My identical 20 minute exposure photos of the Big Dipper. The top one was taken in the country under dark sky conditions. The bottom photo was taken the same night in my backyard under light polluted sky conditions. All of us are historically and intimately linked to the sky. But folks, we are also the very first humans living on this planet to create a lifestyle that is slowly destroying our connection with the sky.
Urban stargazers see far fewer stars compared to rural stargazers.
Even in small cities like Ames, stargazing can be very challenging. Imagine watching your favorite movie in a well-lit theater. The light completely overwhelms the movie and you quickly lose interest. Likewise, the beautiful nightly celestial show is easily destroyed by the improper use of streetlights and other outdoor lighting at night. We can do better, but it will take a commitment by many people to make a difference, so that nearly everyone has a better view of the universe.