a huge opportunity for manufacturers to fill this void. To make available a range of shielded lighting fittings that meet ADSA standards, along with a marketing campaign supporting the reasons why this is good for people and the planet.
As light pollution increases, so to will community demand for rules and regulations. In the absence of self regulation by the lighting industry, to at least offer a selection of dark sky friendly lighting fixtures, providing choice where presently it is almost non-existent, is disappointing.
Leading by example would go a long way to building industry and brand trust. Leaving it to the not-for-profit community sector to advocate for responsible outdoor lights at night (ROLAN) is passing the buck and kicking the problem down the road for a subsequent generation to deal with.