1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:11,200 Howdy Stargazers, and welcome to this episode of Star Trails. 2 00:00:11,200 --> 00:00:16,640 I'm Drew, and I'll be your guide to the night sky for the week starting October 20th to 3 00:00:16,640 --> 00:00:18,600 the 26th. 4 00:00:18,600 --> 00:00:25,080 This week brings meteor showers, conjunctions, some classic deep sky objects, and of course, 5 00:00:25,080 --> 00:00:28,080 a comet that has everyone talking. 6 00:00:28,080 --> 00:00:33,480 We'll complete a celestial family drama that played out in Greek mythology, and later in 7 00:00:33,480 --> 00:00:40,000 the episode we'll talk about the scourge of stargazers, light pollution, and what we can 8 00:00:40,000 --> 00:00:41,640 do about it. 9 00:00:41,640 --> 00:00:48,000 So grab a comfortable spot under the night sky, and let's get started. 10 00:00:48,000 --> 00:00:55,680 Comet C 2023 A3, also known as Shushin Shin Atlas, is currently one of the most exciting 11 00:00:55,680 --> 00:00:58,640 celestial objects in the sky. 12 00:00:58,640 --> 00:01:03,640 It reached its closest approach to Earth on October 12th, and will remain visible in the 13 00:01:03,640 --> 00:01:06,520 evening skies throughout this month. 14 00:01:06,520 --> 00:01:11,720 Look for it around twilight, shortly after the sun sets, and make sure you have an unobstructed 15 00:01:11,720 --> 00:01:14,360 view of the western horizon. 16 00:01:14,360 --> 00:01:19,480 The comet is steadily climbing higher each night, making it easier to observe as the 17 00:01:19,480 --> 00:01:21,240 days progress. 18 00:01:21,240 --> 00:01:26,720 By October 26th, it will be about 38 degrees above the horizon. 19 00:01:26,720 --> 00:01:32,320 That's about the height of four fists held at arm's length to the sky. 20 00:01:32,320 --> 00:01:37,040 And it sets roughly four and a half hours after sunset. 21 00:01:37,040 --> 00:01:42,120 During this period, the comet's tail is expected to become more prominent, stretching dramatically 22 00:01:42,120 --> 00:01:44,760 as it moves further from the sun. 23 00:01:44,760 --> 00:01:49,760 If you're in a location with dark skies far from city lights, you may even spot some 24 00:01:49,760 --> 00:01:52,480 detailed features of the tail. 25 00:01:52,480 --> 00:01:57,600 While binoculars or a small telescope will enhance your view, it may also be visible 26 00:01:57,600 --> 00:02:01,440 to the naked eye in optimal conditions. 27 00:02:01,440 --> 00:02:06,480 This period may be the best chance to observe this comet, as it won't return for tens of 28 00:02:06,480 --> 00:02:08,400 thousands of years. 29 00:02:08,400 --> 00:02:13,440 The moon will be rising later in the evening this week, which may prove useful for comet 30 00:02:13,440 --> 00:02:15,040 spotting. 31 00:02:15,040 --> 00:02:21,400 I went out and photographed comet A3 a few days ago, and I can confirm it's a spectacular 32 00:02:21,400 --> 00:02:25,920 object, visible even in the light of the full supermoon. 33 00:02:25,920 --> 00:02:30,080 With averted vision, I was barely able to make it out, but it jumped out of the sky 34 00:02:30,080 --> 00:02:33,280 in my 11x70 binoculars. 35 00:02:33,280 --> 00:02:39,640 I was able to photograph it using an iPhone in night shot mode, and it looked great at 36 00:02:39,640 --> 00:02:44,920 200mm when photographed with a full-frame, mirrorless camera. 37 00:02:44,920 --> 00:02:48,080 It took me two tries to spot A3. 