A Tale of Two Regions: Site Protection Experience and Updated Regulations in Arizona and the Canary Islands

Green, Richard F.; Diaz Castro, J.; Allen, Lori; Alvarez del Castillo, Elizabeth; Corbally, Christopher J.; Davis, Donald; Falco, Emilio; Gabor, Paul; Hall, Jeffrey C.; Monrad, Christian Karl; Williams, G. Grant
Referencia bibliográfica

IAU General Assembly, Meeting #29, #2258199

Fecha de publicación:
8
2015
Número de autores
11
Número de autores del IAC
1
Número de citas
0
Número de citas referidas
0
Descripción
Some of the world's largest telescopes and largest concentrations of telescopes are on sites in Arizona and the Canary Islands. Active site protection efforts are underway in both regions; the common challenge is getting out ahead of the LED revolution in outdoor lighting. We review the work with local, regional, and national government bodies, with many successful updates of outdoor lighting codes. A successful statewide conference was held in Arizona to raise awareness of public officials about issues of light pollution for astronomy, safety, wildlife, and public health. We also highlight interactions with key entities near critical sites, including mines and prisons, leading to upgrades of their lighting to more astronomy-friendly form. We describe ongoing and planned sky monitoring efforts, noting their importance in quantifying the "impact on astronomy" increasingly requested by regulators.