Florida Tech Astronomy Lecture Explores Light Pollution Oct. 23

MELBOURNE, FLA.—Florida Institute of Technology’s Astronomy and Astrophysics Public Lecture Series will present “Lighten up on Lighting: Going Green in the Dark” on Oct. 23 at 8 p.m. The free lecture, in the F.W. Olin Engineering Complex auditorium, Room EC118, will be presented by Terry Oswalt, Ph.D., head of the Florida Tech Department of Physics and Space Sciences.

Everyone knows about wasting air conditioning or heat or water. But, what about wasting light? Oswalt will discuss light pollution, the unnecessary lighting that represents an enormous amount of wasted energy.

“Poor outdoor lighting wastes electricity and the fuel burned to create it contributes to the carbon dioxide load on the Earth’s atmosphere. Lighting fixtures commonly used by businesses and houses cast as much as 50 percent of the light skywards,” said Oswalt. “Some outside advertising lighting wastes as much as 80 percent! Would you allow your own electric bill to be that much higher?”

Oswalt will also discuss “glare” and “light trespass,” situations where light is cast beyond areas of actual need and where light pollution aversely affects nature.

The F.W. Olin Engineering Center is located on University Boulevard. For more information, call (321) 674-7207, or visit www.fit.edu/aapls online.