The night-time view from the Deep Sky Eye Observatory in Quinan has been significantly affected by light pollution.
The facility’s operator, Tim Doucette, says a homeowner, about a kilometre away, has set up a very bright outdoor light.
Doucette says it affects the view from the new sky-level tents, which are in a park area of the observatory.
“The tents have an open top to them, the light refracts so you get this glow of light in there. The light is bright enough that, because we have a lot of mist in the area from the river, it’s actually making that mist glow, which reduces the visibility of the night sky considerably.”
He’s hired a lawyer after his attempts to discuss the matter with the homeowner failed to reach a resolution. Doucette would not discuss details of the situation publicly but he believes the lights were st up to intentionally to affect the night sky view from the observatory.
The Deep Sky Eye Observatory is a certified Star Light Tourist Destination and the certification process is supported by UNESCO, the World Tourism Organization and the International Astronomical Union.
People from around the world, including scientists, have visited the observatory.
Tuesday night Doucette made a presentation to the Municipality of Argyle’s Committee of the Whole asking that they give consideration to implementing a light pollution by-law.
CAO Alain Muise says they received a legal opinion that such a by-law may be outside the authority of the municipality.
“We will be approaching the province to see what their interpretation is of that.”
He says if the province determines the municipality doesn’t have such authority then council may ask the government to make amendments to the Municipal Government Act to give them the power to enact and enforce a lighting by-law.
