Dark Skies Initiative
McDonald Observatory is collaborating with local communities and businesses, including the oil and gas industry, to promote better nighttime lighting (i.e., cost efficiency, improved visibility & safety and dark skies for the Observatory).
Visit their website for more information, or contact Bill Wren at bwren@utexas.edu.
About Light Pollution:
Why Are We Losing the Night Sky? "It's Okay To Be Smart." PBS/YouTube video featuring Joe Hanson (11:29).
Frequently Asked Questions:
What is light pollution?
Light pollution is any adverse effect of artificial light at night, including sky glow, impaired visibility from glare, light trespass, energy waste, and more.
Does it really matter?
YES! Light pollution wastes energy and money, disrupts global wildlife and ecological balance, has been linked to negative consequences in human health, and negatively affects our ability to do astronomy.
What are the effects of light pollution?
COSTS: Billions of dollars per year in electricity costs are wasted shining light upward at night. These numbers do not include the costs of producing the energy to generate electricity.
ENERGY CONSUMPTION: Most of the energy required to power all of the wasted light comes from burning fossil fuels, contributing to other types of pollution.
HEALTH: New studies point to dramatic health consequences from the disruption of the natural human day/night cycle. Unnatural light at night affects hormone production and suppresses the immune system.
SAFETY: Vision is impaired by "glare" from overly bright light sources, reducing sensitivity to fine details and color perception, especially in elderly people. Brighter lights cause shadows to appear darker.
THE ENVIRONMENT: Artificial light at night has been shown to disrupt the mating, migration, and hunting behaviors of many different species, and therefore the ecological system as a whole.
LOSS OF NIGHTTIME SKY: The view of stars and dark night skies is rapidly being lost. Generations are growing up having never seen the Milky Way. Sky glow resulting from artificial lighting dramatically hinders the science of astronomy.
What can I do?
By changing outdoor lighting practices, you can prevent light pollution while putting more light where you want it using less electricity.
EFFECTIVE LIGHTING: We can reclaim vast amounts of energy currently wasted inadvertently into the night sky by poorly designed outdoor lighting. We can do this by using light fixtures that are shielded to reflect light down where it is needed, as well as using the smallest number of lights and lowest wattage bulbs necessary to effectively light an area.
START WITH YOUR OWN HOME AND BUSINESS: Lead by example in adopting good lighting practices. Put your own house in order first. If everyone would simply keep their own light on their own property, the problems of light pollution would largely disappear.
SPREAD THE WORD: The solution to light pollution is 90% education and awareness and 10% hardware. Identify examples of good lighting in your community and show them to your friends and neighbors. Once people see it, they can't un-see it. Once they understand the implications for cost savings and improved visibility, they are far more likely to adopt good lighting practices on their own.
Efficacy of different lighting designs
General Resources:
The Strange Scourge of Light Pollution (10:00)
More Reading on Dark Skies
Preserving Texas' Night Skies. Tri-fold brochure suitable for printing. (McDonald Observatory and Texan by Nature.)
The International Dark-sky Association.
Lights at Night from Space. Map showing nighttime lighting around the world as seen by a satellite using the VIIRS Day/Night Band and allowing measurement of changes in upward radiance in a selected area over time.
Dark Skies Rangers Program. Resources and activities for teachers and educators.
How Dark is Your Sky? AstroBob.
No Ordinary Camera. McDonald Observatory adopts all sky photometry system developed by the National Park Service.
Lighting Best Practices
Outdoor Lighting Guidelines. Basic principles for best lighting practices.
Good and not so good light fixtures compared (PDF).
How and Why to Reduce Light Pollution on Your Property. Hello Homstead (January 2019).
Good downward-pointing light fixtures at Sul Ross State University in Alpine, TX
Oil and Gas Industry Lighting Resources:
Dark Skies Initiative (3:20). Produced by Texan by Nature.
The Oil & Gas Industry Partnerships with the McDonald Observatory
Railroad Commission of Texas Reminds Operators to Reduce Light Near McDonald Observatory. Notice to Operators, Railroad Commission of Texas (February 2016 & 2019).
McDonald Observatory Will Promote Dark Skies Awareness with Gift from Apache Corporation. Press Release (July 23, 2019).
McDonald Observatory, Oil and Gas Organizations Collaborate to Protect Night Skies. Press Release (July 9, 2018).
Texas Collaboration Protects Dark Skies. International Dark-sky Association (August 14, 2018).
Upgraded Rig Lighting Improves Night Time Visibility While Reducing Stray Light and the Threat to Dark Skies in West Texas. Society of Petroleum Engineers (March 2015).
Recommended Lighting Practices
Dark Skies Initiative flier for the oil and gas industry. (McDonald Observatory and Texan by Nature.)
Recommended Lighting Practices for oilfield lighting (PDF).
LED Lighting for Oil and Gas Facilities. IEEE Xplore (October 2014).
