Restoring Darkness

Rayan began a career in aircraft maintenance, but he went from aerospace to space - his interest in cosmology led to him creating Cosmic Tribe, making astronomy and space more accessible to a wider audience and thus spreading awareness of the problem of light pollution. Rayan talks with Michael and John about our lack of connection with the cosmos and the technical jargon and language barriers preventing that connection. Rayan is well-respected in the industry and holds several prestigious titles, including International Astronomical Union-IAU Dark Skies Ambassador, IDA Dark Sky Delegate, and National Coordinator of the Moon Village Association. He is also the Young Persons Committee Head of the Royal Aeronautical Society Pakistan Division and the International Astronomical Artist Association's Director of STEAM Outreach. He is the Founder of Cosmic Tribe and currently serves as the National Node of the International Day of Light and the IAU NAEC National Astronomy Education Coordinator from Pakistan Team. 

You can read Johan’s book, The Darkness Manifesto: How Light Pollution Threatens the Ancient Rhythms of Life which was just released in North America. Johan talks to Michael Colligan and John Bullock about the impact of light pollution on flora and fauna around the world, not to mention the impact on human health. Johan also points out that with the advent of artificial light at night, an appreciation for silence and slowness has diminished. So hurry up and listen to this podcast! Johan Eklöf, PhD, is a Swedish bat scientist and writer, most known for his work on microbat vision and more recently, light pollution. Johan has studied bats for almost 25 years and now has his own consultancy company, hired by authorities, wind companies, municipalities, city planners and environmental organizations as an expert on bats, night ecology and nature friendly lighting. 

It’s not too long ago that the Sun and Universe revolved around the Earth. That was the thinking until science and the arts began to see that the data just didn’t line up. Valerie reveals to us how knowledge gained in astronomy and cosmology influenced art and architecture. WATCH this episode, if you can. Having studied at the Universities of Bristol, Manchester and the Witwatersrand (South Africa), Dr Valerie Shrimplin has lectured extensively on Byzantine, Medieval and Renaissance Art and Architecture – and on sixteenth-century history as well. In particular, she has published quite widely on the influence of astronomy and cosmology on art (including her PhD on the influence of Copernican heliocentricity on Michelangelo’s Sistine Last Judgment). 

Climate change. Air pollution. Plastics. Chemicals. Pollution is a challenge. How do we deal with light pollution? As Georgia says, “with the flick of a switch!” It’s that easy. But is light pollution yet seen as pollution? Georgia is doing her part as the Mayo Dark Sky Park Development Officer for the Irish National Parks & Wildlife Service. And you’re invited to visit. As a mature student, Georgia completed a BA (Hons) in Outdoor Education, which resulted in a dissertation on the subject of light pollution and fueled an interest in protecting and restoring our dark skies. This formed the basis of an application to the International Dark Sky Association and the gold tier accreditation of Mayo International Dark Sky Park. Together with local community members, she worked to raise awareness of light pollution and became a founder member of the non-governmental organization "Dark Sky Ireland" to facilitate engagement at all levels from grassroots to policy. 

Camilla has an interesting way of looking at lighting design. Rather than a lighting designer, she calls herself a “darkness designer.” Camilla explains to Michael and John her philosophy on darkness, and how it is revealed with the use of light. Camilla leaves you with a little exercise on how to embrace darkness. Camilla has a bachelor’s degree in Design Culture and a master’s degree in Lighting Design from Aalborg University in Denmark. She started working as a team manager in a museum in Copenhagen, but continued working on research within light and darkness with Aalborg University and developing lighting on Anholt island in collaboration with the Dark Sky Anholt Association. 

In this special year-end episode, Michael and John discuss issues that have come up over the past year in the Darkness Restoration and Preservation movement. Have things improved? Are we getting there? 2023 is upon us, let’s get it done! 

Sabine is a full time Dark Sky Officer for the UNESCO World Heritage Site, Sternenpark Rhön. Sabine explains to Michael how she has become an expert on laws regarding light and light pollution. While she can’t issue tickets (yet), she can use her authority and expertise to improve bad light and advise on development plans. If you’re in lighting, listen to Sabine in this episode! Since childhood, Sabine has been an amateur astronomer and has been active in nature and species conservation. Being fed up with “male astronomy” techniques, she developed star guiding tours that include the nightly landscape, the moon, night clouds (which are very special), mythology, invisible things and all sorts of issues about the darkness. Initiator and pioneer of the IDA Dark Sky Reserve Sternenpark Rhön, she has been coordinator and the official dark sky officer of the park for almost 10 years where she has specialized in public relations, star guidance and most of all, de-illumination. 

Michael Colligan was inspired to be a Dark Sky advocate by William Shakespeare’s “A Midsummer Night's Dream.” The stars have inspired countless poets. Kerem considers the night to be a “realm” and he specializes in dark sky friendly lighting design for what he likes to call, “the urban and rural public realm.” Kerem Asfuroglu is the founder of Dark Source, a London-based lighting design studio driven by social and environmental values. Following his graduation from Wismar University – Architectural Lighting Design MA, Kerem has worked at Speirs + Major as a senior member of the creative team for 8 years. Throughout his career, he has won several design awards including Red Dot, Vox Juventa, PLDC, LAMP and LIT. 

Mark originally wanted to be a painter and painting to him was like subtracting light as paint is added to a white canvas. Conversely, in lighting, one is adding light to darkness. And this led Mark to understand you can’t talk about light without talking about darkness. Michael discusses with Mark how we have lost much of our understanding of the value of darkness as lights have gotten cheaper and more efficient. Mark formed Speirs Major with Keith Bradshaw which grew out of Speirs and Major Associates. Speirs Major are recognized as being one of the world’s leading lighting design practices, using light and darkness to enhance the experience of the visual environment. 

Bernd is an astrophotographer based out of Cologne, Germany. Bernd tells Michael how hard it is to find dark skies for his astrophotography. Even driving 2 days from Cologne, he can’t find an ideal dark area to take pictures. Bernd has taken photos from high in the Austrian mountains, but the bright lights of the ski hill grooming machines moving up and down the hills is hard to avoid with his time lapse photography. Bernd Pröschold is an astrophotographer and author. From 1998 to 2003 he studied communication science, sociology and cultural studies at the University of Münster, Germany. Shortly after he started to produce astronomical time lapse videos, an activity which turned into his profession very soon. His footage has been distributed by TV stations, planetariums and picture agencies.