Light pollution has become so severe that researchers have coined a new term to describe the grief associated with losing the night sky. The word, “noctalgia,” roughly translates to “sky grief.” It’s meant to call attention to the rapid loss of what little night sky we have left.
Aparna Venkatesan, a cosmologist at the University of San Francisco, created the term alongside John Barentine, the director of public policy at the International Dark Sky Association. The duo submitted a brief on noctalgia to Science, which ultimately turned the brief into a cover story marking the 50th anniversary of the journal’s first mention of light pollution.
“Today, the widespread deployment of outdoor electric lighting means that the night is no longer dark for most people—few can see the Milky Way from their homes,” the cover story reads. “Outdoor lighting has many legitimate uses that have benefited society. However, it often leads to illumination at times and locations that are unnecessary, excessive, intrusive, or harmful: light pollution.”
For some, the idea that light might pollute anything may sound far-fetched. After all, we primarily use the word “pollution” when talking about smoggy skies and oceans full of plastic. But the expansion of cities and the growing ubiquity of LEDs have genuine implications for astronomy, human health, and the environment. Research shows light pollution has increased by nearly 10% annually over the past decade. By mismanaging how we light up the night, we’re diminishing our opportunities for stargazing, confusing our circadian rhythms, disrupting animals’ migration patterns, and damaging foliage.
“We offer here the term to express sky grief for the accelerating loss of the home environment of our shared skies, a disappearance felt globally and deserving its own field of study of nyctology,” Venkatesan and Barentine wrote. “This represents far more than mere loss of environment: we are witnessing loss of heritage, place-based language and identity.”
The good thing about light pollution—if you can call it that—is that it’s more easily reversed than other forms of pollution. Light doesn’t accumulate, so swapping out blue LEDs for less disruptive options could help us recover the night sky. Even adding shields to light fixtures could be productive.
“Often, those responsible for poor lighting do not realize that it is causing pollution that harms the environment,” Science’s cover story reads. “Careful design, appropriate use of technology, and effective regulation can ensure that we retain the benefits of artificial light at night while minimizing its harmful effects. If we fail to do so, we will lose what little darkness remains.”
