Polluted light vs. sight of the night

"Here is a modern irony: spacecraft and telescope technology can deliver breathtaking views of the near and far universe, while the technology which lights our nights simultaneously draws a veil across the night sky.

"Light pollution robs us, in the last millisecond of its journey, of light which may have travelled for hundreds, thousands or even millions of years to reach our planet... Are we cutting ourselves off from the direct experience of the rest of the universe?"

"There is a trend nowadays for road lighting to be better directed, not least because of the efforts of concerned bodies of astronomers such as the International Dark-Sky Association and the British Astronomical Association's Campaign for Dark Skies. But most private lighting is not designed to restrict emissions to the premises to be lit, causing light trespass and nuisance to many non-astronomers, too. The fact that light is not legally considered a pollutant like noise and smoke means that victims of light pollution have little redress, and the stars have no protection in law."