Relevance:
Recently, a new study has found that non-natural light had increased the brightness of Skyglow, by 9.2-10% every year between 2011 and 2022 with significant ecological, health and cultural implications.
Skyglow:
- It is an omnipresent sheet of light across the night sky in and around cities that can block all but the very brightest stars from view.
- The brightening of the night sky over inhabited areas because of streetlights, security floodlights and outdoor ornamental lights cause the Skyglow.
- This light floods directly into the eyes of Nocturnal animals (active at night) and also into the skies and misleads their path.
- ‘Skyglow’ is one of the components of light pollution.
- Global Scenario –
- Skyglow had brightened around 6.5% over Europe, 10.4% over North America, and 7.7% over the rest of the world which disagrees with satellite-based data (2% per year).
- The discrepancy is probably the result of the satellites being unable to ‘sense’ blue light emitted by LEDs and to study light that is emitted parallel to the ground.
- Indian Scenario –
- 19.5% of India’s population experiences a level of skyglow that would at least keep the Milky Way galaxy out of sight and at most render “dark adaptation for human eyes” impossible.
- India’s lit area increased by 1.07-1.09% and the average radiance of “stably lit areas” – e.g., excluding wildfires – increased by 1.05-1.07%.
- Impacts –
- Wastes Energy and Money
- Lit beaches deter sea turtles from coming ashore to nest.
- Skyglow keeps trees from sensing seasonal variations.
- Clownfish eggs don’t hatch when exposed to artificial light at night, killing the offspring.
- Artificial light at night can disrupt Circadian Rhythm (our biological clock — a sleep-wake pattern governed by the day-night cycle).
Reference: The Hindu
