Submitted by Dante Hunter, Bayside Astronomy Program Manager
For nearly two decades, the Northern Bruce Peninsula has had some of the darkest and most pristine night skies in Southern Ontario. On what’s known as the Bortle Scale which goes from 1 to 9 (9 being the most light polluted skies), there are areas near Miller Lake that are a 2, while The GTA is a 9!
Since declaring itself a Dark Sky Community in 2004, the residents of Northern Bruce Peninsula have worked collectively to help protect and reduce artificial light pollution at night. One of the defining features of the community of the Northern Bruce Peninsula is its commitment to preserving its dark skies. The community has worked diligently to minimize light pollution by adopting ‘dark sky compliant’ measures. These include directing outdoor lighting downwards, using warmer-coloured LED lights, and using lower lumens lighting systems.
Yet, despite the commendable efforts of the community, recent observations show that light pollution has been on the rise over the past few years. Thankfully, the Municipality of the Northern Bruce Peninsula has implemented some new measures to preserve the wonders of the night skies.
A street light request policy By-Law 2022-88 was passed that ensures community input in new street light decisions, and that streetlights are dark sky friendly. Last year the ‘Northern Bruce Peninsula Comprehensive Zoning By-law 2002-54’ was amended to help reinforce the region’s dedication to dark skies. Section 6.3.11 states “The Municipality of Northern Bruce Peninsula is a ‘Dark Skies’ community, and any outdoor lighting shall be ‘dark sky compliant’”.
What can you do to help keep our skies dark?
It’s simple, when coming home after a night out, take a good look at your house and landscaping. Does your lighting follow the 5 basic principles of dark sky compliant lighting (PDBNW)?
1) P is for Purpose. All light should have a clear purpose. Is it really needed or can you use reflective tape or self luminous markers?
2) D for Directed. Light should be directed to only where needed, down. One example that the harbour master at the Lion’s Head Marina took was to adjust the angle on the boat launch lights so that they were no longer shining across the grass of the marina but down to the launch! Shields on street lights or raw bulbs can also be attached at minimal cost.
3) B for Brightness. Lights should be no brighter than necessary to get the area lit for safety. Use bulbs with the lowest Lumens rating possible.
4) N is for Necessary. Use lights only when necessary. Use timers or motion detector sensors to turn lights on only when needed. Turn off dock/deck/hot tub/path/house lights after midnight.
5) W is for Warm. Lights with Correlated Colour Temperature (CCT) of higher than 3000K emit light in the blue end of the spectrum which is scattered more by our atmosphere than warmer red/orange or yellow lights. This is why the sky is blue during the day. Warmer coloured lights produce less scattering, reducing their impact on the night sky. Look for lights with a colour temperature under 3000K or lights that are labeled as daylight or warm.
Finally, if you have a neighbor whose lights are not ‘dark sky compliant’ consider having a friendly conversation about the importance of preserving the night, share these guidelines with them, or invite them to look through a telescope, perhaps at Bayside Astronomy.
Through adherence to ‘dark sky compliant’ guidelines and a continued collective effort, the Northern Bruce Peninsula aims to ensure that future generations can continue to marvel at the wonders of a truly dark night sky. Together we can all play a part in preserving the Northern Bruce Peninsula’s beautiful starry and unpolluted night sky!
