Protecting the West Texas Dark Skies

McDonald Observatory has partnered with oil and gas organizations to protect the dark West Texas skies. This video featuring the observatory's Bill Wren details the issue of light pollution caused by oil and gas activities in the Permian Basin, and their potential to effect the observatory's ability to study the cosmos. The video outlines solutions that are documented in an agreement for Recommended Lighting Practices for oilfield activity that has been published by the partnership of McDonald, the Permian Basin Petroleum Association, and the Texas Oil and Gas Association. This video was made possible by a grant from Apache Corporation. More information is available at:
mcdonaldobserv...

[@DeepSkyDude]

This is fantastic stuff! Thanks for the work Bill and McDonald crew! Hopefully your efforts will make the Texas Star Party darker again.

[@mikesliva4134]

Nice job. Reasonable working with the industry. Terrific... well done

[@carmen7459]

33:50 Wouldn't having almost all of your light coming from nearly a single source also cause really harsh shadows? I would think that could be another visibility problem.