THE OTHER DARK SKY
 ----------------
 John Pazmino
 Amateur Astronomers Association
 2001 November 4

[ABSTRACTS OF PAPERS PRESENTED AT THE 90TH ANNUAL MEETING OF THE 
AAVSO, NOVEMBER 1-4, 2001, SOMERVILLE, MASSACHUSETTS] 

    In previous demonstrations of New York's elimination of luminous 
graffiti from its skies, I focused attention on large-scale projects 
in the showcase districts of Manhattan. Although these works earned 
passionate respect in the dark sky movement, they by the same token 
were disheartening. New York was in some quarters of the movement 
regarded more as an unachievable Shangri-La than as a role model to 
emulate. 
    This presentation focuses on scenes of light abatement efforts in 
parts of New York which resemble other towns in scale and density. I 
photographed these scenes along a certain bus route in Brooklyn on my 
way home from work during October 2001. This route circulates through 
various "bedroom communities", each similar to a mid-size to large 
town elsewhere in the United States. 
    The subjects included individual structures -- stores, banks, 
schools -- and streetscapes mimicking downtowns. The latter portrayed 
a mix of atrocious and excellent lighting practice, being that these 
streets are in transition by the routine process of replacement and 
renovation. 
    The fixtures used -- box lamps, fluted or Fresnel globes, subdued 
headsigns, indirect lighting -- are casually obtainable by property 
managers at local outlets for lighting apparatus. They are routinely 
offered to the property managers by storefront designers, security 
services, contractors, and the community improvement or betterment 
councils.