21st-28th of April
International Dark Sky Week (IDSW) is a worldwide celebration night to build awareness about the harmful effects of light pollution and the importance of the global nighttime environment. Our beautiful observatory is not immune to light pollution.
Events happening in Ballarat this year are listed below. Bookings are essential for all events.
Tuesday 22nd
IDSW @ Woowookarung Regional Park Ballarat
5.30pm-1am
At the Look Out, research on nocturnal insect activity, learn how to use
iNaturalist, a second light trap will also be used to collate how many
insects and the different species are active in the Park, looking
through telescopes, and for the hardy, if fine, observing the Lyrid
Meteor shower after midnight! BYO everything,a picnic dinner and supper,
including a thermos, chairs, warm clothes, solid shoes, rugs to keep
warm, optional telescope/binoculars. Only red torches to be used in the
telescope viewing area, red cover available onsite. Only light to be UV
insect lights nearby.
Facilitators:
Ayesha Burdett – Ecologist, Nature Glenelg Trust
Peta Glenn – Parks Victoria
Bianca Fammartino – Leigh Catchment Group
Judith Bailey – DarkSky Ballarat
Cost: FREE
Thursday 24th
AstroKids! Where did the stars go? @ The Ballarat Observatory
3.45pm-5.15pm
For thousands of years people of looked up at the stars in amazement, used them to tell the time and the seasons and to navigate, but it seems like in the city lots of stars are missing, only to be found when you visit the bush or the country side. Why is that? Come along to find out where all the stars go.
What happens in this astronomer led session:
- Hands on science activities about stars and light
- Storytime
- AstroTalk
Cost: $0-$12
Visit the Ballarat Observatory
6.00pm-8.00pm
Visit the historic Ballarat Municipal Observatory and Museum, go on a guided tour of it’s historic site, learn something new about astronomy and gaze into the heavens with a telescope and a local astronomer.
If the sky is cloudy, a virtual night sky tour will be provided or a viewing raincheck can be arranged.
Cost: $0-$35
Monday 28th
Visit the Ballarat Observatory
7.30pm-9.30pm
Visit the historic Ballarat Municipal Observatory and Museum, go on a guided tour of it’s historic site, learn about the beauty of the night sky and what we’ve lost due to light pollution and view celestial objects through a telescope.
If the sky is cloudy, a virtual night sky tour will be provided or a viewing raincheck can be arranged.
Cost: $0-$35
Anytime!
Help to keep the Night Dark by turning off all unnecessary lighting, then the beauty of the night and the amazing light shows are visible to all.
IDSW
- We acknowledge the importance of preserving our heritage, the rich biodiversity of the environment and the starry night sky.
- The aesthetic beauty and wonder of a natural night sky is a heritage shared by all humankind.
- The experience of standing beneath a starry night sky inspires wonder and awe and encourages a growing interest in science and nature, especially among young people in Victoria.
- The opportunity to view star-filled skies over our country creates educational and personal benefits of far reaching economic value to all and impossible to accurately quantify.
- Globally, artificial light at night (ALAN) has increased by at least 49 % over the past generation, according to researchers at the Universities of Madrid and Exeter.
- Excessive ALAN, defined as light produced by humans for any purpose, contributes to light pollution of the night-time environment.
- Light pollution, defined as the inappropriate or excessive use of artificial light, can have serious environmental consequences for humans, wildlife, and our climate. It lights up the night sky denying Indigenous Australians a dark night sky that is a crucial part of their heritage, representing their stories, their culture and their calendar. For them ALAN has particularly negative impacts.
- Light pollution represents a waste of natural resources. In Australia, it is estimated that 30 % of all exterior lighting is energy wasted by directing light upwards instead of down, where it is intended to go.
- Light pollution diminishes the day/night cycle for all life. It diminishes animal habitats, puts nocturnal animals at risk and affects vegetation. For humans it has been linked to increased risks of some common cancers, obesity and many other ailments.
- Science has established that light pollution has significant economic and environmental consequences, impacting on the health of humans and the natural environment wherever it is present.
- Light pollution impact birds that migrate to and through Victoria, it also impacts on the endangered Mountain Pygmy Possum and its main food source, the Bogong Moth, so contributing to the decline in the biodiversity in Victoria.
- Solving the problem of light pollution requires educating governments, communities, and citizens on environmentally-friendly outdoor lighting practices. This includes responsible decision-making in selecting the appropriate colours of light sources, using only the minimum amount of light for the purpose and that it is directed only where it is needed.
- DarkSky international has designated the week leading up to the New Moon as International Dark Sky Week and the Observatory hosts an annual event. We continue to draw awareness to the far-reaching impacts of light pollution on all communities and promote solutions to minimise it, each April with IDSW.
- Protecting the night sky helps the all of us to improve our community and maintain its unique sense of place, neighbourhood liveability, safety, and quality of life.