38 00:02:48,080 --> 00:02:53,440 My first effort went horribly awry as I attempted to locate it against the bright backdrop of 39 00:02:53,440 --> 00:02:57,080 metropolitan light pollution near my home. 40 00:02:57,080 --> 00:03:02,120 But since we've had consecutive clear nights lately, I decided to try spotting it the next 41 00:03:02,120 --> 00:03:07,280 evening, but this time I drove about an hour into one of the most desolate counties in 42 00:03:07,280 --> 00:03:14,280 my state, to a location where I've had good success shooting the Milky Way in the past. 43 00:03:14,280 --> 00:03:15,880 Lens still weren't great. 44 00:03:15,880 --> 00:03:21,160 I was fighting against both the brilliance of the full supermoon and time. 45 00:03:21,160 --> 00:03:23,400 The comet was low in the sky. 46 00:03:23,400 --> 00:03:29,440 I estimated it was about 10 degrees above the horizon by the time I arrived, so it wasn't 47 00:03:29,440 --> 00:03:32,200 going to hang around long for photos. 48 00:03:32,200 --> 00:03:38,000 I put my camera on a tripod and found an old barn to place in the foreground for some wide 49 00:03:38,000 --> 00:03:39,480 shots. 50 00:03:39,480 --> 00:03:46,080 Then I switched to a 200mm lens for a closer view, and before I left, I placed my iPhone 51 00:03:46,080 --> 00:03:49,120 on a tripod to see how those would turn out. 52 00:03:49,120 --> 00:03:54,720 I discovered that if you're in a reasonably dark area, a steadily held smartphone using 53 00:03:54,720 --> 00:04:00,080 a night shot or astronomy mode can easily capture this comet. 54 00:04:00,080 --> 00:04:04,920 Although I did manage to eke out a few images, I won't be entering these into a competition 55 00:04:04,920 --> 00:04:07,920 or even sharing them on social media. 56 00:04:07,920 --> 00:04:13,040 I plan to make another effort in the coming days, provided we have clear skies, and I 57 00:04:13,040 --> 00:04:18,560 encourage anyone listening to go out and see this comet now before it's too late. 58 00:04:18,560 --> 00:04:25,120 The last time I saw a comet this spectacular was Haley's Comet in 1985 when I was just 59 00:04:25,120 --> 00:04:26,840 10 years old. 60 00:04:26,840 --> 00:04:32,560 A3 is really that good, so go get your eyes on it if you can. 61 00:04:32,560 --> 00:04:37,200 And not to be captain obvious here, but the darker the skies, the better your view will 62 00:04:37,200 --> 00:04:42,120 be, and that goes for every object in the night sky. 63 00:04:42,120 --> 00:04:46,480 In the second half of the show, I'll tell you how you can find the darkest skies in 64 00:04:46,480 --> 00:04:48,320 your neck of the woods. 65 00:04:48,320 --> 00:04:58,720 But first, let's find out what else is happening in the sky this week. 66 00:04:58,720 --> 00:05:04,520 The last quarter moon is on October 24th, so you'll see half of it illuminated, rising 67 00:05:04,520 --> 00:05:08,520 late at night and setting in the early afternoon. 68 00:05:08,520 --> 00:05:14,160 Before that, on October 20th and 21st, keep an eye out for a nice conjunction of the moon 69 00:05:14,160 --> 00:05:15,680 and Jupiter. 70 00:05:15,680 --> 00:05:20,800 As the second brightest planet in the sky, Jupiter will shine brightly next to the moon 71 00:05:20,800 --> 00:05:22,760 all night long. 72 00:05:22,760 --> 00:05:28,680 By the end of the week, on October 26th, the moon will also be hanging out with Regulus, 73 00:05:28,680 --> 00:05:32,280 the red heart of the constellation Leo. 74 00:05:32,280 --> 00:05:38,880 This early morning pairing will be a great way to start your day just before dawn. 75 00:05:38,880 --> 00:05:43,000 Jupiter will be visible all night long, hanging out in Taurus. 