Save the night sky for future generations, say experts

New Straits Times

18 hours ago

KUALA LUMPUR: The National Planetarium, a gathering spot for aspiring stargazers, faces losing its cosmic view not just to weather, but to the relentless spread of urban lighting and development.
Its director, Mohd Zamri Shah Mastor, said the planetarium's main educational offerings, such as its indoor space theatre, remain unaffected.
However, outdoor astronomical activities are facing growing limitations.
"The planetarium is located in the heart of Kuala Lumpur for easy public access, which is essential for its role as an edutainment centre on astronomy and space.
"But being in a capital city comes with trade-offs, particularly the visibility of the natural night sky," he said.
While the planetarium can still facilitate observation of bright celestial objects like the Moon, Jupiter and Mars, Zamri noted increasing obstruction.
Dimmer stars, low-lying constellations and deep-sky phenomena are now increasingly obscured by cloud cover, weather or buildings.
"Sometimes, after heavy rain and on clear nights, we can still see bright planets and constellations like Orion and Leo. But thick stagnant clouds trap and scatter city lights across the sky, forming a bright dome that blocks our view, sometimes of almost the entire sky."
He added that although satellite imaging was not part of the planetarium's core activities, light pollution occasionally provides an unexpected opportunity for studies focused on the pollution itself.
"The situation also opens up research opportunities into the effects of artificial lighting on the urban sky," he said.
However, astronomy enthusiasts and advocacy groups see the growing glow of urban lights as a threat to both science and the public's connection to space.
Dark Sky Malaysia founder Emma Zulaiha Zulkifli said Malaysia has no lighting regulation or planning policy, allowing unchecked artificial lighting to flood both urban and rural areas, particularly in the Klang Valley.
She warned that night sky brightness in the Klang Valley had reached Bortle Class 8 to 9, among the most light-polluted categories, making visibility of the Milky Way nearly impossible to the naked eye.
"My 85-year-old mother once told me that seeing the Milky Way was normal during her childhood. Today, it's a luxury," she said.
She outlined four types of light pollution, namely sky glow, glare, light trespass and clutter, all of which impact optical astronomy.
Sky glow, in particular, creates a dome of artificial light that obscures the faint glimmer of stars reaching Earth.
"While stargazing with the naked eye is still possible for bright objects like the Moon and some planets, deep-sky objects and galaxies are almost entirely out of reach unless observed from remote, dark-sky locations," she said.
Even astrophotography, once a popular amateur pursuit in suburban areas, now requires filters and extensive data collection to compensate for the brightness of the urban regions.
As for serious astronomical research, she said it is virtually impossible in light-polluted areas unless the study is specifically designed for such environments.
She believes that the solution is within reach but requires immediate collective action.
"Light pollution is one of the most easily reversible forms of pollution. All we need is responsible lighting: use it only when needed, only where needed and only as bright as needed. Too much of anything can be harmful."
As the country looks skywards both for education and inspiration, Emma Zulaiha urged policymakers to take steps to protect the night sky for future generations.
"The night sky is a natural heritage. Let's not let it fade from the view of the next generation," she said.