“Myfamilywassofrustrated，”admittedtownresidentDuaneCosby.“Wewantedtomakethisanunforgettablefamilyouting,butitturnedouttobeahugedisappointment.”

Astronomers—scientistswhostudystarsandplanets—havebeencomplainingaboutthisproblemfordecades.TheysaythatlightpollutionPventsthemfromseeingobjectsintheskythattheycouldseequiteeasilyinthepast.Theycallonpeopleandthegovernmenttotakemeasurestofightagainstit.

Thereisyetapopulationbesidesprofessionalandamateurstarobserversthatsuffersevenmorefromlightpollution.Thispopulationconsistsofbirds,bats,frogs，snakes，etc.Forexample,outdoorlightingseverelyaffectsmigrating(迁徙的)birds.AccordingtotheInternationalDark-SkyAssociation，“100millionbirdsayearthroughoutNorthAmericadieincrasheswithlightedbuildingsandtowers.”

Countlessmoreanimalcasualties(伤亡)resultfromtheuseofartificiallighting.Clearly，peopleenjoythebenefitsoflightingtheirevenings,butsomescientiststhinkitcanbeharmfulforhumans，too.Theyworrythatexposuretolightwhilesleepingcanincreaseaperson'schancesofgettingcancer.