The City Dark

Numbering among the adverse consequences of light pollution typical to urban areas are loss of orientation in migrating birds and disruption of the photoperiod in some plant species and the biorhythm in humans (caused by lower production of melanin). But perhaps the most striking effect is the sky glow on astronomy and, slightly more afield, on philosophy and poetry. Ian Cheney accompanies us on a journey from New York to Maine, then west to Chicago, Arizona and Hawaii in search of the stars in the night sky obscured by light pollution.