Take Back the Night!

Dark Skies Awareness, an IYA2009 Cornerstone Project, is attempting to spread awareness of light pollution issues during the International Year of Astronomy. One of the main goals of this project is to map light pollution levels across the globe. Their citizen science campaign, GLOBE at Night, aims to use data gathered from amateur astronomers and everyday people to show the impact of light pollution on our night sky. The GLOBE at Night campaign runs from March 16th to March 28th.

Attached is a copy of their letter to IYA participants.

TAKE BACK THE NIGHT!
JOIN THE GLOBE AT NIGHT CAMPAIGN, 16-28 MARCH!

At least 2 out of 5 Americans, 1 out of 6 Europeans and 1 out of 10
people worldwide have never seen 90% of the stars in our night sky.
With half the world's population now living in cities, this problem is
only getting worse. Yet you can easily be part of a local solution to
a global problem.

Take back the night! Take a few minutes to monitor your local night
sky brightness, place your measurement on-line noting your location,
date and time and within a few weeks see a map of light pollution
levels worldwide.

Be part of the "GLOBE at Night" citizen-science campaign and make a
world of difference! The GLOBE at Night campaign runs March 16-28,
2009. Help preserve our natural heritage for generations to come. Find
out more information at www.globe.gov/globeatnight . GLOBE at Night is
an official International Year of Astronomy Dark Skies Awareness
cornerstone project.

To learn more about other IYA2009 Dark Skies Awareness cornerstone
projects and the effects of light pollution, visit
www.darkskiesawareness.org