ISSUE # 92 | 2014 • $2.50 nightscape A PUBLICATION OF THE INTERNATIONAL DARK-SKY AssOCIATION IN THIS ISSUE 2 The IDA Smart Urban Lighting Initiative 4 A Tale of Four Cities: Taking Lighting Research to the People 7 A New Year’s Resolution 8 IDA News 8 New Partnership with Celestron 9 IDA Welcomes Four New IDSPlaces 11 IDSP Program: What’s New and On the Horizon 14 IDA Québec Celebrates 10 Years! 14 Malibu Community Alliance Funraiser 15 Musgave Becomes IDA Ambassador 16 National Coverage Increases Public Awareness 17 IDA 2014 Annual General Meeting 17 New and Returning Board Members for 2014 18 Contract at Pepperdine University 19 Chapter News 20 Dark Sky News 20 Remembering Joe Orr 20 The Loss of Night App in 11 Languages 21 Dates Set for 2014 Globe at Night Program 21 ALAN Held in Berlin 22 IDA 2013 Annual Report © WWW.PETERCOX.IE From the Executive Director The mission of the International Dark-Sky Association (IDA) is to preserve and protect the nighttime environment and our heri- tage of dark skies through environmentally responsible outdoor lighting. IDA was incorporated in 1988 as a tax-exempt Dear Members, 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. (FIN 74-2493011) The last year was a good year, but 2014 is shaping up to be even better. Thanks to our success with the Florida sea turtle habitat restoration project, CHAPTERS we will be able to make real progress on several important projects this year. Australia, Österreich/Austria, Canada (2), First is the Save Our Stars (SOS) outreach program. We will be signing up República de Chile/Chile, as many groups as we can for a spring launch. The program is designed to Cˇ eská Republika/Czech Republic, engage the public in night sky outreach events within a short drive of urban 中国/China(4), India, Éire/Ireland, /Israel, Ελλάςα/Greece, areas. Volunteers will briefly talk about light pollution and demonstrate com- 香港/Hong Kong, Magyarország/Hungary, mon sense ways that everyone can use to reduce wasted light. Italia/Italy, 日本/Japan, The SOS outreach program utilizes our short film “Losing the Dark” to pro- Repubblika ta’ Malta/Malta, vide a general overview, followed by hands-on activities such as a “live” light Slovenija/Slovenia, Schweiz/Switzerland, shielding demonstration and night sky brightness monitoring using the Dark Sverige/Sweden, United States (36) Sky Meter and Losing the Night free smartphone apps. Attendees will then enjoy AFFILIATES the rest of the evening stargazing with telescopes provided by SOS volunteers. België/Belgium, Canada, Deutschland/Germany, If you and your astronomy club or community group would like to partici- France, Nederland/Netherlands, Polska/Poland, United Kingdom, Türkiye/Turkey, pate in this exciting new program, please contact SOS Program Manager John United States (8) Barentine at [email protected]. Participating clubs will receive discounted IDA memberships and volunteers will get some great gear. BOARD OF DIRECTORS Speaking of volunteers, do you have time to devote to making the night OFFICERS sky better in your community? We want to energize and strengthen our IDA PRESIDENT James Dougherty VICE PRESIDENT J. Kelly Beatty chapter program and we’d love your help. IDA chapters do important work SECRETARY Connie Walker in their communities and are integral to the success of IDA’s mission. Check TREASURER Christian K. Monrad out our Resources page on the IDA website to find a chapter near you. If no IDA chapter exists in your area, why not start one! Simply fill out an IDA DIRECTORS AT LARGE chapter application form. To help support chapter volunteers and dark sky James R. Benya Dr. Tim Hunter advocates, we will be holding several webinars this year to hear your ideas Christoper Kyba and provide training in areas such as how to advocate for lighting ordinances Nels Neutwiler and working with public officials. Contact Scott Kardel at [email protected] Martin Morgan-Taylor Dr. Mario Motta for more information. Scott Roberts Another initiative we are launching this year is the Smart Urban Lighting Leo Smith program. It is designed to help cities make the transition to new lighting tech- IDA STAFF nologies without degrading the night sky. While many new fixtures are more EDITOR Cheryl Ann Bishop energy efficient than older technologies, too often city planners ignore ways WRITERS IDA Staff to save considerably more energy such as reducing illumination levels, imple- EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Robert Parks menting lighting curfews and only lighting areas that need it. We must reach MANAGING DIRECTOR Scott Kardel out to every city before they make tragic mistakes that could harm night skies MEMBERSHIP DIRECTOR Susan Ciarniello TECHNICAL ADVISOR Matthew Root for years to come. (See page 2 to learn more about the SUL initiative.) COMMUNICATIONS & The IDA 2013 Annual Report begins on page 22 in this issue of Nightscape. PUBLIC AFFAIRS DIRECTOR Cheryl Ann Bishop It has been an exciting and rewarding year for us. Thank you for being part of PROGRAM MANAGER John C. Barentine it and, as always, we are grateful for your support. NIGHTSCAPE