the stars didn't disappear, we just outshouted them with parking lots.
means excess artificial light that washes out the night sky, disrupts ecosystems, and wastes energy lighting up the underside of clouds.
from coined in the mid-20th century by astronomers watching observatory skies go from black to orange as cities sprawled outward; the term stuck once ecologists realized the glow was hurting more than stargazing.
las vegas strip — visible from space, brighter than surrounding desert by orders of magnitude
seoul at night — one of the most light-polluted metro skies on earth
flagstaff arizona — first international dark sky city, protecting lowell observatory since 2001
great barrier reef coast — coastal glow disrupts coral spawning cycles timed to moonlight