Walking down the main road from a friends house late Saturday night I got to appreciate the traffic calming that has been installed, which consists of woefully designed traffic calming and high pressure sodium street lights at 15m intervals. Away from the brighter lights, the paths between roads have taken on a more foreboding air, taking them requires stepping out of the security of the light-pool. It was also impossible to look without at least one of the lighting units being in my field of view, burning away night vision, and leaving only the brightest stars (Arcturus, Capella et al) visible. Nearing home I turned down one of the dark paths, conifers blocked the street lighting and the soft orange glow of low pressure sodium was visible in the distance. The stars reappeared, Draco wove his way between Ursa Minor and Ursa Major, Leo dominated the south and Corona Borealis rose in the east. I took one last look, adjusted my hat, and stepped back into the light.

Trying to scare away the darkness, we have succeed in making that which remains even deeper and have forgotten that we don’t need everything lit by 500w floodlighting. 10 minutes in darkness and the eye becomes remarkably sensitive, and after roughly 30 minutes, is able to detect a candle flame from 14 miles. Turn off the lights, let the night back and get a chance to appreciate what floats over our heads every night.

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