Preserving Stargazing Amid Urban Glare
By WILLIAM HAGLE
Grab a loved one and drive to some quiet area in Laguna and do what humanity has done for ages. Gaze into the night sky to contemplate the mysteries that abide there.
What mysteries will we actually see from the beaches, balconies and mountain trails?
Only the most distinct stars and constellations will stand out because of increasing light pollution in the night sky, which diffuses a view of the stars.
Councilmember Toni Iseman sponsored a proposal heard by the City Council on June 3 that directs the city staff to research requiring businesses to retrofit existing parking lot lights to minimize light intrusion onto other properties or into the sky. She also asked that such a standard be applied to newly developed projects. The proposal passed by a 3-2 vote.
Councilmember Cheryl Kinsman said that new, but not existing, lighting should be the focus of study.
"We need to be careful when the money is not coming out of our pocket," Councilmember Kelly Boyd agreed.
In defense of her proposal, Iseman said that in some cases retrofittinga light fixture could be as simple as changing a bulb or blacking it on top to prevent glare into the sky. Later, she made the point that any time a new development is approved, the city needs to impose light standards. Among the recommendations of the 20-year-old International Dark Sky Association, based in Tucson, is eliminating outdoor illumination at high angles, canopies to direct light downward and timers.
In support of the proposal, Iseman introduced a New Yorker article written by David Owen, "The Dark Side: Making War on Light Pollution" as part of the bill's background material. The article cites the Bortle Dark Sky Scale, a nine-step scale to rate sky conditions and the interference caused by light pollution and skyglow.
John E. Bortle created the scale and published it in the February 2001 edition of Sky & Telescope magazine to help amateur astronomers compare the darkness of observing sites, according to Wikipedia. The scale ranges from class 1, the darkest skies available on Earth, through class 9, inner city skies.
Longtime resident and amateur astronomer Walker Reed says he is unaware of a Bortle Dark Sky ranking for Laguna Beach, but that light pollution is a serious issue because it jeopardizes a unique virtue.
Reed, interviewed subsequent to the council meeting, characterizes Laguna Beach as a "dark well" because of its topography and sees potential commercial benefits for consciously controlling light pollution. Light reflectsoff particles in the air, thus reducing the ability to see celestial lights.
With a dark ocean on one side and coastal foothills blocking valley lights from neighboring towns, Laguna Beach is "like an observatory," Reed said. "With our south-facing beaches, observers look south right into the heart of the Milky Way."
The city is blessed with another characteristic astronomers prize. "We have steadier skies even than Socorro, New Mexico, because of marine skies. The steadiest skies are found on the coast," Reed said.
This effect means the stars don't appear to move or twinkle as much. Aside from benefits to astronomers and lower power bills, controlling light pollution could yield commercial potential. Reed envisions improved galactic viewing driving up nighttime visitor traffic.
While curbing light usage could also clearly reduce energy costs, the Iseman proposal could also lead to a new category of Laguna property rights, similar to view protection, Reed said. Walker cited instances where neighbors dispute the rights of others to shine their halogen lights across canyons, spilling from their source into the properties and yards of others.
Local resident Russ Givens said a protocol already exists to banish urban sky glare. "It's called the dark skies initiative," he said, referring to an alliance of lighting producers, astronomers and scientists attempting to preserve a dark night sky for posterity.
Next year, in tandem with astronomy groups, UNESCO hopes to enlist citizens to measure local levels of light pollution by making star counts in an effort to raise awareness about preserving dark skies, says the International Year of Astronomy website.
Now, in art- and statute-rich Laguna Beach, a study of light and dark values will take on a whole new meaning.
