A Shared Vision to Dazzle Urbanites With the Night Sky

Published: March 8, 2009

While Times Square is not known for star gazing — the celestial kind, that is — and few people would normally venture onto a pitch-black ball field in Inwood to see the constellations, two unrelated, if not unlikely, projects hope to turn the city’s night eyes skyward.

Jason Kendall, an amateur astronomer, and Katja Aglert, a Swedish installation artist, want to turn out the lights in different parts of Manhattan and, weather permitting, illuminate the night sky.

“How can you appreciate something you’ve never seen?” said Mr. Kendall, 41. “You’ll never get anyone to make the sky dark until you show them how beautiful it can be.”

Mr. Kendall and Ms. Aglert, 38 — who do not know each other — face daunting challenges to realize their visions.

Full article here:

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/09/nyregion/09stars.html?_r=3

To quote:

The Milky Way has not been regularly seen in Manhattan since the 1940s, said Stephen Lieber, a member of the Amateur Astronomers Association of New York. But legislation passed by the State Assembly and introduced in the City Council would seek to lessen the intrusion of light into the night sky. One goal would be to install more lamp posts that direct light downward.

“People in the city have a right to see the nighttime sky,” said Assemblywoman Linda B. Rosenthal of Manhattan, who introduced the legislation in the Assembly.

and...

“I’m not saying everything must be dark in society,” Ms. Aglert said. “The functional lights should still be on. But perhaps we can think about making less light.”

Mr. Kendall was articulating this very point in Inwood before interrupting himself at the approach of Wasim Ottman, 17 and his brother, Wsam, 16.

“Hey!” Mr. Kendall said. “You wanna see Saturn?”

Wsam tentatively peered through Mr. Kendall’s telescope.

“I don’t believe it!” he exclaimed. “Saturn really does have a ring.”