Lights Out, Please

Abstract

Astronomers upped the ante in their efforts to fight light pollution with an international conference last week that drew up a declaration on a “right to observe the stars” and promoted the idea of specially protected dark-sky reserves. “There is lots of protection for different environments. Now there is a movement to look at the night sky in the same way,” says Graham Bryant of the British Astronomical Association. ![Figure][1] CREDIT:PHOTOS.COM A UNESCO-sponsored meeting, Starlight 2007 brought astronomers together with tourism, environment, and culture experts on the Spanish island of La Palma, whose dark night skies have been protected by law since 1988. “By mixing up the various communities, everyone wins,” says David Crawford, head of the International Dark-Sky Association. Cipriano Marin of UNESCO suggests that tourism authorities in astronomy hot spots such as La Palma and Hawaii could develop trip packages that exploit each locale as a “clean-sky destination.” [1]: pending:yes