Photographer Larry Landolfi digitially composed this image after being inspired by a trip to Fort Davis in Texas which is where the McDonald observatory is. The celestial band is viewable from extremely dark observing locations where there is minimum pollution, and only on moonless nights. It is not posible to see the milky way as brillaint or as beautiful as it is in this picture as a result of light pollution from outdoor lights. Because of this about 2/3 of the world's population cannot look up and see the milky way. Astronomers claim the sky is "dimming." Not because the actual stars themselves are loosing light or brightness but merely because of the amount of light pollution it makes it extremely difficult to see the stars at night. "Every night billions of bulbs send their energy skyward where microscopic bits of matter -- air molecules, airborne dust, and water vapor droplets -- reflect much of the wasted light back to Earth." It is hard to believe that the light bulb was only invented about 100 years ago and light pollution is already so problematic. If something is not done about this soon then enventually the entire world could be affected and no one will be able to see the beautfiul night sky with their naked eye.
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