In case you missed the memo, the Perseid Meteor Shower peaked this past week across the Northern Hemisphere. Widely regarded as one of the most beloved meteor showers every year, the Perseids shot across the sky during the early mornings of August 12 and 13. This year was an especially good year because the shower coincided with the new moon, meaning that there was very little natural light in the sky, besides the stars themselves.
However, this occasion was almost completely ruined for me by one thing: light pollution. I live in the suburbs of Cleveland, so I should have expected some light pollution; it's almost completely unavoidable in the modern age. But I didn't realize just how much light is thrown into the sky every night.
Here is a map of the severity of light pollution in the United States alone:
If you live east of the Mississippi, odds are it's a tad difficult to figure out where your state is, unless you live in Florida (there are some things you just can't miss). I now realize that I had no way of avoiding light pollution no matter where I had gone in my town. The closest I could have gone to see the Perseids better is Northern Michigan (and if you know anything about Ohioans, you know that wasn't going to happen).
So yeah, light pollution ruined the Perseids for me a bit. Big deal, right? But what other havoc is light pollution wreaking in the world?
For humans, artificial light has been a godsend. It allowed us to make better use of the day, since we don't have to stop our lives simply because our land isn't being illuminated by the sun. We just turn on a light and keep going. However, in terms of health, artificial lights can really mess us up. According to Paolo Passone-Corsi, "Disruption of the circadian clock is linked to several medical disorders in humans, including depression, insomnia, cardiovascular disease, and cancer... Studies show that the circadian cycle controls from 10 to 15 percent of our genes, so the disruption of the circadian cycle can cause a lot of health problems.” Ever had problems sleeping? It's probably because of the artificial lights that constantly surround us, including our phones.
But you've probably heard about this, especially if you've taken an introductory psychology class. So what about the rest of the world? We share this planet with a multitude of other species, and a large percentage of them have been affected by our reliance on artificial light. According to Pere Horts, "Most people think that, as we sleep at night, the rest of the species do the same, with a few exceptions, so it is of no concern if we send out a little light into the night time environment. A crass error... the biological activity of our fauna is more intense at night than during the day and that this fauna needs the night for their normal activities." Our incessant light is preventing plants from thriving. And it's hurting animals, too. Animals can be affected in so many ways, including the disruption of their biological clocks, the disruption of foraging behaviors, and an increased risk of predation. A lot of animals rely on the cover of the night to get their food, so artificial lights significantly inhibit their ability to forage or hunt.
So, the next time you think about leaving the porch lights on at home, think about what that light pollution is doing to you and the world around you. Turn off your lights. Not only will it save you money, but it could save the lives of your animal neighbors. Plus, it'll make for a better meteor shower viewing.
For a schedule of the meteor showers for the rest of 2015, click here.
