Special Interest
In September 2025, the International Astronomical Union, NSF NOIRLab, and the SKA Observatory renewed funding for the Centre for the Protection of the Dark and Quiet Sky (CPS) for another five years, through March 2030. As part of the renewal, the Centre's name was also shortened from its
Business
In 1993 an idea was hatched by Mike Lawson to send up a rocket that housed a space billboard. This out of the box idea caught a lot of attention on both sides seeking to debate whether or not it was actually a possibility or a good idea. “A lot
Business
One of the biggest obstacles to switching from existing park lighting to dark-sky-aware lighting is cost. To address this, this new system uses a trade-in model that lowers that cost by exchanging old fixtures for new, dark-sky-compliant ones. The process works in stages. First, auditors
Special Interest
Many astronomers in Ohio state parks have begun to notice new "stars" in their astronomy shots. As more satellites are launched into orbit, the glare from their solar panels is becoming a growing problem. Sunlight reflecting off these panels is visible from Earth, where it adds to light
Science & Tech
Campers in Ohio Parks love bringing their sites to life with string lights and decorative touches, but all that ambient glow doesn't switch off when the fun winds down. Sometimes left burning through the night, they quietly contribute to light pollution during the very hours when nocturnal wildlife
Numbers
This survey was conducted to evaluate how fireworks and drone shows are used in Ohio's state parks, and what each one costs a park in cleanup time and environmental impact. For my sampling strategy, I was connected with district managers, and naturalists across Ohio through Heather Bokman, sustainability
Special Interest
Bryan Boulanger, Ph.D., is the Engineering Centennial Alumni Endowed Chair for the Kokosing Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Ohio Northern University. His path into dark sky work started with a night in West Texas, where he realized that his own profession (civil engineering) was to blame for
Business
In 2023, a proposal for an MSG Sphere in East London raised questions about how a massive, illuminated entertainment venue could affect the surrounding area. Although the project was eventually abandoned, the debate is still useful for understanding the potential effects of large-scale artificial lighting. With more than one
Business
In 2019, PepsiCo’s Russian subsidiary partnered with the Russian startup StartRocket to explore the possibility of advertising in space. StartRocket proposed using a group of small satellites to reflect sunlight and create advertisements that could be seen from Earth. The companies conducted an exploratory stratospheric test, but PepsiCo later
Business
Although some organizations view dark sky policies as unnecessary, their effects on ecosystems, human health, climate, and energy use make them an important and practical issue to address. "Light pollution is not an inconvenience for astronomers. It is a measurable pressure on wildlife, food production, human health, and public
Science & Tech
Private companies have begun producing massive amounts of satellites for various reasons; however, these new devices bring up a multitude of concerns. An influx of satellites means new lights in our skies, creating a fundamentally different night sky for each coming generation to look up at. Begs the question; what
2026-27 Capstone
My concept is a flashlight borrowing station designed to provide visitors with temporary personal lighting while protecting the natural darkness of state parks. I came up with this idea after reading about Toronto Tool Library. The stations would be placed throughout the park in convenient and accessible locations, such as