Education

Commission 50 realizes the central role that education has in informing the world community, at all levels, about the critical need to protect our dark skies, including the regions around major observatories.  To reach the huge target audience, the WG has to work with schools and universities, the mass media, specialized media, lighting engineers, biologists, government authorities, planetariums, science centers, astronomy clubs and so forth. This WG is therefore relying largely on being able to work effectively with the best of the existing public outreach organizations.  A partial list of these will include the  IDA, the Astronomical Society of the Pacific (including their project ASTRO program), the  Texas StarDate/Universo program,  Hands-on Universe and EU Hands-On Universe, Globe, the European Association for Astronomy Education (EAAE), the Greek Educational Project (which has produced an interactive, educational CD-ROM on light pollution in Greek and in English), Sky and Telescope , the NOAO educational outreach program in English and Spanish and Gemini's new StarTeachers program in English and Spanish (which is associated with Chile's RedLaser schools network) over the Internet2/AMPATH/Entel 10MB/s broadcast-quality link (click here for Spanish).

An Introduction to the "Light Pollution" problem

General.

Useful introductory information can be obtained from the December, 2002 issue of Sky & Telescope and from IDA information sheet 18 "The theft of the Night", by David Crawford, a member of this WG.  See also Preserving tha Astronomical Windows by/for Education by John Percy; this article defines the need for action in education at a world-wide level by this WG (John is also a member).  Margarita Metaxa's powerpoint presentation was a highlight of the La Serena conference.  A Glossary of basic terms and definitions is provided in IDA information sheet No. 9.  Good and bad lighting fixtures are described in IDA information sheet No. 122.   The following abstract by Margarita Metaxa of this working group was selected by the Greek National Research Foundation for the first European presentation of  "Physics on Stage" .

An introduction to Astronomy/Physics Education through an Environmental topic: activities connected with "Light Pollution".

Dr.M.Metaxa
IAU Com.50  wg on Light Pollution
IDA Education wg
Arsakeio High School, Athens, Greece
mmetaxa@compulink.gr

ABSTRACT

In this talk I will discuss  new trends in teaching Astronomy and Physics in  secondary schools, having in mind the changes that have been taking place in education generally ie the new era of using professional data bases, internet sources etc. In particular I will discuss :
1.why astronomy/physics education is important
2.the problems of astronomy/physics education
3.who are our students
4.the student learning process
5.and alternative frameworks for the enhancement of school education in Astronomy/physics through the environmental problem of  Light Pollution.

Light Pollution problem  exists most everywhere, and is still growing rapidly. The preservation of the astronomical environment is strongly connected and requires effective education. We present the model of our educational programme.

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Activities in Schools/Universities.

The problem of light pollution is mainly due to the wrong choice of lighting in streets, shops and parking areas.  That means it is a problem for all cities, towns and villages.  We want to encourage students and the general public to become familiar with the night sky and through this to increase awareness of the effects of light pollution and attempt to influence planning authorities to produce efficient and effective lighting schemes.  Well designed lights will not only cut down light pollution, but will also save energy and  protect the environment (see e.g. the effects of light pollution on sea turtles).

The activities proposed here can be integrated into science and technology lessons.  Through these, students will be familiarized with:

A. Elementary School.

See simple, naked-eye projects such as those outlined in  IDA information sheet 113 "Count the Stars" and particularly sheet 127 "Save the stars" - a wide range of activities for elementary students Grades K-3.  See also extracts from a special educational CD produced by Margarita Metaxa, a member of our WG, especially Activity IV & Activity V (these activities are based on IDA's slides and focus on lighting fixtures and lamps).
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B. High schools

More advanced photographic/visual projects, suitable for high-school students, can be based around the IDA concepts in:
1.    IDA information sheet 11 where you can estimate the level of sky glow due to cities.
2.    IDA information sheet 58 which presents an excellent visual project based around the Pleiades stars.
3.    IDA information sheet 120 where the reader is introduced to the limiting magnitude through stars of the constellations Orion, Cygnus, Ursa Minor.
4.    IDA information sheet 146 gives you basic instructions on how to photograph good/bad outdoor lighting, in your local area.
5.    IDA information sheet 148 provides guidance on how to take measurements with an illuminance meter.
6.   "Observe the design of outdoor lighting" - Activity III from the special educational CD-ROM - which has been developed by Jerry Red and edited by David Crawford.
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This project for school children in a single city and/or country area was suggested by Dr. Margarita Metaxas of this WG.  The project  involves taking photographs of the same parts of the sky, at the same time of night using a camera with a standard 50mm lens (f/2 or less) with which the aperture and exposure can be set manually.

