Dear readers,
Greetings and welcome to the newsletter by the Australasian Dark Sky Alliance. We aim to illuminate the efforts, endeavors, and stories from across the region in battling light pollution, elevating awareness, and nurturing a legacy of star-filled skies.
In this issue, we cover:
LAUNCH- Symposium on Light Pollution
The World at Night- IUCN-WCPA guidelines on lighting report
What's in the sky this month?
Valuing Darkness Symposium 2024
Venue - Victoria University City Campus
Dates - 11 - 13 September
In September this year the Australasian Dark Sky Alliance (ADSA) in collaboration with the Network for Ecological Research on Artificial Light (NERAL), the Lighting Society (IES), and the International Association of Lighting Designers (IALD), is set to host a 3-day symposium with a primary focus on the impacts of light pollution.
This face-to-face event will unite national experts, researchers, government, industry leaders, First Nations representatives and enthusiasts to address the urgent issue of light pollution. The meeting will aim to provide solutions tailored to the unique technical and marine and terrestrial environmental challenges faced in Australia.
Visit the Symposium website to learn more & we hope to see you there!
The World at Night
Preserving natural darkness for heritage conservation and night sky appreciation
IUCN-WCPA has created a fantastic resource that goes into depth on topics such as light pollution and its diverse effects on Ecology, Astronomy, and human health, dark sky places, guidelines for outdoor lighting, energy efficiency, and more.
The guidelines and lessons learned presented in this report are drawn from case studies of dark sky places certified by the IDA, RASC, Fundación Starlight, and other organizations.
Download and read the full PDF report here
A full set of Good Practice Guidelines, and Technical Reports, are available to download at https://iucn.org/our-union/commissions/world-commission-protected-areas/our-work/wcpa-publications
What's in the sky this month?
March is a wonderful month to go out and enjoy the night sky. The new Moon falls on March 10th, so make the most of the darkness and take some time to connect with the stars.
Apps such as Stellarium (or the sky chart, left) are great tools to learn and familiarize yourself with the sky.
Examine the sky chart to see what's visible in the sky
(Sydney, 21:30, 10 March).
It's soon time to say goodbye to Jupiter, for now... It is visible after sunset low on the western horizon.
The brightest star in the sky, Sirius, which forms the head of Canis Major, is high overhead. Connecting Procyon (the bottom of Canis Minor), and Betelgeuse (the red-colored star in Orion 'the saucepan') with Sirius forms the Winter Triangle Asterism.
Orion & Winter Triangle Asterism Carina region of MilkyWay Large Magellanic Cloud
Head to a dark area and see the Milkway. Look above the Southern Cross, in the Carina constellation, where the sky is speckled with stars and star clusters. It's a lovely view through a pair of binoculars. Looking southwest you'll find the Large & Small Magellanic Clouds. They appear as large fuzzy blobs, easily mistaken for clouds. These are 2 dwarf galaxies ~180,000 light-years away that contain billions of stars.
Finally, the day the sun crosses the equator from South to North- the autumnal equinox, happens on March 20th. Look due east for sunrise and due west for sunset. If you're up early enough, try spotting the zodiac constellation in which the sun is rising. As a reward for your efforts, you'll see Mars, Venus, & Saturn rising before the Sunrises at around 7 am Sydney time.
Use this light pollution map to find a dark area near you.
May dark skies be with you.
Gideon
We would love to hear from you and learn more about the initiatives taken by communities, businesses, and government bodies in our quest to protect our celestial wonders.
To contribute articles, photos, and information for our next issue, scheduled for release on March 22nd, please contact outreach@ausdarksky.org by March 15th. Additionally, we offer a Dark Sky Events and Activities Calendar where you can add your upcoming events dedicated to preserving our dark skies.
Together, let's continue to cherish and safeguard the splendor of our starry nightscape for generations to come.
Marnie Ogg
Director of Outreach
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