For almost the whole of human history people have loved light and feared the dark. But growing light pollution worldwide is bringing about a welcome change in attitude. We would like stars to sparkle again in the night sky – if the Star of Bethlehem reappeared this year it would be lost in the artificial urban glow of a modern city – and we want to stop excessive illumination putting wildlife and human health at risk.
Places around the world are competing to attract visitors by proving their darkness. This month, for example, the International Dark-Sky Association (IDA) recognised two more Dark Sky Places in the UK: Isle of Coll off the west coast of Scotland and a 1,500 sq km reserve in the far north of England, encompassing Kielder Forest and Northumberland National Park. “Dark skies and astronomy have become a passion in the area,” says Heidi Mottram, chief executive of Northumbrian Water.
Altogether the US-based IDA has designated 24 Dark Sky places worldwide, including six in the UK, and it is evaluating many other candidates on the basis of the darkness of their sky and their commitment to fight bright light at night. Scott Kardel, IDA managing director, believes that the world, which has become ever brighter since the invention of artificial lighting, is approaching a historic turn back towards darkness.