Light pollution in the Tatra National Park

Abstract

Light pollution in the form of artificial sky glow affects not only the immediate surroundings of the towns that generate it but also more distant areas, including protected regions. This study examines the extent of the impact of the artificial sky glow, originating from Zakopane and the surrounding towns, on the western part of the Tatra National Park (TPN) in Poland. Due to the specific challenges of conducting night measurements in mountainous terrain, the valleys of the Western Tatras– Lejowa, Kościeliska and Chochołowska - were selected for the study. Sky brightness measurements were taken using Sky Quality Meter photometers (type SQM-L) under both cloudless and completely overcast conditions. The results show that in the case of a cloudless sky, the range of sky glow from nearby towns extends approximately 2-2.5 km from the valleys outlets. However, under cloudy conditions, this range increases to approximately 6 km. It was also observed that the ground illumination caused by the brightened sky is significantly lower than that produced by the brightest natural object in the sky, the Moon. Nevertheless, the night sky’s brightness exceeds natural levels, which undoubtedly affects local mountain ecosystems

Keywords

• light pollution;
• tatra national park;
• nature protection;
• sky glow;
• night ecosystems;