The name of the citizen science project I chose is Globe at Night.
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Globe at Night is a program of NSF’s NOIRLab, the preeminent US national center for ground-based, nighttime optical and infrared astronomy, which is managed by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy (AURA), under cooperative agreement with the National Science Foundation. They provide public awareness of light pollution and it’s effects, and global mapping data for light pollution.
The role of the citizens in this project is to do the observations. We are tasked with going outside at at 8-10PM and analyzing the night sky, specifically stars and constellations.
This project monitors the light pollution in the sky an hour or more after sunset by going out and seeing how much stars and constellations that should be visible are actually visible.
Researchers are monitoring the sky at night because it can help them find out how the amount of light pollution. Light pollution can affect energy consumption, wildlife and health.
This project spreads awareness about light pollution to the public and even gives you the opportunity to see its impact yourself. When people see the amount of light pollution that they took part in causing firsthand, they can be provoked to use artificial lights less as well as spread awareness about light pollution and it’s harmful effects, possibly playing a part in decreasing the amount of light pollution in the area.