Imagine the Night Sky Without Light Pollution

For Earth Hour, we reimagined seven cities in their full starry glory when their is no light pollution.

Earth Hour is an annual global event that takes place on the last Saturday of March, in which individuals, communities, and businesses around the world turn off their non-essential lights for one hour as a symbol of their commitment to the planet. The event was first held in Sydney, Australia, in 2007, and since then, it has grown into a global movement, with millions of people in over 190 countries participating each year. The aim of Earth Hour is to raise awareness about the environmental challenges facing our planet, and to inspire people to take action to reduce their impact on the environment.

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[raymondsmit]

In 2005 when I was five years old I lived in middle of rural outback Queensland, Australia in a small mining town. My dad took my younger brother and I out to the airport several kilometres out of town to look at stars.

Back then it was a lot smaller than it is today, the town was less developed and expanded, far fewer mines with them being much further away from town, and the airport was tiny and shut off all lights at night.

We lied down on the gravel of the airport carpark and as I looked up it was the brightest, most detailed and colourful night sky I’ve ever seen till this day. We stayed for a while watching meteors go by. I can remember it clearly till this day. I maybe biased overtime due to memory but the colours I saw I don’t think I’ve seen since just incredibly vivid and vibrant with the galactic dust and gas clearly silhouetted aswell as revealing its transparency.

My dad is a hobby astronomer, but very knowledgeable on the sky and would always point out things like stars or planets. When I was 16 we went out to try his new telescope. At this time a lot more mines have popped up encompassing more of the area, with that the town expanded leading to the airport growing drastically. Once only accomodating small propellor passenger planes with small gravel roads and only outside seating areas, to a large airport with a 2-4 acre concrete carpark accomodating Boeing 737s and larger. It operates through the night causing a lot of light pollution.

We had no option but to attempt to drive further out of town, we ended up finding a nice recently cleared out area and decided to setup up there.

Despite our efforts we could still see the faint glow of the distant mines, it was enough to be noticeable and have an overall effect on the contrast of the night sky. It was a wonderful time anyway the telescope was outstanding; it was just sad to see the fading beauty of it. I haven’t seen a sky as dark as even that night since as I now reside in a city.

There’s something very special about being able to experience that view in its entirety, it’s like you can almost touch the stars. We all need that just like feeling and breathing the air. It’s innate to us, it’s part of us.

[Crossawnt]

Wish there was an event to turn off the lights in the entire city to see the beautiful night sky

[Free_Palestine_....]

i wondered why we could see the night sky only from specific spots of earth, now i know why

[patrickmursch]

i can remember when i was a kid (30years ago) one time i was lying on the ground at midnight and looking into stars. i tried it multiple times several years later and it was basically impossible to see more than a couple stars.

its such a shame how we effect things to the point where we arent able to see anymore how beautiful the world is we are living in...

[btsfirvever]

Even in my town it's is impossible to see more than 10 stars it is very bright sometimes like day light

[opps]

Thanks. In the night of the city, I see nothing but a colour with no name. In the suburbs, I see stars and a bit of the galaxy. In bushy areas, I see the sky in detail complete with Andromeda Galaxy and a beautiful look at deep space.

[dimensio_italian_magician]

My house is slighty higher than other ones and i live at the edge of the town. This allows me to see a decently clear sky, even better with my telescope!

[bluebloxyz]

At the city its very light here in Philippines but when i usually go to provinces i see like so many stars, it made me think of space

[TheMatrix]

Google : On a clear day, you can see for up to 3 miles
Human Eyes : Seeing fucking 2 b light years away

[cristianoprime]

Just imagine the night sky if a solar storm hits the earth

[Air_planephilippines]

Philippines is better without light pollution
We can see the milky way

[andisochabanekf]

When theres loadshedding lights go off every day for 2-6 hours a day

[colaking]

Earth Hour March 22... coincidentally preceding Near Miss Day? Sounds like it must help clear the sky of light pollution to have a better view of a possible incoming asteroid ☄️

[monkeyball]

We should do 2 years without stupid lights

[mehjabinvadivala]

Saudi Arabia 🇸🇦 in Makkah and Madina in the masjid al haram and masjid an nabawi there is so much light pollution there that it makes the places look beautiful but also makes it look like the night sky look boring and bland and with no stars the night sky in Saudi Arabia 🇸🇦 Makkah and Madinah the night sky is so polluted by light that no stars or planets can be seen in the sky of Makkah and Madinah in Saudi Arabia 🇸🇦 the masjid al haram and masjid an nabawi there is so much light pollution there.

[Shab-tnbx]

One hour...?? How about one week every night for 12 hrs straight.