Dark Skies
Smoky Lake County enjoys some terrifically dark skies. On clear nights, the stars are overwhelming and innumerable.
In October 2020, the County's Committee of the Whole for Planning adopted a recommending motion: "That Smoky Lake County recommend proceeding in principle to seek dark-sky designation, subject to public participation."
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The Disappearing Night
When we think of natural resources, few of us think of darkness. Centuries ago, when human settlements were relatively free of artificial lighting, the moon and stars dominated the night sky. Street lighting as we know it began approximately 300 years ago with oil lamps placed on wooden poles. By the 19th century, gas lamps came into use and by the 20th century the utilization of artificial electric lamps was widely spread.
Advances in lighting technology have slowly flooded our world with light, and city nightscapes are now dominated by the artificial lighting of buildings, streets, signs, parking lots and open spaces. The stars and constellations are outshone by the light emanating from human development and even the brightest constellations are no longer fully visible to residents in and around large cities whose artificial glow can be seen from over 200 miles away. While artificial lights are important for safety, sense of security, and navigation, light pollution results when lighting is excessive or inappropriately used.
Light pollution is a threat because of the negative effects on humans and the environment as well as long-term consequences, such as biodiversity, economic, and cultural loss, that cannot easily be reversed.
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