2008-26 October 16, 2008

Great World Wide Star Count:

Light Pollution To Be Mapped by Thousands of Citizen Scientists Around
the World This Month

Contacts:

David Hosansky, UCAR/NCAR Media Relations
1-303-497-8611
hosansky@ucar.edu

Rachael Drummond, UCAR/NCAR Media Relations
1-303-497-8604
rachaeld@ucar.edu

Dennis Ward, UCAR Education and Outreach
1-303-497-2599
dward@ucar.edu

BOULDER--Schoolchildren, families, and citizen scientists around the
world will gaze skyward after dark from October 20 to November 3,
looking for specific constellations and then sharing their
observations through the Internet. The Great World Wide Star Count,
now in its second year, helps scientists map light pollution globally
while educating participants about the stars.

The event, which is free and open to everyone who wants to
participate, is organized by the Windows to the Universe project at
the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (UCAR), in
conjunction with planetariums and scientific societies across the
country and abroad. Funding is provided by the National Science
Foundation.

"The star count brings families together to enjoy the night sky and
become involved in science," says Dennis Ward of UCAR's Office of
Education and Outreach. "It also raises awareness about the impact of
artificial lighting on our ability to see the stars."

The 2007 star count drew 6,624 observations taken on all seven
continents, and organizers expect the number of participants to double
this year. UCAR used last year's observations to generate maps of star
visibility across the United States and around the world. The results
show a strong correlation between development and a lack of night sky
visibility.

Next year, the star count will be included in a cornerstone project of
the 2009 International Year of Astronomy, a global effort initiated by
the International Astronomical Union and the U.N. Educational,
Scientific, and Cultural Organization to promote interest in
astronomy.

-----How the count works-----

Participants in the Northern Hemisphere will look for the
constellation Cygnus, while those in the Southern Hemisphere will look
for Sagittarius. They will then match their observations with
magnitude charts downloaded from the Great World Wide Star Count Web
site (see below). The site contains instructions for finding the
constellations and other event details, and it links to background
about astronomy on the Windows to the Universe Web site.

Participants may make observations outside their homes or go to less
developed areas where more stars are visible. Those in overcast areas
who cannot see stars will be able to input data about cloud conditions
instead.

Bright outdoor lighting at night is a growing problem for astronomical
observing programs around the world. By searching for the same
constellations in their respective hemispheres, participants in the
Great World Wide Star Count will be able to compare their observations
with what others see, giving them a sense of how star visibility
varies from place to place. The observers will also learn more about
the economic and geographic factors that control light pollution in
their communities and around the world.

"Last year's results showed a strong correlation between dense
development, where there is a lot of light, and a lack of star
visibility," Ward says. "Without even being aware of it, many of us
have lost the ability to see many stars at night. Part of our goal is
getting people to look up and regain an appreciation of the night
sky."

The University Corporation for Atmospheric Research is a consortium of
70 universities offering Ph.D.s in the atmospheric and related
sciences. UCAR manages the National Center for Atmospheric Research
(NCAR) and the UCAR Office of Programs (UOP).

On the Web:

Great World Wide Star Count

http://www.windows.ucar.edu/starcount

Windows to the Universe

http://www.windows.ucar.edu

Resources for journalists:

http://www.ucar.edu/news/journalists.jsp