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Berry, R. L. (1976). Light Pollution in Southern Ontario. Journal of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada, 70, 97–115.
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Dick, R. (2020). The Biological Basis for the Canadian Guideline for Outdoor Lighting 1. General Scotobiology. Journal of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada, 114(3), 122–126.
Abstract: The subject of limiting outdoor lighting seems straightforward- it saves electricity and reduces glare, but society has a predilection for activity at night that requires more than natural light. This extends beyond urban areas. “Cottage country” is well lit along the shoreline, and even campgrounds filled with amateur astronomers have lots of unshielded lights. Although these tend to be red, they still undermine our night vision (Dick, 2016) and change the nocturnal ambience. The main problem of whether outdoor lighting is good or bad depends on who is judge. Is there a less equivocal way to assess or define acceptable outdoor lighting, especially in rural areas? Must rural lighting follow “Best Practices” for cities? This is the first in a series of papers that will discuss the science behind the ecological impacts of artificial (anthropogenic) light at night. It will propose rational solutions to reduce these impacts and will define the characteristics of artificial light that minimize these disruptions that we call lighting with “low-ecological impact.” Although taking an ecological approach to outdoor lighting is unusual, we have observed that if the nocturnal environment is preserved for wildlife, it is usually sufficient for astronomy. Although it is understood that observatories may require a curfew during the three weeks centred on the new Moon. This first paper will set the stage for this somewhat unorthodox exploration into light.
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Dick, & R. (2020). The Biological Basis for the Canadian Guideline for Outdoor Lighting 2--Impact of the Brightness of Light. Journal of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada, 114(5), 205–210.
Abstract: One of the most obvious attributes of light is brightness. This paper will address specific brightness thresholds that have been found to impact animal health and behaviour, including humans. However, the meaning of brightness is vague and must be further refined and quantified. This paper will introduce and define these terms and will discuss the sensitivity of wildlife biology and behaviour to levels of luminance and illuminance. It may not be apparent from the common metrics used for “brightness” that a lamp will impact the ecosystem or human health. Our focus is on biology, which depends on the energy carried by the light, or its spectrum, and not strictly its apparent brightness. However, the subject of spectrum will be deferred to the third paper in this series.
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Gartlein, C. W. (1939). Request for Auroral Observations. Journal of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada, 33, 46–50.
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Hiscocks, P. D., & Gudmundsson, S. (2010). The Contribution of Street Lighting to Light Pollution. Journal of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada, 104(5), 190.
Abstract: Urban centres create a bubble of light overhead, known as sky glow. Sky glow is a form of wasted energy and light pollution that reduces our view of the night sky, contributes to the destruction of wildlife habitat, and impacts human health. There are many sources that contribute to sky glow: light from residential and business windows, illuminated signs, uplight on buildings and billboard advertizing, and street illumination. An aerial view of a city at night suggests that street lighting is a major contributor to sky glow. In this note we quantify the percentage contribution of street lighting to sky glow, over the city of Reykjavik (Iceland).
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