Reclaiming the Stars
Presentation Type
Poster Presentation
Campus
Daytona Beach
Status
Student
Student Year and Major
Sophomore, Aerospace Engineering
Presentation Description/Abstract
Citizens of the United States have experienced a catastrophic loss: 99% of the US citizens can no longer see the Milky Way galaxy at night. What used to be a spectacular natural phenomenon has been stripped away from hundreds of millions of people due to light pollution and industrialization. Despite these disheartening facts, there is hope. Borrowing the lighting codes of Flagstaff, Arizona, would allow many cities across the US to not only reduce light pollution but also reduce energy consumption. Most cities today have a Bortle brightness class of 8, making it impossible to see the Milky Way, but in Flagstaff, their residents live under a class 3 dark sky, able to see the central galaxy. By cutting down on energy usage and having an entire community’s support, Flagstaff, Arizona, became the world's first recognized Dark Sky City. They’ve utilized many techniques and legislatures to achieve this feat, from creating three “lightning zones” to keeping up with the latest technologies surrounding breakthrough lighting fixtures. They also have been able to cut energy costs in the city, with citizens paying about one thousand dollars less in Flagstaff than residents living in other comparable cities. Further examination of Flagstaff’s International Dark Sky Association annual reports could uncover the secret behind their starry nights and can be used as a foundation for other cities to implement a similar system.
Keywords
galaxy, stars, pollution, night, sky, lighting, milky way
Reclaiming the Stars
Citizens of the United States have experienced a catastrophic loss: 99% of the US citizens can no longer see the Milky Way galaxy at night. What used to be a spectacular natural phenomenon has been stripped away from hundreds of millions of people due to light pollution and industrialization. Despite these disheartening facts, there is hope. Borrowing the lighting codes of Flagstaff, Arizona, would allow many cities across the US to not only reduce light pollution but also reduce energy consumption. Most cities today have a Bortle brightness class of 8, making it impossible to see the Milky Way, but in Flagstaff, their residents live under a class 3 dark sky, able to see the central galaxy. By cutting down on energy usage and having an entire community’s support, Flagstaff, Arizona, became the world's first recognized Dark Sky City. They’ve utilized many techniques and legislatures to achieve this feat, from creating three “lightning zones” to keeping up with the latest technologies surrounding breakthrough lighting fixtures. They also have been able to cut energy costs in the city, with citizens paying about one thousand dollars less in Flagstaff than residents living in other comparable cities. Further examination of Flagstaff’s International Dark Sky Association annual reports could uncover the secret behind their starry nights and can be used as a foundation for other cities to implement a similar system.