Introduction

The night sky, the patterns of the stars and the shapes of the constellations, have been incredibly important to our ancestors throughout human history. But our relationship with the stars has changed; our ancestors saw the night sky in a way that is impossible for most of us today; just a handful of the brightest stars are visible in urban areas due to light pollution, the effects of which can be seen in all but the most isolated places.

There are very few areas of the world, especially in countries with large urban populations, that are completely free of light pollution, so it’s vitally important to protect and preserve those few areas that are.