Help scientists document Midwest light pollution by gazing at Orion.
The night sky is fading above the heartland, as light pollution—much of which can be tackled by switching to better bulbs and fixtures—drowns out the view in both small towns and big cities.
Kirksville, Missouri, a college town with a population of 18,000, is nicknamed 'the North Star of Missouri,' but spotting that celestial body within city limits is becoming increasingly difficult.
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And skyglow in large metros like Kansas City, St. Louis, Minneapolis, San Antonio, Houston, Dallas, and Chicago is a key reason these cities now rank among the top 10 riskiest for birds trying to survive spring migration each year.
As the skies above the U.S. brighten by about 10% annually, it's not just birds that are confused. Pollinators and other wildlife suffer, and so do our sleep and well-being.
But astronomer Connie Walker brings good news. She says losing night skies isn't inevitable.
Communities can take action to protect their starry views, both for the environment and for the breathtaking sight. 'We have a responsibility to maintain access to a beautiful, dark, starry night sky,' Walker said. 'It's an easy thing to rectify.'
One way to help is by looking up at the constellation Orion in February or March and reporting what you see on a smartphone to Globe At Night, a citizen science project celebrating its 20th anniversary this month.
This simple act helps scientists track where skyglow is worsening and how fast the change is happening. The stars you can see in and around Orion reveal the extent of light pollution in your area.
Walker, who helped create Globe At Night two decades ago, explains how to participate on the Midwest and Great Plains environmental podcast Up From Dust.
She encourages as many reports as possible, especially from areas where the program doesn't often receive data, including many rural areas like Nebraska, Iowa, the Dakotas, and Kansas.
'A lot more measurements from there would benefit everyone,' Walker said.
Documenting skyglow is just one step. Some cities, parks, and college campuses are working to reduce skyglow without sacrificing the need for people to see at night by installing smarter fixtures and better bulbs.
Up From Dust offers three podcast episodes that will educate listeners on the solutions and the stakes.
Episode 1: Say No to Skyglow
This episode explains the basics of skyglow and how to reduce it with the right lighting. It also shares the story of how a Missouri college campus and a state park are ditching bad lighting and installing smarter options.
Truman State University students observed that well-designed lighting can reduce skyglow and look softer from afar while actually illuminating spaces better. 'Overall, they look dimmer,' Truman State graduate Daphne Broski-Laing said. 'But we measured the brightness underneath the lights, and we found that the illumination level was brighter on the ground.'
Truman State professor Vayujeet Gokhale offers a quick primer for homeowners on picking out good light bulbs and fixtures at a hardware store.
Episode 2: Can We Save Millions of Migrating Birds?
This episode tells the story of a dedicated museum employee, 40,000 dead birds, and a discovery that could save millions from a similar fate.
It's a decades-long journey that began in 1978, documenting the link between a Chicago convention center's lighting and the number of birds that crash into it and die.
The center of the country is a vital bird migration corridor, making light pollution in cities from Texas to Missouri to Minnesota a particularly dangerous problem for these creatures.
But the Chicago discovery is inspiring families and businesses to turn off unnecessary lights during migration season, close curtains, and take other steps to help birds make their biannual treks.
Episode 3: Stargazers, Unite for Science!
This episode explains step-by-step how to participate in Globe At Night. 'It's a way you can be a steward of your earth by looking up and taking these measurements,' Walker said.
The project has gathered 300,000 observations worldwide. In 2023, scientists used this data to conclude that the night sky is getting about 10% brighter annually.
Joining the effort doesn't require special astronomy equipment. People simply look at a constellation like Orion and compare it to star charts, selecting the one that best matches their view.
Participants should do this when there's no moon, as the moon interferes with accurate measurements. Also, observations should be made at least 1.5 hours after sunset and 1.5 hours before sunrise to avoid dusk and dawn light interference.
