One Brazilian astronomer, Augusto Daminelli, told the Estado de Sao Paulo newspaper that in Rio, "it should be possible to see up to 5,000 stars with the naked eye -- but because of light pollution we can only see 150."

He noted that nearly a third of electric lighting is directed to the heavens, and thus wasted.

Possible solutions include putting aluminum covers on street lighting to direct the illumination downwards, and using weaker, more energy-efficient lamps, he said.

"More than two billion people in the world are unable to see the Milky Way. For us, the sky is a heritage site for mankind," he said. <<

That's what I meant on a comment once about viewing the night sky. It's been to long since I've been in a place where human light has not interfered .

When I lived in the city for a short while, my street was so lit up the birds kept chirping through the night. Very disturbing. Now I live on a vast Midwestern prairie. The starfields are spectacular. I feel for those who never get to see them.

Other than popping articles like this, what can a guy do? We have elluminated the night for our safety, and to be sure the night is safer, but the cost, the cost.

Starlight