76 00:05:43,000 --> 00:05:47,880 As I mentioned, you'll see it in conjunction with the moon on the 20th and the 21st, but 77 00:05:47,880 --> 00:05:51,040 it will be shining brightly throughout the week. 78 00:05:51,040 --> 00:05:57,440 Saturn is situated in the constellation Aquarius and is a perfect target for telescope viewers, 79 00:05:57,440 --> 00:06:03,480 especially with its rings becoming more edge-on as we head into 2025. 80 00:06:03,480 --> 00:06:09,760 You'll spot Mars rising in Gemini later at night, around midnight by week's end. 81 00:06:09,760 --> 00:06:15,680 On the night of October 23rd, it will also pass close to the moon, another conjunction 82 00:06:15,680 --> 00:06:17,440 worth checking out. 83 00:06:17,440 --> 00:06:23,720 Meanwhile, Venus, our bright evening star, will be glowing low in the southwestern sky, 84 00:06:23,720 --> 00:06:32,000 especially around October 24th when it appears next to the bright red star Antares in Scorpius. 85 00:06:32,000 --> 00:06:37,240 Don't forget the Orionid meteor shower, peaking tonight and into the morning. 86 00:06:37,240 --> 00:06:44,160 These meteors come from Haley's Comet and shoot across the sky at 41 miles per second. 87 00:06:44,160 --> 00:06:49,040 Be aware the moon will be quite bright during the peak, which means it may drown out some 88 00:06:49,040 --> 00:06:51,000 of the fainter meteors. 89 00:06:51,000 --> 00:06:57,760 Try to block the moon behind a tree or building and focus on the darker parts of the sky. 90 00:06:57,760 --> 00:07:03,800 Later in the week, the Leonis-Manorids meteor shower peaks on October 24th, but these are 91 00:07:03,800 --> 00:07:07,920 a bit quieter, with fewer meteors per hour. 92 00:07:07,920 --> 00:07:13,360 For deep sky enthusiasts, the Perseus double cluster will be well positioned in the northern 93 00:07:13,360 --> 00:07:16,200 sky on October 26th. 94 00:07:16,200 --> 00:07:28,200 This duo of open star clusters NGC 869 and NGC 884 are about 7,500 light-years away, 95 00:07:28,200 --> 00:07:32,760 and you can find them nestled between Perseus and Cassiopeia. 96 00:07:32,760 --> 00:07:37,680 Even with just binoculars, you'll be able to see this rich field of stars sparkling 97 00:07:37,680 --> 00:07:41,040 against the darkness of space. 98 00:07:41,040 --> 00:07:47,240 Also well placed this week is the Andromeda Galaxy, our nearest galactic neighbor. 99 00:07:47,240 --> 00:07:53,320 At about 2.5 million light-years away, it's the largest galaxy visible from Earth and 100 00:07:53,320 --> 00:07:56,600 can be spotted with the naked eye if you're in a dark area. 101 00:07:56,600 --> 00:08:01,840 You'll find it in the constellation Andromeda, rising higher in the sky as the night goes 102 00:08:01,840 --> 00:08:03,680 on. 103 00:08:03,680 --> 00:08:10,960 And for telescope users, the Triangulum Galaxy M33 is another great target. 104 00:08:10,960 --> 00:08:16,680 It's the third largest member of our local group of galaxies and offers a beautiful spiral 105 00:08:16,680 --> 00:08:19,920 structure for those with larger scopes. 106 00:08:19,920 --> 00:08:25,040 You'll find it in the small constellation Triangulum, which is located roughly between 107 00:08:25,040 --> 00:08:27,520 Andromeda and Aries. 108 00:08:27,520 --> 00:08:33,540 Lastly, don't miss the Pleiades, or Seven Sisters star cluster. 109 00:08:33,540 --> 00:08:39,560 This open cluster in Taurus is always a breathtaking sight, and it will be visible in the eastern 110 00:08:39,560 --> 00:08:46,400 sky. 111 00:08:46,400 --> 00:08:52,280 A prominent constellation that rises this time of year is Cepheus, the king. 112 00:08:52,280 --> 00:08:56,560 If he sounds familiar, it's because he's been a big player in some of the night sky 113 00:08:56,560 --> 00:09:03,640 lore we've discussed recently, particularly in the stories of Andromeda, Cassiopeia, Cetus, 114 00:09:03,640 --> 00:09:06,760 Pegasus, and Perseus. 