The night of the earth is drowning in light.
There are only three small spots in Finland that are completely free of artificial light. More than 70% of Finns do not see the Milky Way in their place of residence because it is covered by artificial light. Almost everyone else’s night sky has brightened by at least ten percent. Artificial light increases at least by six percent annually, which results doubling the amount of light in 12 years.
The idea of a star park and a dark sky center arose through my star photography hobby and my own experiences. I noticed that Syrjävaara is located in a special place, outside the light pollution areas of large cities, on the top of the hill, with a direct light pollution-free view of the aurora oval. There is also no wasted light in the village area so the sky in the area is still quite clear.
As a child, I watched the lonely red light seen in the dark skyline. My grandfather said it was a warning light for the Vuonos mine tower. Today, everywhere on the horizon, except the north, reflects the lights of villages and cities. Until twenty years ago, as frost, the Milky Way sparkled in shades of red and blue. Now the colors are dimmed. The protection of the night and night sky is in a hurry!
Protecting the dark in Syrjävaara
Protecting the Dark in Syrjävaara is the protection of the natural darkness of the night from human influence. The use of permanently installed artificial lights is prohibited at night and other use of light outdoors during the dark is limited to what is necessary. In practice, all fixed outdoor lights have been removed.
Outdoor lighting
Temporary lighting outdoors outside buildings is possible when necessary, such as during repairs to farm machinery or for other safety reasons. Lights may only be used during work/tasks. It is recommended that the color temperature of the lights is no more than 3000K. The lighting must not be stronger than required for the task. If the task does not require it and is technically possible, the lights must be directed below the horizontal. General lighting directed upwards is prohibited.
Vehicles
In the Syrjävaara Conservation Area, the use of ATVs, snowmobiles and tractors is only permitted for farm work and hunting when retrieving prey from the forest.
On the narrow private road leading to the Syrjävaara Dark Sky Centre, it is recommended to drive at a low speed and use dipped headlights instead of high beams.
These prohibitions and recommendations do not apply to vehicles moving through the area on public roads. Using adequate headlights in all conditions is mandatory by law and the only safe way to travel by car at night.
Moving around on foot
When moving around on foot at night, it is recommended to use only red headlamps / portable lamps. In autumn, especially in the forest, conditions may be such that red light is not enough to make movement safe. In such cases, white light can also be used. The recommended color temperature of the light is a maximum of 3000K. The forest itself effectively limits the spread of light.
Dark philosophy, manifesto
Night in all its forms is both an important experience and a biological necessity. Excessive lighting at night destroys this necessity. All life on Earth’s surface has evolved in the natural alternation of night and day. It controls the functions of organisms. Over the course of billions of years, it has been coded deep into the genetics of organisms. It is a central part of the basis of biological life. When night is changed, the basis of the biological functions of all organisms is directly affected.
There is a lot of researched information about the adverse effects of excessive light. On this basis, the protection of the natural night means the protection of all earthly life and man. You can’t build reserves and protected areas for all life to minimize the harmful effects of excessive and incorrect artificial light. The earth itself is the only reserve of life. Therefore, the natural night and life itself must be protected everywhere.
We usually talk about protecting the dark. Its starting point is a vision that means an astronomical starry night without light pollution. However, this kind of protection of the starry sky is only part of the protection of the dark. In the Nordic countries, however, the night can be dark and full of stars only half of the year: between the autumn and spring equinoxes in winter. Here, protecting the astronomical night is a part-time activity. Still, in other seasons and in other conditions, it is night – natural night. It can be the “nightless night” of summer, when the Sun does not set. It can be a night illuminated by the glittering hanks and northern lights of winter. It can be pitch black in autumn darkened by clouds, where you can’t see the ground under your feet or even your own hand, even though your eyes have adapted to the dark.
When the goal is to protect the night, a balance must be found between different attributes. It cannot be the case that for half the year the night is not protected, or is not considered worth protecting. Nor can it be the case that protecting the night is only a matter for the middle latitudes. Protection must touch our entire planet. The special features of the night in northern latitudes in all seasons must be recognized and taken into account when protecting our own northern night. At the same time, the special features of nature, lifestyle and nature conservation in the northern regions must be taken into account. To evaluate the northern night and its multidimensionality, a suitable yardstick must be found that takes into account not only humans but also other organisms. This is inevitably in everyone’s interest.