Night-time satellite images are pretty—like light reflecting off oil scum in wetlands is pretty!

I get a bit cranky every time I see one of these night-time from space photos—especially when they are posted by NASA. Everyone is always going "wow awesome pretty".

Yes—pretty like the refraction off the oil scum polluting the wetlands is pretty.

As a space-interested community, shouldn't we should be saying "it's pretty, but you know what is WAY prettier? The unpolluted night sky."

I know which sky I'd prefer to see!   http://stellarium.org/img/screenshots/0.10-bortle.jpg

Just think about the millions of people growing up never having seen the Milky Way, never having paused to wonder about the billions of stars and worlds out there, and all the myriad of questions that flow on from that experience.

Because when you ask yourself those questions, you often go on to find answers. Education...

Light pollution is killing our wonder, and with it our desire to learn, discover, explore.

How much easier would be sourcing research funding if everyone could fully see the sky at night?

We need to start by qualifying our posts of such polluted photos...

You can also do something about it—starting this week. You can participate in the International Globe at Night movement to measure the situation in your street and upload photos of your sky to an international database. Check out the website and get involved!