115 00:09:06,760 --> 00:09:12,720 Right near the constellation's Cassiopeia and Draco, Cepheus is best seen in the northern 116 00:09:12,720 --> 00:09:16,400 sky during the fall and early winter months. 117 00:09:16,400 --> 00:09:22,400 It's easily identifiable by its house shape, a five-sided figure that somewhat resembles 118 00:09:22,400 --> 00:09:26,240 a child's drawing of a house with a peaked roof. 119 00:09:26,240 --> 00:09:31,640 The constellation contains several notable stars, including Alderaemon, the brightest 120 00:09:31,640 --> 00:09:38,600 star in Cepheus, and Delta Cephe, which has been critical in the study of variable stars. 121 00:09:38,600 --> 00:09:45,040 In fact, Delta Cephe is the prototype of Cephed variable stars, which astronomers use to measure 122 00:09:45,040 --> 00:09:48,520 distances to far off galaxies. 123 00:09:48,520 --> 00:09:55,040 Another highlight is the Garnet Star, a strikingly red supergiant that shines with a deep, ruddy 124 00:09:55,040 --> 00:09:56,040 hue. 125 00:09:56,040 --> 00:10:04,520 Cassiopeus also hosts IC 1396, an expansive star-forming region containing the Elephant's 126 00:10:04,520 --> 00:10:09,640 Troncnebula, a favorite among astrophotographers. 127 00:10:09,640 --> 00:10:14,960 According to Greek myths, Cepheus was the king of Ethiopia, and he was caught up in some 128 00:10:14,960 --> 00:10:21,520 celestial drama after his wife, Cassiopeia, boasted that she was more beautiful than the 129 00:10:21,520 --> 00:10:23,360 sea nymphs. 130 00:10:23,360 --> 00:10:28,880 Cassiopeus angered the sea god, Poseidon, who sent a sea monster, Cetus, to ravage their 131 00:10:28,880 --> 00:10:30,220 kingdom. 132 00:10:30,220 --> 00:10:36,080 To appease Poseidon, Cepheus and Cassiopeia sacrificed their daughter, Andromeda, by 133 00:10:36,080 --> 00:10:38,480 chaining her to a rock. 134 00:10:38,480 --> 00:10:44,520 But the hero, Perseus, swooped in riding Pegasus to save her just in the nick of time, and 135 00:10:44,520 --> 00:10:46,800 she ended up marrying him. 136 00:10:46,800 --> 00:10:53,120 The entire family is immortalized in the night sky as constellations, with Cepheus often depicted 137 00:10:53,120 --> 00:11:04,200 as a king on his throne or holding a royal scepter. 138 00:11:04,200 --> 00:11:09,920 If you like fast cars, you've at some point probably heard the expression, there's no 139 00:11:09,920 --> 00:11:16,600 replacement for displacement, meaning that you can bolt on a turbo or a supercharger in 140 00:11:16,600 --> 00:11:22,880 various go-fast parts that boost an engine's power, but at the end of the day, the greatest 141 00:11:22,880 --> 00:11:28,600 performance will come with more displacement, in other words, a bigger engine. 142 00:11:28,600 --> 00:11:34,640 In astronomy, and especially astrophotography, there are tricks to pull dim objects from 143 00:11:34,640 --> 00:11:41,360 light-polluted skies, such as techniques involving filters, exposure stacking, certain types 144 00:11:41,360 --> 00:11:44,200 of cameras and computer processing. 145 00:11:44,200 --> 00:11:49,880 But everything gets a lot easier to deal with, and viewing is much more enjoyable if you 146 00:11:49,880 --> 00:11:54,360 can simply relocate to darker skies. 