All the best, Address corrections: [email protected] Advertisements & submissions: [email protected] Nightscape, a publication of the Bob Parks, Executive Director International Dark-Sky Association, is published quarterly. CONTACT International Dark-Sky Association 3223 N. First Ave., Tucson, AZ 85719 USA Image of night sky and Orion constellation over Skellig Islands taken from tel +1-520-293-3198 On the Cover fax +1-520-293-3192 the Kerry International Dark Sky Reserve in Ireland. Image captured by website www.darksky.org Peter Cox, an award-winning landscape photographer from Dublin, Ireland. email [email protected] To see more of his work, visit www.petercox.ie. For more information contact: [email protected] 1 PHOTO CREDIT: BOB PARKS The IDA Smart Urban Lighting Initiative by Bob Parks he International Dark-Sky with older high intensity discharge Association Smart Urban The principles of technology. Trying to use this new T Lighting (SUL) initiative is being technology with old design practices designed to help cities and communities the SUL initiative will result in missed opportunities to install outdoor lighting that maximizes save at least twice the energy possible energy efficiency by reducing waste are simple: light from just the efficiency improvement from over lighting, unwarranted light- between the two lighting technologies. ing, uplight, glare and light trespass. only what is Based on new research from The IDA will be developing the Nancy Clanton and Associates and the program in consultation with lighting needed, when Virginia Tech Transportation Institute, manufacturers, engineers and design- a new understanding of visibility has ers, vision scientists and public safety needed, and only emerged. (See page 4 to learn more professionals to ensure that its recom- about their research.) This research mendations will result in improved at illumination demonstrates the need to clearly focus visibility and safety while meeting on visual contrast when developing ambitious conservation goals. levels necessary to lighting standards. Unfortunately, In the rush to embrace new solid most current lighting standards tend state lighting (SSL) technology many get the job done. to focus only on illumination levels cities have found it difficult to find and uniformity with little concern for comprehensive information regarding their effect on visibility. We believe the the best choices to achieve optimum only when needed, and only at the results of this new research show that results from outdoor lighting modern- illumination levels necessary to get the the future of lighting standards must ization plans. Lighting manufactur- job done. While these principles are be based on contrast: both luminance ers and sales professionals cannot be simple, they are often overlooked in and color. This new metric for visibil- expected to provide extensive consult- urban lighting design. The result has ity will allow for dramatically reduced ing in this critical transition, as many been escalating energy costs, increased light levels using broad spectra light of the most important elements may CO2 emissions, and light pollution. The sources like SSL. not be in their inventory. This program primary reasons behind this trend are At the same time, the SUL initia- seeks to incorporate the best technolo- a genuine concern for public safety tive stresses quality lighting design gies and products and provide new and lighting standards that have not that eliminates glare and light tres- designs that maximize the energy ef- kept pace with technological progress pass. Designs that don’t address these ficiency by minimizing waste. and vision science research. LED (light basic concepts impair visibility on a The principles of the SUL initiative emitting diode) lighting is a new tech- physiological level. In creating new are simple: light only what is needed, nology offering options not available urban lighting designs, the principles 2 of vision science must be incorporated. this reduction, the SUL instead recom- impact on the nocturnal environment, Understanding concepts like phot- mends the use of low-level, pedestri- but blue-rich white light will signifi- opic, mesoptic and scotopic vision and an-friendly sidewalk and path lighting. cantly increase circadian disruption. visual adaption are essential to design This can be enhanced by the use of Circadian disruption occurs when for maximum efficiency, safety and high reflective coatings on concrete ALAN disturbs the regular rhythm of visual comfort. Lighting designs that sidewalks to provide additional verti- day and night. All species have evolved ignore these principles in an effort to cal illumination for facial recognition. under a cycle of roughly 12 hours of meet antiquated standards based only Bollards and fixtures on short poles day and 12 hours of night. When this on illumination levels and uniformity, move the source of illumination closer is disrupted, the negative impacts on result in compromised visibility, ef- to the intended surfaces allowing dra- a wide range of activities and biologi- ficiency and safety.