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The Situation of Light Pollution in Germany

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  13 May 2016

Andreas Hänel
Andreas Hänel*
Affiliation:
Museum am Schölerberg, Am Schölerberg 8, D-49082 Osnabrück and DARK SKY, working group of the Vereinigung der Sternfreunde e. V., Germany. email: ahaenel@rz.uni-osnabrueck.de

Abstract

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The central European climate in Germany is not ideal for serious astronomical observations. Increasing light pollution hampers thousands of amateur astronomers and millions of people from seeing starry skies and the Milky Way.

To study the sources of light pollution, we estimate the increase of light pollution in Osnabrück, a town of about 160,000 inhabitants located in northwestern Germany. We try to extrapolate these statistical data to Germany and discuss possible reasons for increasing light pollution though the energy consumption stagnates. Some enthusiasts of the German amateur association “Vereinigung der Sternfreunde” have formed a working group DARK SKY to exchange information on this matter. Finally, we present some activities to make the public aware of the problem.

Type
Part 2. Threats to Optical Astronomy
Information
Symposium - International Astronomical Union , Volume 196: Preserving the Astronomical Sky , 2001 , pp. 142 - 146
Copyright
Copyright © Astronomical Society of the Pacific 2001 

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