Nowon-gu Hosts Exhibition "Everyone's Starlight Disappearing Due to Light Pollution"

Nowon Astronomy and Space Science Center to Hold 'Light Pollution-Free Astrophotography' Exhibition Until November 1... Selected Light Pollution-Free Astrophotography Works Displayed at Junggye Neighborhood Park from August Contest... 'Light Pollution Cases' Contest Also Held During Exhibition to Promote Environmental Awareness Through Astronomical Observation Activities

[Asia Economy Reporter Jongil Park] Nowon-gu (Mayor Oh Seung-rok) is holding an exhibition titled "The Starlight Disappearing Due to Light Pollution for Everyone" at the Nowon Astronomical Science Museum located in Junggye-dong.

Light pollution refers to the state caused by the inappropriate use of artificial lighting, where excessive light is emitted or light spills beyond the desired illumination area, disturbing daily life and damaging the ecological environment. Since the invention of the light bulb, the city nightscape that overcame the darkness of night has been regarded as a symbol of civilization, and the nightscape made up of lights itself has also revealed modern beauty.

However, the negative effects and dysfunctions of such nighttime lighting on the human body and ecological environment have gradually become apparent, and only belatedly has it begun to be recognized as a type of pollution called light pollution.

This exhibition was prepared to raise awareness that the light illuminating the sky day and night due to the advancement of modern technology can become pollution, and to provide an opportunity to think about the starlight that disappears because of it and the impact of light pollution on us.

The exhibition will be held for about six weeks until November 1 at Junggye Neighborhood Park, displaying works that passed the first preliminary round of the "Astrophotography Without Light Pollution" contest held last August.

The exhibition is designed so visitors can enjoy it while strolling through Junggye Neighborhood Park without a separate reservation. The displayed works include photos of night skies in areas without light pollution and panels introducing cases of light pollution, naturally inducing a learning effect. The works will be ranked through visitor voting (online voting via QR codes for each work) during the second final round combined with the exhibition, and prizes will be awarded.

Additionally, during the exhibition period, cases of light pollution that can be found in Nowon-gu will also be collected through a contest. The works collected through the contest will be used as materials for future light environment creation.

The contest period is the same as the exhibition period, until November 1, with an awards ceremony held on November 13.

Residents wishing to participate can submit the application form posted on the Nowon Astronomical Science Museum website along with the original photo via email (office@nowoncosmos.or.kr).

Details on the contest schedule and participation methods can be found on the "Nowon Astronomical Science Museum" website.

Opened in June 2017 as Nowon Space School and remodeled into the Nowon Astronomical Science Museum, it is a six-story building above ground with one basement floor, equipped with exhibition rooms, a planetarium, an observatory, and an English caf?. Renamed as Nowon Astronomical Science Museum, the internal facilities were reorganized to become a state-of-the-art astronomical science education facility. In addition to general viewing, it operates nighttime constellation observation programs, science exploration classes, family astronomy classes, expert guest science lectures, creative experiences for elementary students, and job experience programs for middle and high school students, providing various age-appropriate experiential activities.

Oh Seung-rok, Mayor of Nowon-gu, said, "South Korea's light pollution index is known to be the second most severe in the world after Italy," adding, "I hope this exhibition will be an opportunity to look back at the natural nightscape of starlight that has been forgotten, overshadowed by the city's nightscape."

Inquiries: Nowon-gu Office Education Support Division, Nowon Astronomical Science Museum