It may seem harmless, but light pollution has far-reaching consequences that are harmful to all living things. Effective outdoor lighting reduces light pollution, leading to a better quality of life for all. The dark sky movement is working to bring better lighting to communities around the world so that all life can thrive.
Join us this International Dark Sky Week to learn more about the movement, and discover the night where you live.
Presented by International Dark-Sky Association
Any artificial light that is not needed is a pollutant that has serious and harmful consequences.
Light pollution can:
Light pollution is increasing at 2x rate of population growth and 83% of the global population lives under a light-polluted sky.
Globe at Night’s community scientists measure and submit their night sky brightness observations. It’s easy to get involved — all you need is computer or smartphone.
Is your home night sky friendly? A few simple changes can lead to home lighting that is both beautiful and functional, without contributing excessive light pollution.
Dark City Walks are guided walking tours that demonstrate how the lighting we add to our cities impacts the way we use them and the environment at large.
IDA Advocates around the world educate the public about light pollution, enact legislation, serve as local resources for other volunteers, and more. Join us!
Connect with a partner organization and tell them about the importance of reducing light pollution — or better yet, host an event with them to help introduce new audiences to the value of dark skies.
Partner ideas [PDF]
Event ideas [PDF]
Discover the night by taking part in the International Dark Sky Week scavenger hunt! Find as many items on the list as you can during the week. Find them all, and IDA will send you an assortment of stickers!
Artificial light at night has revolutionized the way we live and work outdoors, but it has come at a price. When used indiscriminately, outdoor lighting can disrupt wildlife, impact human health, waste money, and energy, contribute to climate change, and block our view of the universe.Â
The International Dark-Sky Association promotes win-win solutions that allow people to appreciate dark, star-filled skies while enjoying the benefits of responsible outdoor lighting.
The night sky, filled with stars, is celebrated and protected around the world as a shared heritage benefiting all living things.
Thank you to our brand partners for year-round support
Leading Partners
Guiding Partners
Sustaining & Ally partners
Tag your Instagram posts with either #IDSW2022, #DarkSkyWeek, or #DiscoverTheNight.
After disastrous scouting for new locations, I ended up visiting my well-known location across the Island of Hydra. Despite the dusty atmosphere and the high humidity, I tried to capture a panoramic image of this beautiful seaside place. When I arrived at this location I wasn't alone, thankfully there was a couple, Noah and Nina, with their Shorty (the dog) and their camper van. It was nice to meet them and enjoy the night sky.
I decided to capture the big view, to go with the wide-angle lens and capture the whole milky way arch and the amazing landscape. In the first place, I took a series of vertical images without using any filter in front of the lens. The result wasn't that bad, although I wanted to use the diffuser filter, just to see the difference and if it's any better. And then, the magic happened! The effect on the image was so so pleasing to my eyes, I couldn't believe how much I liked this result.
Unfortunately, this effect wasn't the only one that I noticed last night; the most obvious and distracting effect was the light pollution. Especially the left part of the image is almost unusable because of the heavy lighting from the cities in the distance.
Captured using a Nikon D750 and a Nikkor 20mm f1.8G lens on a Vixen Polarie star tracker on a steady Banro tripod.
#milkywaypanorama #milkyway #twan #astrophotography #milkywaychasers #idsw2022 #yourshotphotographer #nikonnofilter #milkywaycc #nightsdreamworld #athensvoice #astronomypictureoftheday #createyourlight #greece #youresa #nikoneurope #benrotripod #thanosp_photos
Can you pitch in a few dollars a month to protect the night? Support the International Dark-Sky Association by becoming an IDA monthly member today. When you join our monthly giving club, you will receive a special Nighthawk magnet.