Responsible Lighting Group
This Group of KC members will contribute a small effort to fighting light pollution, by making
information available about light pollution and educating the public. The goal
is to slow down the encroachment of light pollution on our dark skies. Stopping
light pollution completely or even reducing it does not seem possible or practical,
but who knows? Our biggest allies are the increasing cost of energy, efforts at
conservation, and recent international air pollution treaties.
Better lighting practices invariably mean more efficient lighting, which means less energy
wasted (too much or aimed at or above the horizontal), which means less pollution generated
in producing the power reqiured (Ontario's energy mix is currently about 28% fossil fuel,
25% hydroelectric and 47% nuclear
Reference: 1999 Report
).
From 1997-2001 users of Ontario Hydro in Kingston Ontario pay about 7.5 cents/kwh.
What's New?
International Light Pollution News
Great Worldwide Star Count
Join thousands of other students, families and citizen-scientists hunting for stars during March 16 through March 28, 2009.
Take part in the international GLOBE at Night event to observe the nighttime sky and learn more about light pollution around the world.
GLOBE at Night is an easy observation and reporting activity that takes approximately 15-30 minutes to complete. Citizen-scientists
record the brightness of the night sky by matching its appearance towards the constellation Orion then submit measurements at www.globe.gov/globeatnight.
Resulting maps of all observations are created and placed back online by the GLOBE at Night staff within the few weeks that follow.
The five easy star-hunting steps, for which more information is provided online, are:
- Find your latitude and longitude.
- Find Orion by going outside an hour after sunset (about 7-10pm local time)
- Match your nighttime sky to one of our magnitude charts.
- Report your observation on our website.
- Compare your observation to thousands around the world.
Helpful and user-friendly materials, such as a teacher packet and science standards, a family packet, and student games and information,
are provided online at www.globe.gov/globeatnight/
You can also subscribe to a mailing list to receive updates and results of this campaign. Visit www.globe.gov/globeatnight/
and click on “subscribe” at the bottom of the Web page.
During the 2006 event over 18,000 people from 96 countries submitted 4600 observations, including data from every U.S. state.
In 2007, the number of observations almost doubled. By 2008 the Globe project was up to 110 countries.
GLOBE at Night is collaboration between the National Optical Astronomy Observatory,
The GLOBE Program, Centro de Apoyo a la Didactica de la Astronomia,
and The International Dark-Sky Association
Information from the IDA e-news January 16, 2008.
For more information, visit www.starcount.org
GLOBE at Night
The final datasets and Analysis Summary from the 2007 GLOBE at Night
event are now available online:
The final data sets are available in the following four formats:
- XLS: Microsoft Excel spreadsheet format, suitable for direct import into ArcGIS 9.2, AEJEE, and ArcGIS Explorer
- CSV: text file with comma-separated-values
- MDB: ESRI personal geodatabase for use with ArcGIS 9.x. NB (this is NOT a standard Microsoft Access database)
- ZIP: Zipped archive containing the 6 files that make up an ESRI Shapfile version of the data
National Light Pollution News
The RASC's National Light Pollution Page
Light Pollution Article in February 2008 Issue of Harrowsmith Magazine
Light Pollution Map of Kingston and Surrouding Areas
Click on image for larger version. To understand the colour coding on the map visit
Kingston Sky Clock.
Correspondence with Local Municipalities
On November 28, 2006 I sent a letter to the City of Kingston discussing the new Victorian style Lighting that has been erected in the downtown core. Also to ask if
there is any other work in progress to install new flat lens designs in the newer subdivisions. I received a emal back on December 20, 2006 stating the reply below, and
with the attachments of the Lumec S50 Spec Sheet and the City of Kingston 2006 Street Lighting Guidelines.
Ms. Hay
Your inquiry regarding lighting has been directed to my attention.
The Cobra head fixtures usedby the city comply with the specifications detailed in the
subdivision guidelines and we have attached the section of the guidelines for your information.
The specifications for the cobra are included in this document. We are not aware of any large difference
in the energy usage from the old ballasts to the new ballasts. The biggest difference is gained by using
less lights which we try to accomplish by specifying High Performance Flat Glass reflectors
versus the normal flat glass reflectors.
In addition we have attahced the cut sheet for the decorative fixture from the downtown project, the S50 from Lumec.
If you have any furthur questions please to not hesitate to concact me and I will find the information for you if it is available.
Kimberley J. Brown, P.Eng.
Intrastructure Engineer, Engineering Department
Public Works and Emergency Services
On the same day, a letter was sent to the Stone Mills Township Counil on the same regard with the installation of full cut lens designs, as is already done in the town
of Newburgh, Ontario. To date (February 24, 2007) still no reply.
References
The Problems of Light Pollution & Light Trespass
 |
Light Pollution: Most of what you see in this night image of North America is wasted light (and therefore energy). |
 |
Light Trespass: Light that trespasses onto neighbouring property is annoying, wastes
energy and obscures the night sky. It can be described as the effects of
light or illumination that strays from its intended purpose. |
 |
Eliminate Light Trespass, night sky pollution and save energy! |
Basic tenets for light pollution abatement:
- Use light only where you need and use it
- Use full cutoff fixtures to use the light where you want it and no where else.
- Use the appropriate wattage and not more than you need
- Use a motion sensor if at all possible
Project Ideas
-
A photo album of good and bad lighting examples. Nowhere in my web light
pollution travels have I come across a comprehensive image library of good and
bad lighting and a description of what makes it good or bad. So we intend to
start by touring through Queen's University at night in the near future and
take pictures and notes and put them together both online and in an album.
Hopefully this can give the Astronomy Department more ammunition to fight
against extravagant and overzealous lighting on campus.
-
You can help by taking photos and notes on your own of other locations in
and around the Kingston & Surrounding area's. Particularly really good or really bad examples
would be nice.
Light Pollution and Responsible Lighting Links
Light Pollution Talks given by Members
In August 2006, at the Annual Meeting of the CFUW in Edmonton, the resolution was passed to have all 122 chapters of the
CFUW to adopt the Light Pollution and Wasted Energy Resolution. Click here to read the whole
Resolution! Excellent work!
Kim Hay- November 22, 2004- Brockville Ontario-Canadian Federation of University Women
Power Point Presentation Used at the CFUW Light Pollution Here and Now
Write up from St. Lawrence EMC on the CFUW talk Trying to Save the Sky