Blinding Light! Bring Back the Night

Why we need the dark.

Join MVFN as we explore this serious, albeit fascinating, topic with Robert Dick M. Eng. P. Eng., Manger of the Dark-Sky Preserves program and Chair of the Light-Pollution Abatement Committee, Royal Astronomical Society of Canada.

The presentation Blinding Light! Bring Back the Night will take place on Thursday, Jan 18th, and is the fourth in MVFN’s “2017-18 When Things Go Bump in the Night” natural history series.

As one who had been watching the dark sky and the not-so-dark stars and other bright celestial objects one can see in a dark sky, our guest speaker, was almost always aware of the effects of man-made artificial light on the dark. However, he came to realize that the light was not simply a nuisance for star-gazers.

Robert Dick: “For over a century, astronomers have known about the impact of artificial light on the night sky. But this was just the ‘tip of the iceberg.’ Studies into the effects of light on our biology and mental functions are revealing a more profound physical impact.”

“Most life has evolved to accommodate starlight. It also accommodates bright moonlight for about a week every month. But it needs the remaining three weeks of only starlight to recover from the bright moon. More light than this changes the behaviour of animals because it is not an environment for which they had evolved.”

Dick implores us to listen to our common sense. Come to his presentation on Thursday January 18th and hear about the proven impact of artificial light at night on the ecology of animals and plants, and on our own biology, our vision and our brain. And consider what we can do to minimize this impact.

EVENT DETAILS

Thursday January 18, 2018 /  7:30 PM / Almonte United Church 106 Elgin St. Almonte, ON

Doors to the social hall at Almonte United Church will open at 7 PM and the program gets underway at 7:30 PM. Refreshments are available throughout the evening and a discussion will follow the presentation. As always, the event is free for MVFN members and youth 18 and under. Everyone is welcome, $5 for non-members fee at the door. For further information please contact MVFN’s Program Chair Gretta Bradley at glbradley@icloud.com or visit mvfn.ca.

Lake light

 

 

Extent of light pollution over MVCA landscape

 

Town Sky Glow. Images provided by R. Dick

 

 

 

 

 

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