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The loss of dark skies is so painful, astronomers coined a new term for it (www.space.com)

submitted 1 year ago by FlyingSquid to c/technology

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Given the harmful effects of light pollution, a pair of astronomers has coined a new term to help focus efforts to combat it. Their term, as reported in a brief paper in the preprint database arXiv and a letter to the journal Science, is "noctalgia." In general, it means "sky grief," and it captures the collective pain we are experiencing as we continue to lose access to the night sky.

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[–] shalafi -1 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (2 children)

My gf says the same about our hood. I like it dark as it is. We spend a lot of time walking at night, and I don't feel it's any less safe.

If you're on the street in the dark, your eyes adjust so you can also see into the shadows. If it's lit up, you can only see what's in the light.

I'm actually a bit nervous under the bright lights! Having said that, I'm a man and don't have the same concerns as a woman (in the dark).

On top of that, I almost always carry a pistol with tritium sights or a light. So maybe that's another reason I'm a bit more confident in the dark?

[–] [email protected] 14 points 1 year ago (1 children)

On top of that, I almost always carry a pistol with tritium sights or a light. So maybe that’s another reason I’m a bit more confident in the dark?

Yeah, carrying a gun everywhere might have something to do with why you feel comfortable and other people don't.

[–] shalafi 5 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

Meh, a gun is a rock-bottom, last resort thing. It's not something where a sane person thinks, "I'm armed so I have nothing to fear."

Hard to explain to someone that doesn't carry, but it makes one hyper-aware of their situation, because it's a trump card you don't want to play. Makes you more likely to avoid risk, if that makes sense.

[–] [email protected] 9 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I’m actually a bit nervous under the bright lights!

Yeah, because everything outside the light cone will be pitch black to you. I think that's another benefit of those old orange lights. They don't cause your eyes to adjust, so you can still see well how the surroundings look like.

[–] shalafi 2 points 1 year ago

I walk in the woods behind the neighborhood at night. Without a flashlight, I can see the sandy trail and be aware. With a light, all I can see is what's right in front of me.