Where did the stars go?

Valerie Brown

Reporter

August 12th, the world saw a unique display of astrology. Not only was there a solar eclipse, but there was also a display of the Perseid meteor shower. While many people may have watched the meteor shower, a lot of it would have been difficult to see with the naked eye. According to usatoday.com, 80% of Americans cannot see the Milky Way. These people are surrounded by urban areas, which all use street lamps. The light bounces off particles, moisture and dust in the atmosphere, and causes light to shine into the night, washing out the stars and disrupting natural rhythms. Being surrounded by lights does not affect people as much as it does the environment around them. Luckily, there are ways to fix this issue. Many states have enacted laws to reduce light pollution. They do this by using warm-colored bulbs, down-pointing light fixtures and motion sensors.

nps.gov

A view of the 2023 Perseids meteor shower from the southernmost part of Sequoia National Forest. (Preston Dyches/NASA)

View of the 2026 August 12th Perseids meteor shower from Dyersburg, TN. Photo by Valerie.