Ever since the birth of mankind, humans have looked up to the night sky as a source of amazement and solace. Summer is one of the best seasons to see breathtaking night skies that harbor remarkable light shows, offering peaceful closure to blazing hot days.
This past month of August held astronomical significance in that the Perseids meteor showers were most visible on the nights of the 11th and 12th. The Perseids occur annually as a result of debris from the Swift-Tuttle comet, and are one of the brightest of the year. I was able to clearly see a total of nine meteors over the course of two nights and it inspired me to plan to see the Geminids in December and the Quadrantids in January.
Protecting the Night Sky
There is no doubt that we have noticed the ecological consequences of human activity over the past century: climate change, deforestation and pollution. These byproducts of modernization also prevent us from enjoying the beauty of the night sky as well.
Light pollution is a worldwide issue which conceals the true night sky and affects all of us. At my home, even during the late hours of the night I still distinctly noticed splashes of light coming from other backyards.
It has been estimated that in Europe and the United States 99 percent of people are living under light polluted skies. Only using lights where it is needed, properly shielding outdoor lights downward, and even using yellow or red tinted lights to avoid intrusive blue light can help reduce light pollution and help reclaim the night sky for everyone to enjoy.
Shion will be a Junior at Southridge high school and enjoys playing the trumpet, baseball and hiking.