By: Madison Rosenberg
Photo by: dhmccauley from @njnightskies
As artificial light at night raises concerns about human health and ecosystems, parts of South Jersey offer opportunities to experience darker skies than those found in many of New Jersey’s more densely developed communities.
The importance of natural light cycles to ecosystems can be easily forgotten in a world where humans are active and need to see at all hours. Commuting to the night shift, walking down the street at late hours, or wanting some fun decor to brighten up your porch all mean emitting artificial light. While needing light to see during dark hours is nothing new, artificial light pollution affects millions of humans and animals alike.
According to the Astronomical Society of the Toms River Area (ASTRA), “Light pollution is the excessive, misdirected, or obstructive artificial light at night that washes out starlight in the night sky, interferes with astronomical research, disrupts ecosystems, has adverse health effects on both wildlife and humans, and wastes energy and money.”
For humans, disruption of circadian rhythms can interfere with sleep and may contribute to broader health concerns. Health experts generally recommend that adults get at least seven hours of sleep per night, although individual needs vary, as explained by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Exposure to artificial light at night can interfere with sleep and circadian rhythms, making its potential health effects an important area of research.
According to a 2009 article available through the National Library of Medicine, “The 24-hour day/night cycle, known as the circadian clock, affects physiologic processes in almost all organisms. These processes include brain wave patterns, hormone production, cell regulation, and other biologic activities.”
The article discusses research into associations between disrupted circadian rhythms and health conditions, including certain cancers. These findings raise questions about the potential health consequences of exposure to artificial light at night, although they do not establish that light pollution directly causes cancer.
Artificial lighting affects night-sky visibility across much of New Jersey, although the extent varies considerably by location. According to lightpollutionmap.info, portions of rural South Jersey have darker skies than many densely developed areas of North and Central Jersey, particularly communities near New York City.
In Belleplain State Forest, the South Jersey Astronomy Club has regular gatherings to stargaze and get a good look at the night sky. According to the light pollution map, the forest has much lower levels of pollution than most areas in the state. These public events give participants opportunities to observe the night sky with less interference from artificial light than in many more developed areas. Belleplain State Forest is identified as a dark-sky observing location by astronomy organizations and stargazing resources because of its comparatively low levels of artificial light.
The Bortle Scale, developed by astronomer John E. Bortle, describes the darkness of the night sky and the visibility of celestial objects. Class 1 represents exceptionally dark skies where celestial objects are especially visible, while Class 9 describes heavily light-polluted urban skies where only the brightest stars and celestial objects can typically be seen. Belleplain State Forest’s comparatively darker skies offer opportunities for observing celestial objects with less interference from artificial light.
The city of Cape May also has regulations preventing light trespass. Light trespass is a type of light pollution that causes discomfort in neighborhoods by artificial light streaming into a property that is beyond the property it exists on. Cape May’s light-trespass ordinance establishes restrictions on outdoor lighting in residential zones and lighting from adjoining areas that affects residential properties. The ordinance addresses shielding, light direction, brightness, and other measures intended to reduce unwanted illumination. If a non-residential building or zone has lights that cause disturbance in a nearby residential zone, they are required to adjust their methods of lighting in that area.
On November 8, 2024, Cape May hosted a free Dark Skies event at Convention Hall. According to the event listing on SciStarter, the South Jersey Astronomy Club planned to provide telescopes for viewing the evening sky, while representatives offered indoor presentations about astronomy and the nighttime environment.
The borough of Collingswood also adopted outdoor-lighting regulations intended to reduce light pollution and unnecessary energy use. The ordinance establishes requirements for shielded lighting, automatic timing devices in specified commercial and industrial applications, and restrictions on glare and light trespass.
Woodstown, Margate City, and Medford Lakes have also adopted outdoor-lighting regulations that address concerns such as glare, light trespass, excessive illumination, and energy use. The specific requirements vary by municipality. Sky glow is “the dome of brightness on the horizon that obscures our view of the night sky. Skyglow is caused by misdirected light scattering through our atmosphere,” according to ASTRA.
New Jersey municipalities have adopted their own outdoor-lighting ordinances, establishing local requirements that vary by community.
Light pollution doesn’t just affect humans, though. According to the Sierra Club, artificial light at night can disrupt numerous wildlife behaviors and natural processes. “For wildlife, lack of natural light and darkness patterns can disrupt the feeding, sleeping, hunting, reproduction and migratory cycles of many animals. Some of those that have been studied include sea turtles, bats, birds, insects, fish, corals and bioluminescent species. Artificial light has also been documented to affect the timing of flowering, pollination, growth and dormancy in many plants.”
Natural cycles of daylight and darkness help regulate behaviors such as feeding, reproduction, migration, and rest across many species. As the National Park Service explains, nighttime is an essential part of the natural environment.
While artificial lighting affects the nighttime environment in many New Jersey communities, municipalities and individuals can take steps to reduce unnecessary artificial lighting. In places like Belleplain State Forest, people have an opportunity to experience stargazing with less interference than in more heavily illuminated areas. Reducing unnecessary artificial lighting can improve conditions for stargazing while helping limit disturbances to wildlife and natural nighttime environments.
- When South Jersey Goes Dark
- What Happens to Glassboro When College Students Leave?
- Cedar Rose Vineyards Haunts with Fifth Annual HalloWine Fest
This article was produced as part of Follow South Jersey’s student journalism program, which provides aspiring journalists with practical experience in professional news reporting and writing.
