DarkSky Southern Arizona

Congratulations! I love seeing this topic come up ever more frequently in books.

YouTube video by Steve G Bright security light glare makes pedestrian disappear

Is the security light in this clip really enhancing safety?
Well designed lighting not only helps preserve our natural skies, but actually improves nighttime visibility.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sj38...

It’s not just me!!!

100%. Doing my best not to hand AI any data. Recently discovered solving CAPTCHAs helps train AI! (But perhaps not the audio ones, so that’s my next move.)

Electronic Frontier Foundation Defending your rights in the digital world

I’ve recently discovered I can use YT without logging in and with all trackers blocked via various software bits I discovered via eff.org.

It takes time, effort, and perseverance, but a look at other cities around the globe shows it can happen!

Ouah!

C’est un papillon de nuit, n’est-ce pas ? Vraiment magnifique.

Every Dark Sky initiative starts with a single person’s idea.

DarkSky Oregon

Check out Dark Sky Oregon’s cute, concise, and effective animated PSAs on the topic.

m.youtube.com/@DarkSkyOregon

Five Principles for Responsible Outdoor Lighting Too often, outdoor electric lighting installations at night are overlit, left on when not needed, and harmful to the environment. As a result, light pollution is a growing global issue that can…

Share the Five Principles of Responsible Outdoor Lighting with your city council or neighborhood to start a trend! Or even simply implement them yourself, sharing your methods and reasons with those that might ask.

darksky.org/resources/gu...

Migration here in SoAZ is well underway. Will you help birds along their way by reducing your Artificial Light at Night?

birdcast.info

Five Principles for Responsible Outdoor Lighting Too often, outdoor electric lighting installations at night are overlit, left on when not needed, and harmful to the environment. As a result, light pollution is a growing global issue that can…

Did you know SoAZ hosts one of the only three species of synchronous fireflies in the US? We can attest they are lovely. Let’s give them the dark skies they need.

darksky.org/resources/gu...

This former vet tech is rooting for both of you! Léon’s got this. And you do, too. Brava for getting him the care he needs, despite your fears.

Hah! Found one of 'em. @darknessnewsupdate.bsky.social
Thanks for doing what you do!

Polyphemus moth (Antheraea polyphemus), a type of silk moth

I once found an enormous silk moth (Antheraea polyphemus) at the bottom of a giant box of watermelons at the grocery. No idea how it avoided getting crushed!

Richard Green, @stewardobservatory.bsky.social Astronomer Emeritus discusses light pollution as it affects SoAZ's important astronomy industry. Also? If you enjoy a good margarita, this is relevant to YOU.
KVOI "The Morning Voice." Enjoy entire episode, or skip to 1:01:30.

tinyurl.com/5v96e6um

Light pollution causes urban birds to stay awake longer each day, study finds Researchers ‘shocked’ to discover some species settling down for sleep 50 minutes later than rural counterparts

How'd you like to have your bedtime delayed by 50min each night, while getting out of bed earlier in the morning, too? (Me neither!)
www.theguardian.com/environment/...

I’ve heard tell of a couple new dark sky themed podcast series here, but now can’t find them. Anyone?

A Universe of Images - Arizona Illustrated Southern Arizona is home to some of the best-known astrophotographers, and part of the reason is the local effort to keep skies darker than many other metropolitan areas.

Check out this this lovely @azpm.org piece featuring DSSoAZ's own Mike Weasner.
tv.azpm.org/p/azill-rece...

Gah. The climate is nuts overall, and I’m not just talking about the weather!
Good lucks to your green ones!

SoAZ plants are confused, too. After a short spell of normal monsoon, when plants respond with leaf-out joy, we’ve returned to June-type weather. Forecast is for 111°F, hasn’t rained for 2 weeks. Plants not exhibiting joy and are wondering exactly why they leafed-out.

Light pollution is encroaching on observatories around the globe – making it harder for astronomers to study the cosmos Some observatories that used to be dark and remote are now adjacent to bright urban centers. And sending all telescopes into space isn’t a viable solution.

Shout out to Southern Arizona's very own Richard Green for this excellent article in @theconversation.com
theconversation.com/light-pollut...

Five Principles for Responsible Outdoor Lighting Too often, outdoor electric lighting installations at night are overlit, left on when not needed, and harmful to the environment. As a result, light pollution is a growing global issue that can…

How can you help?
Look no further that the Five Principals of Responsible Outdoor Lighting.
darksky.org/resources/gu...

Do you care about the environment, our burgeoning astro-tourism economy, the important contributions SoAZ's astronomers make to science, including the potential impact risks of "Near Earth Objects," or your own health?
If so, dark skies matter to you, since they matter to all these things.

While many recognize the threat that the potential “Project Blue” data centers WOULD bring to our water and electricity supplies, a look at such centers in Mesa, AZ indicates light pollution is yet another real concern.
Next public meeting: 5:30pm, July 31, location TBA.

😭😭😭
I’m definitely clumsy, but also lucky, it seems! I keep hoping the European “Fairphone” will make a bigger showing in the US someday…

I DON’T KNOW!!
I have a 13mini, also, and when I got it last year (refurb) it felt… big! (As compared to my 1st Gen SE that I only gave up because it became obsolete and I could no longer run my banking software on it.) I can’t imagine having to go bigger. Just no!

(I did not know about the lettuce seeds!)

Lichens are even more bad ass! The toughest can withstand 2.5 times the radiation tardigrades can! (Just learned this yesterday, so excited to share.)