Hawaii Astronomers and Animals Vexed by Oahu's Blazing Lights
12/27/2011
Flickr: M. Shawn Hennessy
While Honolulu residents may marvel at the brilliant glow of the city's night skyline, it's not a welcome sight for astronomers atop Haleakala. For them, it's light pollution that's interfering with their scientific studies.
Oahu's glaring park and stadium lights, and abundant street lamps are also causing other problems. For birds and sea turtles, they can be a deathtrap.
“There is some egregiously bad lighting on this island,” said Richard Wainscoat, chair of the University of Hawaii’s Institute of Astronomy.
The problem of light pollution has taken on enough weight that in 2009, state lawmakers created a task force to combat it.
Led by Wainscoat, the state's Starlight Reserve Committee has been working for two years to curb the state's lighting issues. But it's unlikely that the work of the 14-member committee will have much of an impact anytime soon if the city of Honolulu doesn't step up and help, scientists say. Honolulu's efforts have trailed those of the state's other counties, and as the glow from the city gets brighter, scientists fret.
“It’s been ramping up over the past decade,” said Jim Crisafulli, director of the state’s Office of Aerospace Development and a member of the committee. “Our concern is that if we don’t do something about it now, it could get even worse.”
