COVER PHOTO: Northern Lights photographed at Good Harbor Bay in Leelanau County on March 25, 2023 by Dustin Sielaff, using a Nikon D9, 8-second exposure, f/3.5, ISO 2000.
By Pat Stinson
Editor’s note: This story has been updated since its March 29 publication with some late-breaking news and details that were omitted due to space constraints.
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer proclaimed yesterday (April 15) that April 15-22 is Dark Sky Week in Michigan. The proclamation recognizes that:
– Negative effects of light pollution exist.
-Steps can be taken to reduce light pollution to preserve the state’s night sky environment.
-Citizens can enjoy watching cosmological and meteorological events at Michigan’s designated dark sky preserves and parks and at the state’s internationally designated dark sky parks.
In Manistee, a Dark Sky/Star Party will be held, with an 8:30 p.m. gathering time, on April 21 at Orchard Beach State Park, 2064 Lakeshore Road. If skies are clear, NASA/JPL Solar System Ambassador Brooke Edwards will set up her telescope outside the historic Shelter House pavilion and discuss visible stars and planets. Attendees may also meet Robyn Porteen, president of DarkSky Michigan. The free event is hosted by Friends of Orchard Beach State Park. Donations are welcome, and a state park pass is required for vehicle entry to the park. All are encouraged to bring chairs, blankets and binoculars.
In Arcadia, artist Jason Care will offer a Van Gogh Starry Night art class to children 4-12 years old beginning at 1 p.m. on April 22 at the Pleasant Valley Community Center, 3586 Glovers Lake Road. Dark Skies Manistee will provide children’s binoculars to attendees. Care’s inspiration for the event was Gov. Whitmer’s proclamation celebrating Dark Sky Week in Michigan. To register for the class, which is limited to 30 students, text 231-383-0631 or email Care at: jcare61076@hotmail.com.
Lights Out campaign
Dark Sky advocate Susan Schankin is a Bear Lake area property owner. As part of her advocacy efforts, she warns others about the deadly effects of light pollution on billions of migrating birds that fly at night.
Like Schankin, members of the National Audubon Society want to raise awareness during their March 15 to May 31 Lights Out campaign held annually.
Throughout the two-and-a-half-month campaign, businesses and residents are encouraged to protect migrating birds by closing their curtains and shades and turning off outdoor lights between 11 p.m and 6 a.m. Even turning off outdoor lights for 30 minutes during peak migration periods can help, according to Audubon. A statement on the Lights Out campaign website recommends shielding existing outdoor lighting fixtures, so only the ground beneath them is illuminated.
The website details how migrating birds can become disoriented by artificial outdoor lights. In their confusion, they continue to fly and call, using energy they need to migrate and making them more prone to predation by hawks. Some birds collide with brightly lit buildings. The Lights Out campaign seeks to reduce bird fatalities by limiting outdoor light during migration periods.
In a slide presentation to the city of Manistee Planning Commission in December, Schankin noted that 1.757 million birds were in flight over Manistee County one night in early August 2022. She found the information by using maps generated by the website birdcast.info. As large as that number sounds, the figure for one night rises dramatically during peak migration periods in spring and fall.
What is light pollution?
Birds aren’t the only inhabitants of planet Earth affected by excessive or inappropriate outdoor lighting, according to the International Dark Sky Association (IDA), a nonprofit organization that “works to protect the night skies for present and future generations.”
As a dark sky advocate and member of IDA, Schankin explained to city planning commissioners what light pollution is, why residents should care about it and what actions can be taken to reduce it.
One slide described ALAN, or Artificial Light At Night, which is made by humans. Artificial light can cause glare from shallow lighting angles, contribute to “light trespass” (light that extends beyond property lines), and create “clutter” (when many lights are grouped).
Schankin looked at Google light-pollution maps for the city of Manistee from 2006 to 2020. She also looked at photo images from outer space and a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration light pollution map.
Her conclusion, based on what she saw: “True darkness is slowly fading.”
She described the Bortle numeric scale of the brightness of the Night Sky, with “1” being the darkest and “9” found in urban areas. The scale is used by those who stargaze and study the night sky.
Effects of light pollution
During her presentation, she posed the question: “What type of sky do you want to maintain?”
She referenced a University of Michigan study of environmental light pollution caused by outdoor lights that are too bright, by excessive light from outdoor fixtures that are unshielded (causing light to creep across property boundaries or shine upward), and from outdoor lights with a cooler color temperature. All contribute to sky glow and are detrimental to health and night sky conservation efforts.
Next, she shared information from IDA, backed by studies mentioned on the National Institutes of Health website. IDA asserts that exposure to artificial light at night disrupts life on Earth. This includes the life cycles of mammals, aquatic creatures, insects and plant life.
Schankin shared the results of those studies, including the disruption of circadian rhythms and reduced melatonin production. Melatonin is needed by humans for sleep and other bodily functions. She listed possible outcomes, as identified by IDA, of disruptions in day-night cycles in humans: daytime sleepiness and impaired function, anxiety or depression, diabetes, cancer and other illnesses.
She offered examples from the studies of disruptions in other lifeforms: trees leafing out too soon and keeping their leaves longer, making them more susceptible to infestation and disease; interference in the habits of night-time pollinators, and a “flight-or-fight” response triggered in largemouth bass. In short, light pollution effects every living thing on the planet.
From an economic standpoint, light pollution wastes dollars and energy, Schankin said, referring to IDA estimates of $3-$7 billion per year spent on unnecessary light.
Why save the night?
Schankin’s Manistee presentation also included information about brightly lit urban areas and how they relate to environmental justice issues. She said research shows urban areas are more brightly lit than suburban or rural areas due to higher crime rates. This has negative “effects on the health of city dwellers.”
