Many urban astonomers, stargazers, and photographers have a major problem with the night sky: light pollution. Light pollution has long robbed urban residents of the natural view of our Milky Way. Magnitudes on some of the most impressive celestial objects are greatly diminished, and the blackness of night is replaced with a reddish purple haze.
There is something we can do however. While we probably won't cause any major urban blackouts, we certainly can show how inefficient our outdoor lighting actually is. To fight the ever-increasing problem of light pollution we can all join the Great Worldwide Star Count.
The premise is simple. If you live in the Northern Hemisphere, observe Cygnus. If you live in the Southern Hemisphere, observe Sagittarius. Compare the stars to the magnitude chart available on the website, and log your findings through the website. That's it. This very possibly could be the first step to reclaiming our night sky. Log into the website and fight the light!
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