Stars in Jakarta Invisible due to Light Pollution

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Jakarta is not only 'suffered' from water and air pollution, but the city must also deal with light pollution that caused many astronomical objects invisible through naked eyes.

An astronomer in Jakarta Planetarium and Observatory, Ronny Syamara, said that several celestial objects could still be observed, such as planets, moon, and bright stars. 

“But deep sky objects, those with dim lights, are hard to be seen with naked eyes,” said Ronny as quoted from Antara, Thursday, July 4, adding that light quality in the capital is quite worse.

Artificial lights that contributed to the pollution included light trespass, unwanted lights that enter one’s property. “Park or sidewalk lamp that leads up or those without coverage can be one of the causes of light pollution,” Ronny explained.

He went on to say that digital billboard emitting lights to the sky also worsen the pollution in the capital. Moreover, excessive glare created eye discomfort. 

There also exists sky glow, the light that was emitted directly to the atmosphere and created a dome covering the night sky. People living in the metropolitan, therefore, could not see stars in the night.

The National Institute of Aeronautics and Space (Lapan) head Thomas Djamaluddin affirmed that Jakarta City, particularly Central Jakarta where Planetarium was located, had an abundance of lights. “Only bright planets that can be observed and a few stars,” Thomas said.

ANTARA