Dark Skies, Wild Nights
Explore the stars. Protect the night. Help wildlife.
Light pollution is caused by too much artificial light at nighttime. It disrupts the behaviour of wildlife, harms human health and hides the stars from us. You can learn more about the impact of light pollution on animals and find out what you can do to help here - Reducing the effect of light pollution on wildlife - DCCEEW.
You can take part in a global citizen science campaign to raise awareness about the impact of light pollution called Globe At Night. By measuring sky brightness and submitting your observations, you’ll help real scientists monitor light pollution.
✨ Be a Citizen Scientist: Join Globe at Night
Globe at Night is a global citizen science campaign that invites you to measure the brightness of the night sky and submit your observations to help scientists track light pollution across the globe.
🌠 How to Take Part:
- Pick a date during one of the campaign periods listed below.
- Head outside more than an hour after sunset (when the moon is not visible).
- Let your eyes adjust to the dark—this takes about 10–15 minutes.
- Use the Stellarium Mobile App or a star chart to locate the target constellation shown at the top of the Globe at Night Report Page. (Tip: the app is fun to use and great for beginners!)
- Compare what you see in the sky with the star chart options and select the one that best matches.
- Enter your data on the Globe at Night page—your phone can automatically fill in your location. Choose the level of cloud cover and hit SUBMIT DATA.
🌍 Your observations will help scientists track light pollution and protect our wildlife.🔭 Campaign Dates & Constellations:
| Month | Date | Target Constellation |
| August | 15-24 | Sagittarius |
| September | 14-23 | Grus |
| October | 13-22 | Grus |
| November | 11-20 | Grus |
| December | 10-19 | Orion |
🌌 Want to Learn More?
Dive deeper into the wonders of the night sky, nocturnal wildlife, and First Nations astronomy with these resources:
- Light Pollution Map – See how light levels compare around the world
- Astronomical Society of Australia – Dark Sky Alliance
- Australian Indigenous Astronomy – Discover ancient sky stories
- iNaturalist Australia – Join a community of naturalists
- Australian Museum FrogID Project – Explore the night with frogs
