of Europe , the Middle and Far East , and North America , were severely compromised . Professional astronomers would simply re-locate to remote locations , but amateur astronomers , being employed in regular jobs , did not have that option . They were condemned to live in and around cities , and would have to endure obtrusive street lighting outside their homes . Once street lighting has been installed , it was impossible to get rid of it . Astronomers now felt compelled to do something , and the Campaign for Dark Skies was established within the British Astronomical Association , and the International Dark Sky Association was launched in the United States . Pressure was brought to bear on local authorities and the lighting industry to manufacture dark-sky compliant lighting , and though this did have some mitigating effects , it took a long time to be adopted . However , such lighting can still be severely obtrusive if adjacent to a property where a back yard becomes floodlit . For anyone wanting to observe from the privacy of his / her home this is not acceptable . Furthermore , it is still impossible to get a street light removed if it is polluting one ’ s property . This has to change : a home-owner has a right to darkness within the confines of his own property . There are situations where street lighting is acceptable , but it has to be deployed in ways that it is not detrimental to the environment .
COURTESY
Above , this image show the light pollution in Tabuk , Kingdom of Saudi Arabia . This is typical of many cities around the world . Below , low colour temperature amber L . E . D . light can be used to create a soft orange glow that does not hurt the eyes .
Better designs are available in which the luminaire is fully recessed into its housing , so that it is not visible from a distance . All it does then is light the street , which is what it is supposed to do . Low colour temperature luminaires ( not exceeding 1,750K ) can be used that create a soft orange glow that does not hurt the eyes . In quiet residential and suburban areas street lighting can be subject to an 11p . m . till dawn curfew , so all lights are switched off when most people are not around . Furthermore , in these areas , with modern L . E . D . technology , it can be motion operated . This means the lights only come one when someone is in the neighbourhood of the light . In city centres , where a 24- hour society prevails , all night lighting can continue provided it is dark-sky compliant . Luminaires should only be sufficiently luminous to enable the eye to function efficiently in darkness . In these areas a luminosity not exceeding 700 lumens would be adequate , about as luminous as a 60W incandescent light bulb . In rural areas street lighting is totally inappropriate , and should be banned
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