by MICHAEL-OLIVER HARDING

Every year, the advent of August sees astronomers and celestial enthusiasts eagerly counting down the days till the Perseid meteor shower. Named after the constellation Perseus, from which they appear to fly out of, the Perseids are the result of a trail of debris left by the Swift-Tuttle comet along its orbit. The August Perseids are among the most spectacular meteor showers for observers, with experts suggesting that, on a good year and under a dark country sky, up to 50 to 60 meteors per hour are recorded. The starry sky will put on its liveliest show as the Perseids climax on the night of Saturday, August 12. But a number of factors will be hampering our enjoyment of this stellar extravaganza.

Other than natural hindrances like the moon (which will be almost full this Saturday), light and air pollution bear the brunt of the blame for restricting the sky’s visibility. Although few will dispute the claim that air pollution in the form of dust particles or toxic gases veil what you see, light pollution is widely regarded as the biggest threat to clear skies. And unlike air pollution, recognized as a serious problem by the average person, most are unaware of light pollution, the amount of wasted energy it engenders and its effects on human health and our ecosystems.

Marc Jobin, an astronomer at the Montreal Planetarium, points to the explosion in light sources over the past 20 years as proof that public awareness campaigns are badly needed to overcome apathy. “Electricity in Quebec is so cheap, and we waste it,” says Jobin.

According to the Quebec Amateur Astronomers Federation (FAAQ), satellite images measuring light pollution found that Montreal emits as much light as New York City. If one were to compare Montreal to similarly-sized urban areas, our city fares the worst in terms of light pollution. An estimated $45-million dollars worth of energy annually is literally dissipated into the universe to light up the Quebec sky, making it one of the most light-emitting areas in the world. “Vegas may be the only place where light pollution is more of an institution than in Quebec,” says Jobin.

The problem isn’t local. In most major cities around the world, even the brightest stars appear almost entirely washed out. According to the International Dark-Sky Association (IDA), a Tucson, Arizona-based, self-declared “light pollution authority” that aims to educate people about quality outdoor lighting, a third of energy used for lighting purposes is wasted. Having 30 per cent of a lamppost’s illumination aimed at the sky, for instance, serves no other purpose than to render stars indistinguishable.

Rémi Lacasse, president of the FAAQ, stresses the importance of raising awareness about the issue. “ We are at the point with light pollution that we were at with seatbelts in the ’60s or smoking in the ’70s,” says Lacasse. “With electricity so cheap, people don’t pay attention to the amount they misuse. A wise and justified use of lighting takes into account how you direct it, its intensity and how much is used, to avoid dazzling people or wasting energy.”

Many astronomy clubs and associations like FAAQ have light pollution committees to educate citizens, companies and governments. For more, visit www.faaq.org.