Other light pollution activities which can be integrated into the school curriculum are described at the website of the Light Pollution Project in the Schools in Greece and the special, educational, interactive CD-ROM produced in Greek and in English by Margarita Metaxa.
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University

Some of the projects proposed for High School students can also be carried out at university level:-
1.    IDA information sheet 11 where you can estimate the level of sky glow due to cities.  This project can be extended using  IDA information sheet 112 .
2.    IDA information sheet 146 gives you basic instructions on how you can photograph good/bad outdoor lighting, in your local area.
3.    IDA information sheet 148 provides guidance on how to take measurements with an illuminance meter.

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Mass Media

Try the IDA,  StarDate (click on "teachers") and Cerro Tololo (in spanish) websites.  The StarDate Online program includes StarDate radio, Universo radio and the StarDate magazine.  Articles in magazines and newspapers can be found by going to the main "Mass Media" section of our website.

Spanish-language tapes prepared for StarDate/Universo radio have been broadcast in Chile as a pilot project between organizations working together to control light pollution.. CTIO has developed a short video in conjunction with "Nova" (in connection with the PBS program "Runaway Universe") showing the night sky rotating over Cerro Tololo.  The setting zodiacal light, just south of La Serena, is not easily seen in individual frames, yet can (just) be seen in the movie.  This wonderful view of the dark night sky over a major observatory is threatened and is a point of special attention by this WG.

In addition to the readily accessible links to press and magazine articles given elsewhere on this site, one may note that work by some of the members of this working group (Pierantonio Cinzano and Dave Crawford) and of Commission 50 (Jim Cohen) was highlighted in the September 9th issue of "The Economist" (p99).  See also the broadcast on light pollution given by US National Public Radio including WG member Elizabeth Alvarez.
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Specialized media magazines and books

Sky & Telescope and the April 2000 issue of Audubon magazine (p92) have recently published articles on light pollution. Excellent educational magazines such as these reach a very wide audience with reliable, well-presented information. To access the Sky and Telescope material, click  here and  here .  A wealth of material is contained within the IAU Symposium Volume "Preserving the Astronomical Sky", which will soon be published.
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Planetariums, Science Centers, Astronomy Clubs

Some useful links:

The ASP Teachers' Newsletter on Light Pollution (most suited to high-school and introductory university level).
The StarDate Online program (click on "teachers")..
The  Hands-on Universe  program.
Good material from Sky and Telescope.
The Palomar  Light Pollution Awareness Program and weblinks therein (especially the LightLynx site).
The  NOAO educational outreach program in english and in  spanish .
The Gemini StarTeachers sister-city exchange program in English and in Spanish centered around portable, inflatable planetariums.
Margarita Metaxa's powerpoint presentation on international schools networks associated with controlling light pollution..
The Astronomical Society of Greater Hartford Light Pollution website discusses glare and effects on human vision.
A planetarium presentation on light pollution prepared by the South Eastern (US) Planetarium Association (SEPA).  This 11-minute digital star show "Saving the Night" can be adapted for planetarium and other presentations anywhere.

LP education work in Chile. The Chilean National Office for the Protection of the Quality of the Skies (OPCC), the Chilean Astronomy Network, REDLASER schools network, the University of La Serena "Centauri" students, the Gemini portable planetarium group, the "Tololito" high-school observatory, the Mamalluca (Vicuna) municipal observatory and the University of La Serena science/education faculty are all involved in educational initiatives related to the control of light pollution. In October, the Annual Congress of Amateur Astronomers in Copiapo, Chile featured a workshop on Light Pollution.  A meeting of this IAU working group coupled with an international conference on controlling light pollution was held in Chile in early March, 2002.

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Last revised: 3rd March, 2006.