Chapter 6: Problem 18

What is light pollution? What effects does it have on the operation of telescopes? What can be done to minimize these effects?

Short Answer

Expert verified

Light pollution is the misuse of artificial light causing skyglow, glare, and clutter. It affects telescopes by reducing contrast and detection of faint objects. Measures to minimize effects include using appropriate lighting, implementing light curfews, and developing dark sky preserves.

Step by step solution

Definition of Light Pollution

Light pollution is the excessive, misdirected, or invasive use of artificial outdoor lighting. Problems include glare, skyglow and clutter, and it's often the result of urbanization.

Effects on Telescopes

Light pollution affects the operation of telescopes by reducing the contrast of astronomical objects, which can make them harder or even impossible to see. It also reduces the ability to detect faint objects.

Minimizing the Effects

Minimizing these effects involves working to reduce overall light pollution. This could include using lighting that is less disruptive to the atmosphere, such as LED lights with a warm color temperature; developing lights that are designed to be directional so that they light the ground and not the sky; implementing light curfews where outdoor lights are turned off after a certain time; and focusing on developing dark sky preserves, areas where natural lighting conditions are preserved as much as possible.

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What is light pollution? What effects does it have on the operation of telescopes? What can be done to minimize these effects?

Short Answer

Step by step solution

Definition of Light Pollution

Effects on Telescopes

Minimizing the Effects

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