Members of Kendall County Friends of the Night Sky gathered at the Oct. 15 Kendall County Commissioners Court to receive a proclamation supporting their effort to show residents and businesses how to be Dark Sky Friendly, declaring October to be Dark Sky Month.
The Hill Country has outstanding night skies, recognized many times over by the International Dark Sky Association and others around the world, members stated.
Many people, they say, over light their property thinking of the security angle. The way to make your home or business more secure is with lighting that only comes on when motion is detected. It is quite a deterrent when an unexpected light suddenly comes on via a motion detector.
The proclamation states:
1. The historical view of the night skies has been eroding in many nearby areas and generations are growing up with limited, if any, view of the wonders of the universe.
2. The flux of people into the Texas Hill Country region and the accompanying light trespass from lighting fixtures has been steadily on the rise and, as a result, light pollution continues to grow.
3. Solving the problem of light pollution involves making better use of outdoor lighting to direct light down to where it is needed instead of upwards into the sky, putting outdoor lights on timers, and using outdoor lighting only where necessary.
4. Hill Country communities are increasingly dedicated to the preservation of the region’s night skies, as evidenced by the frequent educational activities conducted in the region and by the increasing number of places recognized by the International Dark-Sky Association.
5. This regional effort of the Kendall County Friends of the Night Sky is worthy of a month-long celebration.
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