Visiting Shui Hau at night, you will definitely be mesmerised by the vast array of shining stars when looking up the sky. Such a moment of tranquillity and beauty will make a deep impression on us. That said, less than a century ago, looking up to experience the wonder of a starry night sky was just part of the everyday lives of the people.
It was in 1802 when Humphry Davy, an English chemist, invented incandescent light bulbs. The day-night living patterns of human beings have changed since then. Cities in different parts of the world never sleep. Our nights are forever lit up.
Nights lit up by light bulbs not only caused impacts on human behaviours and lifestyles, all creatures on Earth, including plants, animals and human beings, depend heavily on the daily cycle of natural light to sustain their lives, such as ingestion, sleeping and escaping from predators. In case the natural illumination of the environment is subject to changes, the light pollution (i.e. the problems arising from the excessive use of the lighting systems) is likely to modify the behaviours of plants and animals, causing impacts on their physiological functions and biological rhythms.
Predators and preys play hide-and-seek according to the intensity of light. Predators hunt in the light while their preys hide in the dark. With the excessive use of artificial lighting systems, the survival rate of preys will be undermined. Besides, upon getting used to their surrounding environments, preys can escape more quickly from danger, thereby diminishing their predators' successful hit rate. It is a lose-lose situation, isn't it? The excessive use of artificial lighting systems will also disrupt the migratory patterns of animals, alter the competitive interactions among animals, and disturb ecological balance, etc.
Despite its convenience, the use of artificial lighting has altered our night views since its invention. Enjoying a starry night sky used to be a part of our everyday life, which profoundly inspired great artists such as Van Gogh to create masterpieces. Nowadays, the use of artificial lighting not only damages the beauty of a tranquil evening night, but also renders it difficult for our children to appreciate the magnificent wonder of starry night skies.
Luckily, one may still appreciate the amazing starry sky when looking up in some places in South Lantau, far away from hectic urban environments. On a fine night, you can clearly see with the naked eye various bright constellations, such as Orion, Leo and the Big Dipper in Ursa Major. If you would like to know more about stargazing, you may visit the LCSD's website for more details.
Instead of idling somewhere after work, take your kids to South Lantau and marvel at the wonder of a starry night sky.