Inasmuch as we have an issue here in Oro Valley as it concerns "dark skies," we thought the issue in Barrington Hills, Ill. a community of 4000 might be of some interest.
So far, the International Dark- Sky Association, which is based in Tucson, has named only two towns in the nation — Flagstaff and Borrego Springs, Calif. — "dark sky cities" for their efforts to reduce what the organization considers unnecessary outdoor lighting.
Too bad Oro Valley isn't on this very short list.
Read the Az Star article here
http://www.azstarnet.com/allheadlines/318556.php
10 comments:
As I recall, the 'dark sky' folks stated before the Town Council that leaving the commercial lights on until 10PM would NOT interfere with their efforts. Therefore I must question the following:
"Inasmuch as we have an issue here in Oro Valley as it concerns "dark skies,"".
Who has the issue? The experts or the one living in the home that scarred our hillside???
OVOT,
I think you're mistaken. I recall the astronomers saying that the more hours of darkness, the better. They might have said that 10 p.m. was preferable to leaving the lights on all night, but they definitely stated a preference for lights out as soon as possible.
OV Mom.... I would bet that they would like to see the sun disappear much earlier in summer also. But our lights remaining on until 10 PM would not interfere.
My point is that we really don't have a "dark skies" issue here in Oro Valley.
It's another red herring dropped from the beak of the bird.
Did not I read that some businesses wish to have lights on later in the night, than 10:00 p.m. maybe until 12:00 a.m. or even later....
Energy conservation alone should come into play here.
Let us have dark skies. NO lights after 10:00 p.m., please.
Here is the record from the OV Aug 19 Council meeting pertaining to the Dark Sky ISSUE.
"We can't do our job unless the skies are dark," explained Ed Beshore, principal investigator with the Catalina Sky Survey. Beshore searches the skies for asteroids headed toward the earth. "Some of these asteroids are very faint, and if we have brighter skies, it makes it much more difficult to find these faint objects."
Besides the scientific value of his work, Beshore argues there is economic value in the industry as well, as NASA pumps millions of dollars into astronomy projects here. "It's a huge economic impact," he said. "And that impact would be lessened if our skies were to get lighter, because we couldn't do our jobs."
Source: http://www.kold.com/Global/story.asp?S=10960608
OVOT should put on a tin foil hat. That action alone would aid the intrepid killer asteroid hunters in their quest to save us form the same fate as the T. Rex.
The misinformation ray that OT is spewing over our fair valley is second only to the death ray that Ming The Merciless
used to shoot down at earth. At least we had Flash Gordon to protect us. Oro Vally only has Loony Looomis.
I am sure that we can all agree to the following: There is almost nothing more beautiful than our night sky. It is one of the wonders of our dry, cloudless environment.
The more we can do within sound reason to reduce night light is a good thing.
I would agree Zeeman but where we differ, I believe, is your interpretation of "within sound reason". I do not consider allowing our businesses to leave their exterior lights on until 10 PM falls outside the sphere of "sound reason".
Have a great Thanksgiving. Missed you on Monday!!!
Allowing our businesses to leave their exterior lights on until 10 PM falls outside the sphere of the law.
OV Mom...Not if we change the code which was the point of the code review.
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