She also pointed out the importance of dark skies to tourism. She said visitors to Michigan contributed $17.2 billion to the state’s economy in 2021. Those traveling to Manistee County who enjoy looking at the night sky represent a portion of that revenue, she added.
“Stargazing is part of the Pure Michigan campaign,” Schankin said.
Next, she explained that humans have a cultural right to dark skies, as they have for thousands of years. It’s a “basic human right to experience dark skies,” she said, “It’s the last unprotected part of nature, part of our natural environment.”
A National Park Service page is devoted to “Night Skies as a Cultural-Historical Resource”. Statements made on the page describe how the ability to see the night sky has helped humans track time, mark the seasons, celebrate the harvest and navigate. The night sky also has influenced human beliefs and traditions.
Schankin said dark skies have been a crucial component of scientific advancements made by astronomers and other scientists studying the cosmos.
“If we were to lose 90% of our dark sky, would we be okay with that?” she asked.
Dark sky advocate
Schankin shared that her interest in dark skies stems in part from her 20 years in the residential remodeling business, which included lighting consultations. She said she was also inspired by a trip to northern Maine where she witnessed the Perseid meteor shower, an August night-sky display known for fast, frequent meteors and fireballs.
She calls herself a “concerned citizen” who became more focused on dark skies as she noticed increasing light pollution around her hometown. As a result, she began making lighting recommendations for proposed projects, based on IDA guidelines, not only in the Rochester area but also in Manistee County, where she also saw gradual changes in brightness.
In fact, she created and maintains a Facebook page called Dark Skies Manistee.
“My husband and I have been in the Bear Lake area (part-time) since 2014,” she said. “We’ve seen changes locally in the community of Pleasanton (Township) and are becoming more aware of it throughout the county and state.”
Dark sky advocacy efforts
Her interest in preserving dark skies around her has led Schankin to read township ordinances as well as Manistee County’s updated recreation plan. By doing so, she has been able to educate others about what those documents say about lighting. Then, depending on what she finds, she tries to rally support for adhering to what is already in place or what needs to be changed.
She wrote a letter to editor of the Manistee News Advocate last May asking others to support a lighting ordinance in the township where she owns property. She also attended a township meeting in July 2022.
“During the summer, we were having many discussions with Pleasanton Township about the light ordinance and people not abiding by it,” she said. “(I) went out and talked to a lot of people (and) got a lot of support about getting a more defined ordinance for the township.”
Schankin said the township’s supervisor, Carol Merrill, worked with the project engineers on lighting at May Buell Park on the north shore of Bear Lake. Citizens voiced security concerns and the need to illuminate the park’s eight parking spaces. Schankin researched the need for residential lighting and an adjustment was made. (The unassuming fixture is manufactured to use LED bulbs and is shorter than a standard parking lot fixture.)
She wrote another letter in January, this time to the Manistee Township Planning Department. In it, she stressed the importance of proper lighting for a new storage facility along U.S. Highway 31.
In her presentation to city of Manistee planning commissioners, she said she looked at the approved lighting plan of the new Hampton Inn at First Street Beach in Manistee. (The developers were in attendance at the meeting.)
“Lighting can still be tweaked,” she said, adding that the lights on the building had a color temperature rated at 4000K (as of December).
“For dark skies, it should be 2700K-3000K,” she explained, describing the difference between the harsh blue of 4000K and the warmer yellow light range IDA suggests. “Along the shore, we have to think of seasonal migration of birds.”
Schankin said the city zoning ordinance already contains outdoor lighting requirements. Her suggestions to commissioners were to:
-Encourage businesses to turn off or reduce lighting at night.
-Replace light fixtures that are taller than the buildings next to them.
-Use smart streetlights provided by Consumers Power that use a timer to adjust brightness.
-Explore grants through the MDNR Michigan Waterways program.
-Buy fixtures with the IDA seal of approval through its program.
In the same presentation, and during other county advocacy efforts, Schankin drew attention to passages in Manistee’s County-wide Park and Recreation Plan of 2022. The document specifically mentions dark skies on page 19:
“Dark sky initiatives meet the triple-bottom-line of sustainability: they provide a quality space to enjoy
nature; they generate eco-tourism dollars; and they promote a reduction in light pollution.”
At least 236 dark sky candidates are pinpointed on a map (C-7) found on page 52 of Appendix C. She said the recreation plan includes a statement that potential dark sky viewing locations were likely chosen during a daytime assessment; a night-time visit is recommended to narrow the candidates.
She said the inclusion of dark skies in the county’s recreation plan is an important “win” for the community, “but it won’t (come to pass) if we don’t support it by having appropriate lighting or no lighting.”
“It needs to be appropriate,” she said. “Light the path, not the sky.”
To find others interested in dark skies, follow Dark Skies Manistee on Facebook, go to the DarkSky Michigan and International Dark Sky Association websites and join the Facebook group North American Dark Skies and Michigan Aurora Hunters.
Pat Stinson helped coordinate Traverse City’s first Midwest Space Fest in 2013 and will drive miles to find dark skies.
IDA Guidelines for Outdoor Lighting
Compiled by Susan Schankin
For light bulbs in porch lights and outdoor decorative fixtures, the recommended choice is:
40 watts, 400-450 lumens, 2700K.
Wattage equals the energy that is used. Lumens refer to the brightness. K or Kelvin is the bulb’s color appearance. For instance, 2700K is a warmer tone that avoids harmful effects of blue light found in 4000k and above bulbs.
Those needing more illumination can use two 40-watt bulbs, with the above specifications, which will provide 900 lumens.
“These are LED (Light Emitting Diode) and can be found at most large retail centers,” she said. “LEDs have changed our whole nighttime environment. They’re cheaper to use, but they’re brighter. People don’t understand the intensity of them.”
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