Turning night into day has been so long accepted, it’s hard to imagine a star-packed view over a major city. Yet a recently passed dark sky ordinance has Pittsburgh (un) lighting the way for a more stellar sky.

Living in the skyglow of a never-truly-dark night has had negative effects on animals, plants, and us. Birds that navigate by starlight no longer find their way, species once protected by the dark of night are picked off by predators and humans’ loss of predictable circadian rhythms has brought harmful health effects.

With support from two dark sky experts at Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh City Council created the first-of-its-kind dark sky initiative. Major initiative components included are the use of new technologies, lower color temperature lighting and shielding ambient light. The 35,000 blue light-emitting diode streetlights installed in 2012 will be replaced by dark sky compliant LED lights with softer, warmer tones. Minimizing harsh contrast lighting will reduce glare. Efficiently directing lighting when and where it is needed will reduce energy consumption and, in turn, related greenhouse gas emissions. We need only look to Venus to see the results of runaway greenhouse effects.

Starting our New Year with the potential of better nighttime vision, enjoy the planetary show on Tuesday and Wednesday when Venus, Mercury, Saturn and Jupiter will be visible, joined by a crescent moon.

First Published: January 4, 2022, 11:00 a.m.