Artificial lighting and urbanization have made it difficult for humans to benefit from views of the galaxy. This holds true for both amateur stargazers and professional astronomers, even though the latter also work with data collected using radio telescopes and other technologies. Known as light pollution, excess artificial lighting also impacts the ecosystem. Animals use light to determine when to hunt, where they make nests, and what times of day to migrate to new territories. With regard to plants, artificial light can alter the generation of phytochrome, which affects photosynthesis and germination.
To avoid further harm to the environment, people can integrate a variety of practices into their daily lives. When illuminating specific structures or sites, property owners can add shields to help direct light to areas intended to be lit. In addition, using low-wattage bulbs and motion sensor lighting improves light pollution issues. Other ways to limit pollution include hanging blackout curtains and employing energy-efficient light sources.