21 December 2015

Light-Pollution Mitigation at College & University Observatories

Constance Walker NSF's NOIRLab / IAU CPS

Every January for the past three years, the AAS Committee on Light Pollution, Radio Interference, and Space Debris has hosted a splinter meeting focusing on its mission and, especially, how it relates to shielding, spectral management, and LED-technology issues near observatory sites. This tradition will continue at the 227th AAS meeting in Kissimmee, Florida, when we convene a splinter session on Friday, 8 January 2016, from 9:30 to 11:30 am in the Orange Blossom Ballroom at the Gaylord Palms Resort and Convention Center.

In keeping with the committee’s charge to act as a clearinghouse for information on the topics of light pollution, radio interference, and space debris, the theme of this year’s session is the impact on campus and dedicated university-run observatories, such as many of the facilities listed at http://www.collegerank.net/amazing-college-observatories. Our speakers will offer short presentations about the current impact of light pollution on their observatory and the steps they’re taking to control or mitigate glare and stray light.

Confirmed speakers include Patrick Seitzer (University of Michigan), James Lowenthal (Smith College), and Douglas Arion (Carthage College). We also expect to have presentations from representatives of the International Dark-Sky Association (IDA) about some of their current and proposed projects, and we plan to leave plenty of time for discussion.

If your college or university runs an on- or off-campus observatory, and/or if you’re interested in preserving dark skies more generally, please join us for this informative session. For more information, email Connie Walker (National Optical Astronomy Observatory).