MPF Webinar: Dark Sky as a Natural Resource

Опубликовано: 17 Июнь 2025
на канале: Missouri Prairie

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At any given moment, half of the Earth’s surface is experiencing night. Electrification and industrialization have altered the nature of the night. Today, more than 80% of the world’s population and 99% of North Americans, live under light polluted skies. Excessive and misdirected outdoor lighting disturbs the ecological balance in the environment by adversely affecting plants as well as birds, insects, bees, other pollinators, and wildlife in general. Bad lighting affects humans by disrupting the circadian rhythm, and by causing glare that is harmful for pedestrians and drivers.

Darkness at night is a valuable but underestimated natural resource. With urban sprawl and the rise in LED light usage, we are losing this resource at an alarming rate which threatens the well-being of all living beings and the ecological health of our environment.

In this webinar presentation, Dr. Vayujeet Gokhale describes the problem and solutions to light pollution, based on the Five Principles for Responsible Outdoor Lighting. He outlines the environmental impacts of light pollution on all living things, particularly on migratory birds, and explores ways to preserve darkness at night in order to help fulfill the mission of the Prairie Foundation “to protect and restore prairie and other native grassland communities” in our great state.

To learn more about the conservation work of the Missouri Prairie Foundation, please visit moprairie.org

Dr. Vayujeet Gokhale is a professor of physics and astronomy at Truman State University. He earned his BSc. in physics (’96) and MSc. in nuclear physics (’98) from the University of Bombay, followed by a PhD in astronomy from Louisiana State University (2007). He lives just outside of Kirksville, Missouri with his wife Michelle, two young kids, a dog and a cat. Dr. Gokhale maintains his sanity by watching Seinfeld, Quentin Tarantino movies, and listening to dad rock. Dr. Gokhale loves the night sky and America’s National Parks, and dreams of someday becoming an astronomy park ranger at the Arches National Park in Utah.

Webinar recorded July 31, 2024.