Dark Skies

 Returning from a talk on the importance of Dark Skies, given by the City Branch of the Herefordshire Wildlife Trust, we came across this rather dazzling display of Christmas lights (and I don't mean dazzling in a good way!).

Photo 1: A bit Early for Christmas

Photo 2: Still a Bit Early for Christmas

This is the same residence that put on an equally bright Halloween display a few weeks earlier. CPRE Herefordshire has a rather good article on what constitutes light pollution and how you can help minimise its effect on plants, humans and the rest of the animal kingdom. For more information on the effects of light pollution on human health see here, and for its effects on wildlife and ecosystems, see here.

The night sky is full of stars, yet most of us only a few of the very brightest, especially if you live in the city. We are fortunate enough to live quite close to a Dark Sky Reserve in the Brecon Beacons. In the middle of Hereford, where we live the sky looks remarkably empty.

This was the view from our back garden looking SSW in the early evening on the 20th November 2024. If you look very very carefully you can see Venus and Saturn in the early evening sky above the rooftops.

Photo 3: Saturn and Venus in the Early Evening Sky (Hereford, 20/11/24)

They are a bit easier to see in this enlargement; Saturn is between the second and third chimney while Venus is lower in the sky just to the right of the fourth chimney.

Photo 4: Enlargement of Photo 3

If you still need help seeing the two planets ...

Photo 5: Saturn (left) and Venus (right) in the Night Sky

Just a reminder to keep your lights under control. Close the curtains at night, switch off unnecessary lights, put outside security lights on a timer and/or use a motion detection, use the lowest wattage bulbs possible and direct the light to only where it is needed. Avoid the use of uplights to illuminate your house, trees, etc (and ask your local authority and churches to do the same) and choose warmer colours rather than hard white/blue lighting as this is less harmful and intrusive.

At the Dark Skies meeting, someone did ask whether we should adopt Scrooge's 'Bah Humbug' attitude to Christmas lights. No need for that, but perhaps tone it down a bit and switch it off at night when no-one will see it.