Light Pollution and Stars Observation

About This Course

Program Brief

Light pollution has been a major obstacle against all astronomers since it's the reason why we no longer see stars in our cities. Propagation of light pollution in the last decades caused a significant impact in our environment and local cultural as knowledge of stars and seasons is observed to be decreasing between generations.

In this course, we are going to navigate through sky maps to identify natural sky lights and artificial sky lights. Our first step would be identifying the observed magnitude of stars light and realize the actual capability of astronomical observing through naked eyes and how light pollution caused our generation to lose the ability of seeing the beauty of stars & the milky-way.

Then, we will immerse ourselves in the light to see how light pollution data were gathered to create world atlas of artificial light. After getting on board, we will join a global effort of protecting the skies from light by learning the system, methods and designation of International Dark Sky Reserves, to keep the remaining skies pure and full of stars.

The practical steps take a place afterword’s as we will acquire Sky Quality Meters and step outside in a road trip to Judah town to survey light pollution around the area. Where we will start our observation in urban bright areas until we reach to faint stars observation in darkness in a stargazing session. Once data are collected, it will be the time to join the global community by submitting our data to worldwide accessible data bases and raise the message of skies protection. The report resulted from our surveying process will be the first of its type in our region.

After the course, you will be invited to join the International Dark Sky Association and become ambassador of global community that aims to raise the awareness of the light pollution. You will also acquire the knowledge and tools to continue the journey by learning how sky surveying is conducted and how reports are shared.



Objectives

• Sharing the knowledge of natural and artificial sky light from various resources like the moon, stars and our cities.
• Assisting participant to acquire knowledge that helps them in dealing with light pollution during astronomical observations.
• Becoming aware of cultural loss coming from not being able to see stars.
• Recognizing the needs of becoming a part of the global community aiming to protect the environment against light pollution.
• Providing the knowledge, skills and tools to measure and report light pollution.



Outcomes

• To become knowledgeable of light pollution and its worldwide cultural and environmental impact.
• To demonstrate sky preservation as it is extension of land and environment preservation.
• To distinguish stars' light magnitude and practice naked eye observation.
• To understand the light zones and how light maps are created.
• To expert quality measurements and sky survey reporting.
• To recognize the International Dark Skies Reserves designations.
• To gain the basic knowledge needed of lighting design that preserves sky darkness.
• To be prepared with the knowledge and skills in order to join global communities aiming for sky protections.
• To contribute to a worldwide data gathering campaign.
• To become a first qualified group in the country for sky quality surveying, as ambassadors for raising the awareness of our social and environmental responsibilities toward sky darkness protection.

Duration:

Day 1 & 2 : From 17:00 to 21:00

Day 3 (Trip day): From 13:30 to Mid-night