Abstract

ANTARAMIAN HARUTUNIAN, Eduardo. Ligth pollution in Michoacán (campaign for dark skies). Invest. Geog [online]. 2001, n.45, pp.56-76. ISSN 2448-7279.

The deterioration of night sky due to light pollution- the glare produced by artificial light that gets lost towards the sky - is a topic that is beginning to be considered in some countries, which are taking measures to regulate the characteristics of illumination. In our country, awareness about light pollution is virtually nil, although its reduction would contribute not only to enjoy the night sky but also to save energy. Astronomical observations have been notably deteriorated in the last years by light pollution, the most dramatic case being the Observatory of Tonanzintla in Puebla that is at just 13 km of the city of the same name having over a million inhabitants, and that should be located no closer than 110 km from it. Using Walker's formula, the escape distance was estimated, that is, where the sky glow is less than 10% of the natural glow. Cities of Michoacán with over 30 000 inhabitants according to the year-2000 census were considered, with which a theoretical map of the sky glow In Michoacán was generated using a Geographical Information System.

Keywords : Light pollution; Michoacán; artificial light; Geographical Information System.