Astronomy and Civilisation

Abstract

Astronomical observation is being severely hampered by a variety of forms of interference which derive from an increasingly technological lifestyle. Outdoor lighting has raised the brightness of the night sky to unacceptable levels even at the ‘best’ observatory sites. Radio transmission both from the ground and from space, coupled with the matching radio noise pollution generated by almost every electrically operated device from light switch to major industrial unit, is interfering very severely with frontier radio astronomical research and competing with radio astronomy for allocation of bandwidth. Space has a growing population of debris derived from collisions between spent spacecraft, instrument covers, retaining bolts and exploded fuel tanks. There is a considerable hazard to all current and future spacecraft through collision with such debris. The same debris, by reflecting sunlight, is a source of degradation of ground based deep sky photography and photometry. For optical astronomy there may be hope of amelioration, for radio astronomy the already severe pressures under which it must operate can only increase, while the problem of space debris has only just been recognised and ways have yet to be devised for debris reduction.