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Dark and Quiet Skies for Science and Society On-line Workshop Dark and Quiet Skies for Science and Society Report and recommendations Cover picture: Jupiter and Saturn photographed over the “Tre Cime di Lavaredo” (The three peaks of La- varedo), a famous dolomitic group. The picture symbolically joins two UNESCO World Heritage items, the terrestrial Dolomites and the celestial starry sky. Courtesy of Giorgia Hofer, Photographer Dark and Quiet Skies for Science and Society «Zwei Dinge erfüllen das Gemüt mit immer neuer und zuneh- mender Bewunderung und Ehrfurcht, je öfter und anhaltender sich das Nachdenken damit beschäftigt: Der bestirnte Himmel über mir, und das moralische Gesetz in mir.» I. Kant - Kritik der praktischen Vernunft «Two things fill the mind with ever new and increasing admira- tion and awe, the more often and longer the reflection occupies itself with it: the starry sky above me, and the moral law within me.» I. Kant - Critique of Practical Reason Dark and Quiet Skies for Science and Society Table of Contents About the Authors .....................................................................................................7 1. Introduction ........................................................................................................12 2. Executive summary .............................................................................................14 2.1. General executive summary ............................................................................... 14 2.2. Dark Sky Oases executive summary ................................................................... 16 2.3. Optical Astronomy executive summary ............................................................. 19 2.4. Bio-Environment executive summary ................................................................. 24 2.5. Satellite constellations executive summary ....................................................... 28 2.6. Radio Astronomy executive summary ................................................................ 35 3. Dark Sky Oases Report ........................................................................................41 3.1. What is light pollution? ......................................................................................... 41 3.3. Measuring the brightness of the night sky ........................................................... 42 3.4. What is a Dark Sky Oasis? .................................................................................... 45 3.5. The value of Dark Sky Oases ................................................................................ 49 3.6. Impacts of light pollution on the visibility of stars ............................................... 52 3.7. The International Dark-Sky Association and designation of International Dark Sky Places .................................................................................................... 53 3.8. The Starlight Foundation: the commitment to the Declaration in Defence of the Night Sky and the Right to Starlight (La Palma Declaration). .................. 56 3.9. Lamp technologies and their contribution to light pollution ............................... 59 3.10. Local, Regional and National Regulations .......................................................... 62 3.11. Recommendations to COPUOS .......................................................................... 63 4. Optical Astronomy Report ....................................................................................67 4.1 Introduction .......................................................................................................... 67 4.3 The effect of artificial skyglow on astronomical observations .......................... 70 4.4 Instrumentation and techniques for measuring night-sky brightness at astronomical observatories and trends with time ............................................... 71 4.5 Limiting the growth of urban light domes impacting professional observatories .................................................................................. 74 4.6 Model regulations to protect dark skies in the immediate areas around professional observatories ..................................................................... 82 4.7 Special cases ........................................................................................................ 86 4.8 Incentives for compliance .................................................................................... 86 5. Bio-environment Report .......................................................................................92 5.1 Introduction ............................................................................................................ 92 5.2. Effects of Artificial Light at Night on human health ........................................... 92 5.3. Effects of Artificial Light at Night on flora and fauna ....................................... 102 4 Dark and Quiet Skies for Science and Society 5.4. Geographical and territorial impacts of light pollution ...................................... 109 5.5. Recommendations .............................................................................................. 111 5.6 Disclaimer ............................................................................................................ 117 6. Satellite Constellation Report ............................................................................120 6.1 Simulation ............................................................................................................ 120 6.2. Observations ....................................................................................................... 136 6.3. Mitigations .......................................................................................................... 143 6.4. Recommendations .............................................................................................. 150 7. Radio Astronomy Report ....................................................................................160 7.1 Radio astronomy as a discipline ......................................................................... 160 7.2 Regulation of use of radio spectrum .................................................................. 165 7.3 Spectrum protection for radio astronomy ........................................................... 168 7.4 Risks to radio astronomy ..................................................................................... 174 7.5 The way forward and two recommendations regarding non-GSO satellites ...... 181 8. Appendices .......................................................................................................184 Appendix A. Dark Sky Oases ..................................................................................184 A1. Dark Sky Oasis Classification Scheme ............................................................... 184 A2. Traditional and modern lamp types used in outdoor installations ..................... 186 A3. Astro-tourism ....................................................................................................... 187 Appendix B. History of light pollution impacts on astronomy.............................................................................................................191 B.1. History of the impact on the field of astronomy: nineteenth century urban observatories and their fate in the twentieth century electric light era............. 191 B.2. History of the impact on the field of astronomy: The search for dark observatory sites away from light pollution of cities and on remote mountain tops .................................................................................................... 192 B.3. The effect of artificial skyglow on astronomical observations ......................... 193 B.4. Instrumentation and techniques for measuring night sky brightness and sky background in astronomical observatories and trends with time .............. 194 B.5 Overview of CIE publications and works on lighting recommendations and obtrusive light .............................................................................................. 202 B.6. Challenges of relating safety to nighttime lighting ........................................... 207 Appendix C - Bio-environment ...............................................................................208 C.1. The excessive and improper use of colorful and dynamic lighting ................... 208 C.2. Summary of research methods and the applied artificial light at night regime ................................................................................................................. 209 C.3 Minority Viewpoints ............................................................................................. 212 Appendix D. Satellite Constellations .....................................................................216 D.1 Technical details on the simulations ................................................................. 216 Dark and Quiet Skies for Science and Society 5 D.2. Technical details of Observations ...................................................................... 220 9. References ........................................................................................................248 9.1 Dark Sky Oases References ................................................................................. 248 9.2 Optical Astronomy References ........................................................................... 252 9.3 Bio-environment References..............................................................................
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