|
|
|
If backyard astronomer Dr. Chad Wagoner could have his way, he’d make a push to transform Carthage into an “International Dark-Sky” community.
“People would be able to see things, with just (their) unaided eyes, things they can’t see” in the night sky right now,” Wagoner said, a family physician here in Carthage that moonlights as an avid astronomer, complete with his own observatory in his back yard.
The International Dark-Sky Association works to preserve and protect the nighttime environment from light pollution thrown up into the sky by cities and towns.
During the night, even when the moon isn’t full, the fuzzy haze city lights create can easily shield numerous stars and other celestial wonders from a person’s unaided view.
A dark, clear night spent away from light-polluted city skies, on the other hand, can often reveal up to 3,000 stars to the naked eye — and thousands more with a good pair of binoculars or a mounted telescope.
Because Wagoner lives a mile outside Carthage, in a spot he deems perfect for his nightly scans of the dark heavens, he isn’t as hampered by light pollution, as a fellow astronomer would be from his home located in town. Still, a bit less than half of Wagoner’s western sky view is still tainted by the Maple Leaf City’s light dome.
“I can see the Milky Way from my yard but it’s dimmer now than I remember it being in my youth,” Wagoner said, “and that’s because the city is growing and there’s more light.
“I’d like to see the skies a bit darker, and for Carthage to become a certified dark-friendly city. If we could do that, we’d bring back the Milky Way — in the summer it’s phenomenal to see.”
If the desire were there, Wagoner continued, “it would be something the city could do and be good stewards of the environment.”
One Carthage business currently using so-called “dark-friendly” lighting — in other words, specifically shielded lights that dramatically slashes light pollution — is the McCune-Brooks Regional Hospital, particularly the lights found lining the parking lot.
“If everybody turned off their lights, you could see so much more up there,” Wagoner said. “The advantage we have is that you can drive a mile or two out of town and be in (near darkness).”
Unfortunately, “few people ever take the time to do that.”
If backyard astronomer Dr. Chad Wagoner could have his way, he’d make a push to transform Carthage into an “International Dark-Sky” community.
“People would be able to see things, with just (their) unaided eyes, things they can’t see” in the night sky right now,” Wagoner said, a family physician here in Carthage that moonlights as an avid astronomer, complete with his own observatory in his back yard.
The International Dark-Sky Association works to preserve and protect the nighttime environment from light pollution thrown up into the sky by cities and towns.
During the night, even when the moon isn’t full, the fuzzy haze city lights create can easily shield numerous stars and other celestial wonders from a person’s unaided view.
A dark, clear night spent away from light-polluted city skies, on the other hand, can often reveal up to 3,000 stars to the naked eye — and thousands more with a good pair of binoculars or a mounted telescope.
Because Wagoner lives a mile outside Carthage, in a spot he deems perfect for his nightly scans of the dark heavens, he isn’t as hampered by light pollution, as a fellow astronomer would be from his home located in town. Still, a bit less than half of Wagoner’s western sky view is still tainted by the Maple Leaf City’s light dome.
“I can see the Milky Way from my yard but it’s dimmer now than I remember it being in my youth,” Wagoner said, “and that’s because the city is growing and there’s more light.
“I’d like to see the skies a bit darker, and for Carthage to become a certified dark-friendly city. If we could do that, we’d bring back the Milky Way — in the summer it’s phenomenal to see.”
If the desire were there, Wagoner continued, “it would be something the city could do and be good stewards of the environment.”
One Carthage business currently using so-called “dark-friendly” lighting — in other words, specifically shielded lights that dramatically slashes light pollution — is the McCune-Brooks Regional Hospital, particularly the lights found lining the parking lot.
“If everybody turned off their lights, you could see so much more up there,” Wagoner said. “The advantage we have is that you can drive a mile or two out of town and be in (near darkness).”
Unfortunately, “few people ever take the time to do that.”
Concurrent Resolution No. 19, before the Missouri House of Representatives, urges Missouri state agencies to provide public education and to develop detailed guidelines to address light pollution problems at state facilities, including state outdoor areas. This could lead to adopting policies to control light pollution and glare reduction for both public safety and energy savings.
“By discussing proper shielding of outdoor lights at state facilities, we can improve driver safety and the quality of our night sky while saving taxpayer money. This is a simple, common sense solution for a statewide problem,” wrote Robert Wagner, board member for the International Dark-Sky Association in a recent press release.
Wagner also wrote the group is asking the state to “identify premier public lands for star gazing” and hope to be able to recognize Missouri’s first starlight preserve in the upcoming years.
