Saturday August 10th – KLCOA Dark Skies Night – starting at 10:00pm
One of the joys of being at the cottage is the thrill of seeing the magnificent night sky that many of us can never experience at home in our urban environments. But outdoor lighting at our cottages can create light pollution, obscuring our views of the stars. You may not be aware that the light outside your cottage and at or near your shoreline is reflected and magnified across the water, impacting your neighbours. It also adversely affects many plants, animals and insects by disrupting their nocturnal behaviours.
Join us in observing our second Dark Skies Night on
Saturday August 10th from 10pm onward.
At nightfall, please turn off all exterior lights and dim your interior lights. Go down to your dock or out onto your deck and take in the glory of the Milky Way, planets, shooting stars and satellites that will be more visible with the dark skies. Download a star gazing app, and bring a pair of binoculars or a telescope.
As an added bonus, on the night of August 10 until before dawn on August 11 this year the Perseid meteor shower will be close to its peak.
“The August Perseid meteor shower is rich and steady, from early August through the peak. Plus, the Perseid meteors are colorful and they frequently leave persistent trains. All of these factors make the Perseid shower perhaps the most beloved meteor shower for the Northern Hemisphere. Under a dark sky with no moon, skywatchers frequently report 90 meteors per hour, or more. In 2024, the 1st quarter moon sets around midnight, so you’ll have dark skies after then until dawn .” earthsky.org
Together let’s increase our Dark Sky awareness!
What is Light Pollution
Light Pollution Effects on Wildlife and Ecosystems
Five Lighting Principles for Responsible Outdoor Lighting
Why Dark Skies?
Perseid Meteor Shower 2024 – All You Need to Know
FOCA and Night Skies
Love Your Lake – Shoreline Lighting…How Important Is It?
These photos were taken from two different locations on our Lakes. As you can see there is some subdued lighting that is overshadowed by bright, intense lights at some locations. Try going straight out from your dock at night and take a look at what you see at your own property.