DarkSky Approved lights to protect nature and starry skies

Dark Sky is the concept of preserving nighttime darkness and protecting starry skies. The expression ‘Dark Sky’ has become a global umbrella term for efforts to reduce light pollution.

Over many decades, the amount of artificial light worldwide has increased. At the same time, awareness of the impact on plants, animals and humans from artificial light has also increased. Nocturnal wildlife is disrupted and the stars are obscured. That is why efforts are being made throughout the world to reduce light pollution – and these are often collectively referred to as ‘Dark Sky’ initiatives.

Light pollution not only affects biodiversity, health and the ability to view the stars, it is also costly in terms of energy and CO2 emissions.

Keeping nighttime dark

Light pollution is a problem that can be solved. Once you are aware of light pollution, you can adapt lighting and structures to minimise light pollution as much as possible.

It is a matter of choosing lights and lighting plans that ensure light only falls where it’s needed.

As a lighting manufacturer, Lampas wants to play its part in ensuring that light pollution is reduced, nocturnal wildlife can thrive, and stars in the night sky are visible. We do so by offering a large selection of DarkSky Approved lights. We have chosen DarkSky Approved certification from the organisation DarkSky International as an impartial and well-documented means of assessment for our lights.

At the same time, lighting should ensure safety and security in urban spaces as always, which is why Lampas also offers lighting plans and light calculations from our lighting consultants.

More about light pollution

Light pollution is defined as ‘negative environmental impact of artificial light’. We need light in order to feel safe and secure when it’s dark. However, light pollution arises when lights, signs and technology result in illumination in locations and at times when light is not needed.

There are various types of light pollution. For example, urban sky glow is the glow of light that can be seen from a distance over inhabited areas, making it harder to see the stars. Light clutter occurs when streetlights, signs and other light sources create a chaotic lighting environment where it’s hard to focus on what’s important, e.g. traffic safety. Blue light is a particular challenge, with not only the amount of light, but also the colour of the light, having negative effects.

Light pollution affects plants, animals and humans

Research shows that light pollution affects nature in numerous ways. Nocturnal insects behave differently, reproduction among birds is affected, and the seasonal cycle of plants and trees is disrupted.

Light pollution also affects humans. A large proportion of the global population have never seen the Milky Way because artificial light outshines the stars at night. Human circadian rhythms can also be affected by artificial light.

Whether you are interested in biodiversity or astronomy, or just want to get a good night’s sleep, the world needs more nighttime darkness.

If you want to know more about the consequences of light pollution, there are countless resources on the internet, such as DarkSky International’s website.

How can lights help reduce light pollution?

Lights play a major role in efforts to preserve nighttime darkness and protect starry skies. If you need to install artificial lighting, you can choose lights that cause as little light pollution as possible. This is known as ‘dark-sky friendly lighting’.

Here are some of the technical aspects that make lights dark-sky friendly:

• DarkSky Approved lights from Lampas direct light downwards.
• Light distribution can be adjusted, with side diffusion as needed for road or footpath lighting.
• The colour temperature can be set to 3,000 K or lower to reduce the amount of blue light. The colour temperature must be no more than 3,000 K for the lighting to satisfy DarkSky criteria.
• The lights can be combined with lighting controls and dimming, which can help to reduce both energy consumption and light pollution.
• Lampas can advise on positioning of lights and a lighting plan to fit the requirements of the particular location.

To find out more about DarkSky Approved lighting, contact our lighting consultants.