147 00:11:54,360 --> 00:12:00,000 Today we'll talk about the Bordle Scale, which measures the brightness of the night sky based 148 00:12:00,000 --> 00:12:05,960 on light pollution, and will get into practical ways you can still enjoy the stars even if 149 00:12:05,960 --> 00:12:09,000 you live in a brightly lit area. 150 00:12:09,000 --> 00:12:15,560 This light pollution scale was developed by astronomer John E. Bordle in 2001. 151 00:12:15,560 --> 00:12:22,080 The scale ranges from 1 to 9, with 1 being the darkest, most pristine sky you could ever 152 00:12:22,080 --> 00:12:30,560 imagine, and 9 being a sky flooded with artificial light, such as in the middle of a large city. 153 00:12:30,560 --> 00:12:35,680 If you've looked at any astrophotography online recently, you'll often see the photographer 154 00:12:35,680 --> 00:12:40,560 mentions the Bordle rating of the area where the photo was taken. 155 00:12:40,560 --> 00:12:45,480 Knowing your rating can give you a great sense of what you'll be able to see from your location 156 00:12:45,480 --> 00:12:48,920 or capture with your astrophotography rig. 157 00:12:48,920 --> 00:12:54,000 Let's break down a few key levels of the Bordle Scale. 158 00:12:54,000 --> 00:12:56,680 Bordle 9 is the worst of the worst. 159 00:12:56,680 --> 00:13:01,040 Think of downtown in a major city like New York or Tokyo. 160 00:13:01,040 --> 00:13:06,240 Here, you might only be able to see a handful of the brightest stars. 161 00:13:06,240 --> 00:13:11,280 Forget about spotting the Milky Way or planets other than Venus or Jupiter, and you can't 162 00:13:11,280 --> 00:13:14,440 see any deep sky objects. 163 00:13:14,440 --> 00:13:18,040 Bordle 7 and 8 are suburban skies. 164 00:13:18,040 --> 00:13:23,160 You'll see more stars than in the city, but the Milky Way is still a no-show. 165 00:13:23,160 --> 00:13:28,720 You'll be able to spot a few planets and the brighter constellations like Orion in winter 166 00:13:28,720 --> 00:13:31,280 or Scorpius in summer. 167 00:13:31,280 --> 00:13:37,960 I live in a transitional zone between Bordle 7 and 8, just a few miles outside a metropolitan 168 00:13:37,960 --> 00:13:38,960 area. 169 00:13:38,960 --> 00:13:44,400 But still, with binoculars, I can spot star clusters and some major nebula, such as the 170 00:13:44,400 --> 00:13:47,760 Great Nebula in Orion. 171 00:13:47,760 --> 00:13:54,200 Bordle 4, 5, and 6 are rural skies, with varying degrees of light pollution. 172 00:13:54,200 --> 00:13:59,680 In 5 or 6, you can start to see the Milky Way on a clear night, but it's faint. 173 00:13:59,680 --> 00:14:04,280 As you move toward Bordle 4, the Milky Way gets clearer, and you might spot some of the 174 00:14:04,280 --> 00:14:08,040 brighter nebula and the Andromeda Galaxy. 175 00:14:08,040 --> 00:14:15,200 When I went out to photograph Comet A3 a few days ago, my location was in a Bordle 4 zone. 176 00:14:15,200 --> 00:14:22,120 My local astronomy club's observation site is also located in Bordle 4. 177 00:14:22,120 --> 00:14:26,480 Bordle 2 and 3 zones are considered truly dark skies. 178 00:14:26,480 --> 00:14:30,880 You can see the Milky Way shining brightly, and if you have a telescope, you can start 179 00:14:30,880 --> 00:14:34,800 tracking down faint galaxies. 180 00:14:34,800 --> 00:14:36,800 Bordle 1 is the dream. 181 00:14:36,800 --> 00:14:42,040 A truly dark sky where the Milky Way is so bright, it casts a shadow. 182 00:14:42,040 --> 00:14:48,320 You can see thousands of stars, all the constellations, the zodiacal light, and even faint details 183 00:14:48,320 --> 00:14:51,120 of nebula without any equipment. 