Where Are the Stars? See How Light Pollution Affects Night Skies | Short Film Showcase

Of the many ways Earth is polluted, light pollution may be the least talked about. It's not an illusion; astronomers measure it from one to nine on the Bortle scale, and earlier this year, one study suggested that light pollution may be causing spring to come earlier. This short film, shot mainly in California by Sriram Murali, goes through all the levels of the scale, showing how the view of the cosmos gets better in less light-polluted areas.

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Where Are the Stars? See How Light Pollution Affects Night Skies | Short Film Showcase

National Geographic

[audreyfischer]

When light pollution hides the stars, we too easily forget we live on a planet flying through space. The best show on Earth is the stars!

[Tunir]

can't believe such a beautiful sight passes above me EVERY SINGLE NIGHT.
but due to light pollution i've missed it every single day of my life.

[its_meenay]

AS a person who loves space and stars, this is heartbreaking

[ethand]

This video is NOT exaggerated.

I went on a wilderness canoe trip in Canada a few years ago and one night their was no moon and no clouds and I saw EVERYTHING. No one believed me but I could see everything... the colors, the milky way, and many more stars than I though possible with the naked eye. It inspired me to become a night photographer. Don't believe what anyone says, the sky CAN look like this and it is life changing.

[jahsiahbowie]

There should be a day every year where we turn off all city lights and admire the unfiltered sky

[mdywztx]

I don't want a city full of lights. I want this.

[jostanvallis]

I’ve been on this planet for 14 years and I’ve never seen the Milky Way before. Only on the internet and science books

[chloe_aku]

I don't know why but this video made me cry. So beautiful. I need to see this in real life some day.

[ishikakadam]

I cried while watching this. Being born and brought up in a really busy city, I have never been fortunate to see a sky like this ever. It’s my dream to see these beautiful skies some day

[eddardsnark]

I grew up in a small town in Wyoming, and got to enjoy the awesome sky every night. Always had an appreciation for the universe, and how we're just some tiny speck of dust in the grand scheme of things. Then I moved out of state to a large city for college and suddenly it was gone, and I realized how easy it is to lose perspective of things. When I've tried to have conversations with friends about it or talk about the sky, no one cares, and they have no idea what they're missing. It's a bit sad.

[g]

This should be on people's bucket list.

[leon]

Every single time I saw a photo of a sky with no pollution I always thought it was a filter that could see better than the human eye and the first time someone told me this was real I seriously thought they were joking. Its sad to know you cant see a beautiful event that happens right above your head every night. I wish one day I would be able to see the night sky unfolding right before my eyes.

[BeginnerCyclistNetwork]

I'm in the Royal Navy and lucky that whilst at sea we can sail in total darkness (excluding basic navigation lights). To look up at the stars at night is a gift!!!

[gperch]

I've seen this, August 2005 in Australia, about half way along the 8 hour road trip from Adelaide to Melbourne. It was very late, there was zero light pollution as far as the eye could see on a very flat landscape and I looked out of the window up at the sky and I could not believe what I was seeing. I asked my friend to stop the car for a while so we could appreciate it better. I've seen pictures in books but I always assumed you needed a telescope to see the Milky Way. One of the best experiences of my life.

[manshoe]

I used to think how it was possible for ancient civilizations to navigate with the stars until I saw a picture of the unmolested night sky, and my mind was immediately blown and that question was answered in an instant, I've wanted to see a clear night sky ever since

[coasgaming]

there needs to be just one night every 5 years or so, where they shut all the lights of in America (obviously won't affect generators) and let people see the true beauty of the night sky... It's seriously sad that people actually think this is fake.

[ranch]

every time i look outside at the night sky all i see is planes i don’t even see a glance of a star

[mr.nobody]

so, this is the sky that people from centuries ago see

[danm]

It may sound obvious but it just hit me that I'm watching the Earth spin. Holy shit.

[EQUATION.]

SAVING THE DARK
Millions of children will never see a sky full of stars. The night skies remind us of our place in the Universe. It gives us identity, makes us feel a connection. Think of all the great minds that gazed up at the night sky and were inspired by it. We've lost the potential for thousands of great minds.