Can you see the magnificent Milky Way, the celestial river of starlight that stretches from horizon to horizon on clear, dark nights? Probably not. Sadly, ’tis vanishing in the glare and glow of wasteful city light. But Iowa State is doing something about it!

Heather Harper’s article (ISU strives to maintain campus lighting) in the Monday, Nov. 27 Daily, suggests Iowa State’s lightscape is above average. As an astronomer, I agree.

Many campus lights shine down on people and property, not up stealing starlight.

For example, the excellent sidewalk lights are full cutoff fixtures that shine down, not up and out. And happily, the older Cobra Head streetlight fixtures, which shine and glare in the eyes of pedestrians, drivers, and worse, security personnel, are being replaced with full cutoff Cobra Head fixtures that shine down.

Sadly, the common, bright, glaring wall packs (floodlights on the sides of buildings and over doorways) offer a false sense of security. Suspicious activity in dark areas is invisible when lights shine directly into an officer’s eyes. Real security is achieved with full cutoff fixtures that shine down on the targets of safety and security. In short, good lighting can be seen; but the light source, the bulb, is invisible. Please see my Web site at: www.savethemilkyway.org

ISU students and officials are to be commended for their efforts.

Jack Troeger

Resident

Ames

Director

Dark Sky Institute, Inc.