Earth Hour Event & Dark Skies Awareness
The Charlottetown Centre of the Royal Astronomical Society will be hosting a public stargazing event to celebrate Earth Hour on Saturday, March 28th, from 8-10pm at Tea Hill Park in Stratford.
T
here is nothing more breathtaking than the view of the Milky Way
stretching from horizon to horizon on a clear moonless night, far from city lights.
Those summer nights in the country that we all remember; the ones we enjoyed as young children are our shared heritage. You might even remember a time when the faint milky way could be seen from backyards in Charlottetown, Summerside and Montague.
Today, you actually hear people wondering out loud 'where did all the stars go? I remember seeing so many when I was younger'
The stars didn't go anywhere. They are still burning as brightly now as they have for thousands, millions, of years. What has changed is the proliferation of streetlights that, instead of pointing light at the ground where it belongs, shines the light in many directions thanks to unshielded bulb housings. This combined with irresponsible lighting at businesses and even some homes is not only wasting energy but robbing every Islander of the true beauty of the night sky.
Education and advocacy are the only way to save the stars on PEI. Join us on Earth Hour on March 28th. We're having an outdoor event at Tea Hill in Stratford at 8:00PM. There will be lots of information on light pollution, Earth Hour, and a chance to look through lots of telescopes.