Cielos de Chile Foundation presents its revamped website

With updated data, practical tools, and visual resources, the platform aims to inform about light pollution and raise awareness to mitigate this issue.

Light pollution grows by 9.6% each year, more than three times the increase in CO₂ emissions. However, its impact remains little known to the public. Expanding this knowledge has been one of the goals of the Cielos de Chile Foundation, which presents its new website. The platform is at the service of citizens and specialists, providing updated data and informative graphic resources with the aim of educating on best practices in lighting.

Juan Pablo Valenzano, project coordinator of the Foundation, highlighted the importance of this update. “We hope that this repository will be a tool for more people to understand what light pollution is and how it affects not only astronomical observation but also our health and that of ecosystems,” he stated.

Why is it important to protect dark skies?

Given the geographical characteristics of northern Chile, the area currently concentrates about 40% of the world’s astronomical observation capacity, and it is expected to exceed 60% by early 2030. However, the increase in light pollution in the large northern cities – near the observatories – jeopardizes astronomical research.

The protection of the skies not only benefits astronomical science, but also contributes to human health and the conservation of biodiversity. Additionally, the observation of dark skies has been key to the cultural development of societies and contributes to the safety of our cities through sustainable and efficient lighting.

The new website includes a section on Light Pollution, where people can access simple and clear information to understand what this issue is and how it impacts us. Furthermore, the site offers practical tools, such as a guide for sustainable lighting based on the principles of DarkSky International.

New Light Norm: Information at Everyone’s Fingertips

Since October 2024, Chile has a new norm that establishes regulations to mitigate the negative effects of light pollution. Aware that this technical document can be complex to understand, the Foundation has created a specific section of this regulation to facilitate its understanding.

In it, there is a map of the 29 communes declared Areas of Scientific Value, which have special regulations and more limited implementation deadlines. It also includes frequently asked questions about the regulation and downloadable graphic resources for dissemination.

Having a space that allows for the downloading of this graphic information was key for the new design, says Juan Pablo Valenzano. “At events, we have received a great reception for the visual resources we share on our social media. This motivated us to centralize and organize these materials in the new site design, so they are available for those who need them,” he added.

The platform maintains its news section, where activities, studies on light pollution, and news related to astrotourism and the protection of the skies are highlighted. Additionally, it includes an illustrated guide for the application of the New Light Norm.