Skyglow

Why in news?

• Recently, a new study has found that non-natural light had increased the brightness of Skyglow, by 9.2-10% every year between 2011 and 2022 with significant ecological, health and cultural implications.

About Skyglow:

• The Skyglow, is an omnipresent sheet of light across the night sky in and around cities that can block all but the very brightest stars from view.
• The brightening of the night sky over inhabited areas because of streetlights, security floodlights and outdoor ornamental lights cause the Skyglow.
• This light floods directly into the eyes of the Nocturnal (active at night) and also into the skies and misleads their path.
• 'Skyglow' is one of the components of light pollution.

Consequences of Skyglow:

• Disrupted Sleeping Patterns
  • A 2020 study found that disrupting the circadian rhythm, artificial light at night can hamper the production of melatonin, an influential hormone in the human body which affects sleep, moods and cognition.
• Loss of night-time starry view:
  • The human eye should be able to perceive several thousand stars on a clear, dark night.
  • But the growing artificial brightness at night has robbed people of the night-time starry view.
  • Due to skyglow, the stars are disappearing right in front of our eyes at a startling rate and a large number of stars that were once visible to us are no longer visible to us.
  • The change is so fast that a child who was born in a place that had 250 visible stars would only be able to see about 100 stars by the time they turn 18.
• Disrupting the ecosystem and wildlife:
  • Plants and animals depend on Earth’s daily cycle of light and dark rhythm to govern life-sustaining behaviors such as reproduction, nourishment, sleep and protection from predators.
  • Scientific evidence suggests that artificial light at night has negative and deadly effects on many creatures including amphibians, birds, mammals, insects and plants.
  • Examples: Lit beaches deter sea turtles from coming ashore to nest. Skyglow keeps trees from sensing seasonal variations.
• Massive wastage of energy
  • Experts say that skyglow and sky brightness show how a tremendous amount of energy is being wasted every day

PRACTICE QUESTION

Which of the following can be considered as the consequences of ‘Skyglow’?

1. It can hamper the production of melatonin in the human body

2. It can increase the number of stars visible to human naked eye

3. It affects the reproductive cycle of plants

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 and 3 only

(b) 2 and 3 only

(c) 1 and 2 only

(d) 1,2 and 3

Answer