184 00:14:51,120 --> 00:14:57,360 It's the kind of sky you can find in remote deserts, high mountains, or far out at sea. 185 00:14:57,360 --> 00:15:03,360 I live in a southeastern state where Bordle 4 is common in between small cities and a few 186 00:15:03,360 --> 00:15:05,480 metropolitan areas. 187 00:15:05,480 --> 00:15:10,520 In my experience, I typically need to drive about 30 miles away from my home location 188 00:15:10,520 --> 00:15:13,280 to get truly dark skies. 189 00:15:13,280 --> 00:15:19,080 In my state, we have a handful of small areas that are Bordle 3 or even 2. 190 00:15:19,080 --> 00:15:24,640 So how can you determine what zone you're in and where some darker skies are? 191 00:15:24,640 --> 00:15:28,080 My favorite resource is, of course, a website. 192 00:15:28,080 --> 00:15:34,280 Visit lightpollutionmap.info and click anywhere on the map to get detailed information on 193 00:15:34,280 --> 00:15:37,200 the sky brightness at that point. 194 00:15:37,200 --> 00:15:42,080 Zooming out will give you an idea of where light pollution hotspots are, and I'll include 195 00:15:42,080 --> 00:15:44,320 a link in the show notes. 196 00:15:44,320 --> 00:15:50,280 If you're stuck in a Bordle 7 or 8 zone, there are ways to enhance your stargazing. 197 00:15:50,280 --> 00:15:53,360 First up is reducing local light interference. 198 00:15:53,360 --> 00:15:58,200 It sounds simple, but blocking out nearby street lights or house lights can make a big 199 00:15:58,200 --> 00:15:59,880 difference. 200 00:15:59,880 --> 00:16:03,800 These nearby light sources wreak havoc on your night vision. 201 00:16:03,800 --> 00:16:06,640 And a spot where they aren't shining in your eyes. 202 00:16:06,640 --> 00:16:10,840 Even moving just a few blocks away from bright street lights or heading out to a park or 203 00:16:10,840 --> 00:16:13,160 field can make a difference. 204 00:16:13,160 --> 00:16:18,720 If you can, seek out higher ground, hills or rooftops where there's less light reflecting 205 00:16:18,720 --> 00:16:22,000 off nearby surfaces. 206 00:16:22,000 --> 00:16:24,280 Filters are another tool in your kit. 207 00:16:24,280 --> 00:16:32,160 Light pollution filters like a UHC that's ultra high contrast or a CLS, City Light Suppression 208 00:16:32,160 --> 00:16:38,200 Filter, can help cut through some of the artificial light by blocking certain wavelengths, such 209 00:16:38,200 --> 00:16:41,240 as those emitted by street lights. 210 00:16:41,240 --> 00:16:45,920 These filters really improve the visibility of faint objects like nebula, star clusters 211 00:16:45,920 --> 00:16:50,680 and galaxies, even in moderately light polluted areas. 212 00:16:50,680 --> 00:16:55,240 Astrophotographers who live in areas with a lot of light pollution have devised some smart 213 00:16:55,240 --> 00:16:57,960 techniques to deal with pollution. 214 00:16:57,960 --> 00:17:04,120 As with visual observation, a broadband light pollution filter can be especially useful. 215 00:17:04,120 --> 00:17:09,360 These selectively block the most common types of artificial light, like sodium vapor and 216 00:17:09,360 --> 00:17:15,040 certain LED lights, which are the main culprits in city and suburban lighting. 217 00:17:15,040 --> 00:17:20,400 You can also use narrowband filters, which only let through very specific wavelengths 218 00:17:20,400 --> 00:17:21,400 of light. 219 00:17:21,400 --> 00:17:26,360 These are useful for photographing nebula as they enhance the light emitted by ionized 220 00:17:26,360 --> 00:17:31,000 gases while filtering out other types of light. 221 00:17:31,000 --> 00:17:38,640 Another strategy for astrophotography is using a monochrome camera with narrowband filters. 