Starry Skies United Kingdom
Imagine a US city, with a park containing a mountain 823 feet high on 670 acres. At night, there are no spotlights on the mountain, no foot paths with streetlights, no illuminated billboards, and definitely no lasers shows. What mountain and where?
Answer: Arthur’s Seat in Edinburgh. Result: migrating freshwater and marine birds ‘know’ where to go to rest during migration or to build a nest. Also, endangered amphibians flourish in a fresh water lake.
Imagine Washington DC at night, without lights shining on its monuments and major government buildings. In Edinburgh, the centuries-old fortress, castle, and houses of government do not blaze through the night. Subdued lighting is turned off by ten PM, even during the preparations for the Queen Elizabeth’s memorial service.
Imagine an historic monument in the US removing all of its outdoor spotlights and reverting to 18th Century forms of night time illumination. Just before the Pandemic, this occurred at Durham Castle and Cathedral in England after community consultation. Previously there were spotlights on the towers and roof as well as ground level spotlights shining upwards on all exterior walls; these no longer shine all night long.
This thousand year old UNESCO World Heritage site now has three working, wrought iron, entry way gaslights based the original designs in the Cathedral’s archives.
Necessary outdoor lighting solutions: The Cathedral maintains one standard exterior emergency spotlight for public safety responders. Police or fire department teams have authority to access and turn on ground level, outdoor electrical lighting system in the event of an emergency. This procedure resembles fire and police access to elevators, water hydrants, and other key systems in US buildings.
Imagine a US house of worship removing its interior light fixtures. This is exactly what the Durham Cathedral’s Bishop and congregation decided to do. There were three reasons for this decision: Preservation of millennial old antiquities within the sanctuary from electric light glare; consistency with the decision made for outdoor electric lighting removal; and the economics of electrical light and maintenance costs. Electrical lighting continues in use for the pulpits, choir and organ areas, and church offices. Service times have been adjusted to coordinate with monthly shifts of daylight hours during the year. Heavy floor-standing candlesticks are used as well during the winters. Congregation members providing building tours commented on how these changes had enhanced the worship experience for each of them.
Imagine a US agricultural area in which unneeded or inappropriate outdoor lighting is not used or has been greatly reduced. In North Yorkshire and Northumberland, the UK government has designated these locations along Hadrian’s Wall as ‘Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty’. An IDA Dark Sky Reserve exists on the North Yorkshire Moors.
