One of the challenges of amateur astronomy, other than clouds, is light pollution. We’re constantly challenged by the excess light that creeps up into the night sky.
This is becoming more and more of an issue with the many satellites that cross the sky at night. Even then, the issue may become much more problematic with a proposal to offer sunlight after dark using satellites with mirrors (see the references below).
This week, April 13 to 20, is International Dark Sky Week. It is sponsored by DarkSky.org and we’ll let them summarize the event.
International Dark Sky Week is a global celebration of the night.
From the darkness needed for a restful night’s sleep to the activities we enjoy beneath the stars, the night is filled with wonder and importance. Dark nights sustain critical wildlife ecosystems, strengthen the well-being of our communities, enable scientific discovery, and preserve shared cultural knowledge and traditions.
Join us this April as we “go dark” to explore the night and take action to protect dark skies worldwide.
Maybe we can “GO DARK” for at least a few days. If you get a chance, turn off your porch lights, go outside, look up, and marvel at the night sky.
- “Go Dark.” DarkSky.org.
- Kelly Kizer Whitt. “International Dark Sky Week is April 13 to 20.” EarthSky. April 12, 2026.
- “What is light pollution?” DarkSky.org.
- “80% of World Population Lives Under Skyglow, New Study Finds.” DarkSky.org. June 10, 2016.
- “Five Principles for Responsible Outdoor Lighting.” DarkSky.org.
- DarkSky.org.
- “Light Pollution.” FAS.
- “NASA Blue Marble Navigator.”
- “The New World Atlas of Artificial Sky Brightness.” CIRES.
- “Globe at Night.” NSF/NOIR Lab.
- “Light Pollution Map / Winston-Salem.”
- “Two satellite proposals threaten the night sky — sign DarkSky’s open letters.” DarkSky.org. February 11, 2026.
- Michael J. I. Brown and Matthew Kenworthy. “A US startup plans to deliver ‘sunlight on demand’ after dark. Can it work – and would we want it to?” The Conversation. October 9, 2025. Updated October 23, 2025.
- Cody Mello-Klein. “One million new satellites could soon transform night into day on Earth.” Northeast Global News. March 24, 2026.
- Ellen Montgomery and Lauren Arnold. “How “sunlight on demand” could erase darkness.” Environment America.
- “U.S. Startup Plans to Beam Sunlight to Earth Using Huge Space Mirrors.” Orbital Today. July 31, 2025.
- “Reflect Orbit.“