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We enter the new year 2009, which is the International Astonomy Year, with good news coming from Palowice – a place near Żory (Silesian Voivodeship). Thanks to the efforts of "O.M. Venatorae Astrum", a group of astronomy enthusiasts, and the POLARIS-OPP Association, it was possible to close the old year with completing the replacement of street lamp fittings (fixtures) with ones that protect the nocturnal sky from artificial light pollution. Palowice was thereby registered as area CN-002 – yet another example of how to effectively protect the dark sky for future astronomical observations.

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The Izera Dark-Sky Park was established on the 4th of November 2009. The realization of this project, which is innovative on a European scale, is possible thanks to the collaboration between Polish and Czech institutions. This transboundary dark sky park is the first one in the world, it occupies a territory of almost 75 square kilometres – on both Polish and Chech side of the Izera Mountains. The Izera Dark-Sky Park (IDSP) was established as part of International Year of Astronomy 2009.

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CN-003, Izera Valley

Editor: Artur Lech                                                                                                   06 Nov. 2009

Area CN-003: (IPCN)
Location: boundary part of the Izera valley and the Jizerka valley.
Action taken by: The Astronomical Institute of the University of Wrocław, Astronomical Institute of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, The Forest Inspectorate of Świeradów Zdrój, The Forest Inspectorate of Szklarska Poręba, Protected Landscape Area Jizerské hory  and  Liberec Regional Directorate of Czech Republic Forests

 

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 1. Why should the dark sky in Poland be protected ?
- because it’s a natural good, just like the native fauna and flora,
- bright sky makes it impossible to watch the stars,
- sky observations in Poland have a historic background (Copernicus),
- astronomy is a future science, that should be developed in Poland,
- proper lighting increases the comfort of travelling at night,
- properly designed lighting systems bring great savings !

2. What are the main problems with artificial lighting in Poland ?
- open street lamps with the light pointing upwards and sideways instead of only downwards,

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There are many methods of dark sky protection in Poland. Each one of us can join in the initiative in our own way by choosing one of the suggestions listed below. The suggestions are directed to both individuals and groups, regardless of their age, social position or legal status of the group.
 
1. Limit the amount of artificial light pollution in your environment – it is often worth starting your dark sky protection activities by taking care of “your own backyard”. Let’s check if by chance we are not using the wrong types of outside lighting, let’s decrease the amount of light unnecessarily emitted at night, let’s ask our neighbour to switch off unnecessary lighting of an empty driveway, or let’s talk with the local goverment about savings that could be made in the commune/city.

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Chorzów, 22 October 2006
II Congress of Astronomical Organizations


Ministry of
Internal Affairs  
and Administration,
Ministry of Cultural and National Heritage,
MOŚiGW

Dear Sir/Madam,


The undersigned representatives of Polish astronomical societies,  non-governmental organizations of the Third Sector, state institutions, schools and university departments, students, professional astronomers, employees and owners of trade companies, publishing houses, theme circles and other legal and private entities, would like to make an appeal to the State Authorities of the Republic of Poland to consider a problem concerning the loss of a particularly important element of Polish national heritage: the dark sky in Poland.

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Increasing problems with artificial light in Poland are becoming more and more troublesome, not only for city dwellers, but also for people living in smaller towns and villages.
The issue has been particularly important for dark sky and fauna observers, whose increasingly worrying information appear on different Internet forums, in specialist magazines, theme organizations, during various scientific events etc.

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