It found that some of the dimmest stars in the night sky are gradually being hidden from view.<\/p>\n
The study reports a 10%\u00a0 annual increase in \u2018skyglow\u2019, a form of light pollution<\/a> caused by artificial lighting such as those found in towns and cities.<\/p>\n Over 50,000 observations were submitted by citizen scientists<\/a>, who used their naked eye to observe the dimmest stars in the night sky.<\/p>\n Using this data, the study authors were able to calculate the background brightness of the night sky over our heads. The brighter the sky, the brighter a star needs to be in order to be visible to the naked eye.<\/p>\n Data showed that between 2011 \u2013 2022, sky brightness increased an average of 10% each year, and that it doubled within 8 years.<\/p>\n The study also says the increase in sky background is difficult to conclusively discern with current satellites, because the satellites\u2019 detectors can\u2019t see the blue light emitted by more modern artificial lighting, which is replacing older lamps.<\/p>\n Study authors say there is a need for satellites to be able to detect visible light in different colour bands.<\/p>\n \u201cLooking at the International Space Station<\/a>\u2019s images and videos of Earth\u2019s night hemisphere, people generally are only struck by the \u2018beauty\u2019 of the city lights, as if they were lights on a Christmas tree,\u201d the study authors said.<\/p>\n \u201cThey do not perceive that these are images of pollution. It is like admiring the beauty of the rainbow colours that gasoline produces in water and not recognising that it is chemical pollution.\u201d<\/p>\n The study also notes that, in the past, astronomers have moved their observatories away from towns and cities in order to escape the negative effects of light pollution, but that this solution has become less effective as artificial outdoor lighting continues to increase.<\/p>\n \u201cTo make things worse, thousands of satellites are being launched by a few corporations into low Earth orbits,\u201d the study says.<\/p>\n \u201cThis will prevent all humankind from admiring a pristine sky anywhere on the planet. The wilderness experience one can have in a national park at night, for example, may be increasingly affected by the glows of cities and satellite megaconstellations<\/a>.\u201d<\/p>\n![\"""\"](\""https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/25\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-1167567180-a7773c8-e1674211304768.jpg?quality=90&resize=620%2C414"\" "\\"\"\"\\"\/")
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