“Losing the Dark” – a short planetarium show and video on light pollution. Available as a FREE download in 23 languages!
Starry skies are a vanishing treasure because light pollution is washing away our view of the cosmos. It not only threatens astronomy but also disrupts wildlife, and affects human health. The glows over cities and towns — seen so clearly from space — are a testament to the billions of dollars spent on wasted energy by lighting up the sky.
The “Losing the Dark” planetarium show results from a collaboration between IDA and Loch Ness Productions. It introduces and illustrates some of the issues regarding light pollution and suggests three simple actions people can take to help mitigate it. The show gives planetarium professionals a tool to help educate the public about the problems of light pollution. Planetariums are uniquely positioned to teach audiences ways we can all work together to implement responsible use of lighting.
“Losing the Dark” has no license fee. The show has been rendered in many formats and languages, and you can download it below.
In addition to the full-dome version for digital planetarium use, “Losing the Dark” can be downloaded for conventional flat screen video in 23 languages for use in classrooms, kiosks, and museum theatres and advocate multimedia presentations. Classic planetarium theatres without full-dome capability can show this version using traditional video projectors. The show is also available on YouTube and for online viewing, sharing and embedding on blogs and web pages.
Loch Ness Productions and the International Dark-Sky Association are pleased and proud to make “Losing the Dark” available to planetarium theatres, educators and viewers around the world!
If we all work together, we can bring back the dark of night to planet Earth.
Download
Watch on YouTube
English | Cantonese | French
German | Hebrew | Hindi
Japanese | Kannada | Korean
Mandarin | Norwegian | Polish
Russian | Spanish | Turkish | and more!
Don’t see your language? Click here to access the entire library from Loch Ness Productions.
Credits
“Losing the Dark” is a joint production of the International Dark-Sky Association and Loch Ness Productions.
Writer/narrator: Carolyn Collins Petersen
Audio/video production: Mark C. Petersen
Music: Geodesium
Time-lapse photography and animation:
Dome3D
Loch Ness Productions
Additional imagery:
NASA
DigitalSky 2
Adler Planetarium
Gregory Panayotou
Gemini Observatory/AURA
Dan Nixon/Need-Less Campaign
Thomas O’Brien/ tmophoto
Babak Tafreshi/ TWAN
Special thanks:
Dr. Connie Walker (NOAO)
IDA Board of Directors Education Committee
Production of Losing the Dark was made possible by donations from:
Fred Maytag Family Foundation
