Causes of light pollution

Into the blue: Understanding marine light pollution

Light Pollution

Artificial light at night (ALAN) has long been studied for its impacts on humans and wildlife on land…

June 6, 2025

Building dark sky connections with Michelle Wooten

Light Pollution

When you first enter the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, most people’s attention is drawn to the elephant …

March 12, 2025

Exploring “Lights Out”: The Smithsonian’s special exhibit on reclaiming the night

Astronomy

When you first enter the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, most people’s attention is drawn to the elephant …

January 17, 2025

Reflecting on Under One Sky 2024: A global gathering to protect the night

Astronomy

Under One Sky 2024 was our largest and most impactful global conference to date!

November 21, 2024

Causes of light pollution

Resources

Light pollution is a problem, but there’s no single country, group, or industry to blame. Instead, it’s a result …

July 31, 2023

What is light pollution?

Resources

Light pollution is the human-made alteration of outdoor light levels from those occurring naturally. When we over-light, fail to …

October 4, 2024

Light pollution harms wildlife and ecosystems

Resources

For billions of years, all life has relied on Earth’s predictable rhythm of day and night. It’s encoded in …

November 13, 2023