222 00:17:38,640 --> 00:17:43,480 Monochrome cameras, as the name suggests, don't capture color the same way a regular 223 00:17:43,480 --> 00:17:45,680 DSLR might. 224 00:17:45,680 --> 00:17:51,480 They essentially shoot black and white images, so you have to use red, green and blue filters 225 00:17:51,480 --> 00:17:55,240 to create the layers for an RGB image. 226 00:17:55,240 --> 00:17:59,040 There are other useful filters for monochrome cameras too. 227 00:17:59,040 --> 00:18:05,880 By capturing different wavelengths separately, usually hydrogen alpha, oxygen 3, and sulfur 228 00:18:05,880 --> 00:18:12,040 2, you can build up a detailed high contrast image even in areas with significant light 229 00:18:12,040 --> 00:18:14,000 pollution. 230 00:18:14,000 --> 00:18:20,640 After capturing each filter's data, you can stack the images in image processing software. 231 00:18:20,640 --> 00:18:25,600 This technique is a favorite among astrophotographers who shoot in urban areas because it allows 232 00:18:25,600 --> 00:18:30,520 you to essentially exclude the wavelengths you don't want to capture, such as those of 233 00:18:30,520 --> 00:18:32,240 light pollution. 234 00:18:32,240 --> 00:18:38,560 Regardless of the camera used, image stacking is an essential technique for almost all astrophotography 235 00:18:38,560 --> 00:18:39,920 nowadays. 236 00:18:39,920 --> 00:18:45,600 By taking multiple long exposure shots and then using software to combine them, you can 237 00:18:45,600 --> 00:18:50,280 increase the signal to noise ratio in your final image. 238 00:18:50,280 --> 00:18:56,800 This helps to bring out faint celestial objects while minimizing the impact of light pollution. 239 00:18:56,800 --> 00:19:02,680 Programs like Deep Sky Stacker or Pixensight are popular for this technique, and the results 240 00:19:02,680 --> 00:19:05,880 can be stunning even from a city. 241 00:19:05,880 --> 00:19:10,960 Light pollution doesn't just affect our ability to see the stars, it's also impacting 242 00:19:10,960 --> 00:19:13,120 wildlife. 243 00:19:13,120 --> 00:19:18,840 Artificial lights confuse animals that rely on natural light cues for navigation, migration, 244 00:19:18,840 --> 00:19:20,400 and reproduction. 245 00:19:20,400 --> 00:19:26,400 Birds, sea turtles, even fireflies can suffer from the excess light that we throw into the 246 00:19:26,400 --> 00:19:27,560 sky. 247 00:19:27,560 --> 00:19:32,880 So reducing light pollution isn't just about us as stargazers, it's about keeping nature 248 00:19:32,880 --> 00:19:35,320 in balance too. 249 00:19:35,320 --> 00:19:39,040 Some communities are adopting dark sky initiatives. 250 00:19:39,040 --> 00:19:44,440 These efforts work to replace traditional street lights with shielded, downward-facing 251 00:19:44,440 --> 00:19:49,800 lights, which reduce unnecessary outdoor lighting and promote even more efficient lighting 252 00:19:49,800 --> 00:19:50,800 designs. 253 00:19:50,800 --> 00:19:58,120 It's a win for the environment, energy use, and of course for stargazing. 254 00:19:58,120 --> 00:20:00,720 That's it for today's episode of Star Trails. 255 00:20:00,720 --> 00:20:05,600 If you found this episode informative or entertaining, please share it with a friend. 256 00:20:05,600 --> 00:20:11,680 The easiest way to do that is by visiting our website, startrails.show, where you can 257 00:20:11,680 --> 00:20:18,120 find all of our episodes, including transcripts, night sky maps, and more. 258 00:20:18,120 --> 00:20:21,920 Until next time, keep looking up and exploring the night sky. 259 00:20:21,920 --> 00:20:42,720 Clear skies, everyone!