bringing back the night sky: lighting in toronto parks
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Bringing back the Night Sky: Lighting In Toronto Parks. Peter Hiscocks, RASC 12 August 2010. The Royal Astronomical Society of Canada (RASC) Mandate: to stimulate interest and increase knowledge in astronomy 29 Centres across Canada 4000 members, 700 in the Toronto Centre - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
Bringing back the Night Sky:
Lighting In Toronto Parks
Peter Hiscocks, RASC12 August 2010
The Royal Astronomical Society of Canada (RASC)
Mandate: to stimulate interest and increase knowledge in astronomy
29 Centres across Canada
4000 members, 700 in the Toronto Centre
2 Meetings per month, 2 sky observing sessions, activities at the David Dunlap Observatory
The Great Blackout, August 2003
Photo credit Todd Carlson, Goodwood ON Photo credit Todd Carlson, Goodwood ON
Light Pollution Map
Toronto at Night
Skyglow over Calgary
What can you see?
Solar Observing
Active Sun
Evening Observing
Toronto parks are an excellent venue for viewing the night sky.
Accessible by the public, safe, good sight lines....
...except for the problem of obtrusive light and glare
Lighting Issues
Glare from unshielded fixtures: Top-Hat and Wall-Pack
Unattended and unshielded sports lighting
Car headlights
Withrow Park Soccer Field
Withrow Park Soccer Field
'Top Hat' Light Standard
Top Hat Light Standard
Withrow Park Glare Problem
Defining Glare
Glare: contrast lowering effect of stray light in a visual scene.
Glare forms a veil of luminance which reduces the contrast and thus decreases the visibility of a target. We cannot see intensity differences efficiently in the presence of a high background of light intensity.
The sensitivity to glare is amplified with age as scattering in cornea or lens increases.
Solution
Full-cutoff fixture that directs light downward
Boardwalk Lamp
Boardwalk Lamp Coverage
Wall Pack Problem Light
Wall-Pack Problem Light
Wall-Pack Problem Light
Wall-Pack Problem Light
Colonel Samuel Smith Park
Colonel Samuel Smith Park
Full Cut-off Illuminators of the Night
Energy efficient too!Energy efficient too!
Unattended/Unshielded Sports Lighting
Withrow Park Skating Rink
Rink Night Shot: No People
Rink Night Shot
Beach Pool Lighting
Beach Pool Fixture Closeup
Beach Pool Lighting
Chicago Study on Lighting and Crime
Recommendations
High Park Proposed Viewing Site
High Park Baseball Diamond
High Park Baseball Diamond
High Park Recommendations
Control baseball lighting with vegetation barrier
Add shielding to Tennis Court lights
Replace Wall-Packs with cutoff fixtures
High Park Recommendations
Withrow Park Viewing Sites
Withrow Park Recommendations
Replace 'Top-Hat' fixtures with full-cutoff
Extinguish arena lamps when not being used
Marie-Curtis Viewing Site
Marie-Curtis Recommendations
Replace 'Top-Hat' fixtures with full-cutoff
Berm or foliage between parking lot and observing site
Avoid Wall-Packs in building resdesigns
Overview and Summary
Park lighting is a mix: some effective, some problematic
Energy efficiency and light pollution can be reduced with modified or new fixtures
With minor fixes, parks could become much more hospitable to public sky observing activities
The Payoff
Hundreds of Torontonians get an introduction to the night sky.
Parks and Rec credited for first 'Urban sky park' areas in North America.
Aligns with Parks Canada, 12 dark sky preserves
