light pollution news stories on Newser

NYC Dims Lights for Migrating Birds

Emily Rauhala — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 08:33:00 CDT

The city that never sleeps will be a little less bright through Nov. 1, as buildings hit the lights to protect migrating birds. An estimated 90,000 birds die each year by slamming into buildings in NYC alone; turning lights off can reduce that number by 83%, according to one...

Explore Galaxy With New Google App

Jess Kilby — Mon, 11 May 2009 10:03:16 CDT

Budding astronomers will soon have a new cell-phone tool that spots the stars they’re looking for, the Telegraph reports. Google’s Star Droid helps stargazers navigate the night sky using GPS technology that cross-references the user’s position with existing space maps, and adds identifying tags to the heavenly bodies that can...

Town Bans Lights to Save Milky Way

Harry Kimball — Sun, 30 Nov 2008 05:33:00 CST

Stargazing is more than an idle pleasure on Mount Desert Island, Maine. It's also a tourist attraction protected by law. Voters on the island recently banned new outdoor lights that aim upwards and contribute to obstructing the island's rare view of the naked Milky Way. The goal is to draw...

Greenies Dim Bright Lights in Big City

Katherine Thompson — Sun, 02 Nov 2008 12:54:17 CST

A dimmer switch looms over Manhattan's bright nighttime skyline, as concerns over conservation and energy costs have prompted skyscraper owners to abandon the practice of blazing all lights at all hours. New York scores a 9 out of 9 on a light pollution scale, and legislators are considering official incentives...