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[Chicago Astronomer - Astro Joe]

Earth Hour Observed along Chicago's lakefront

29 March 2008

I had always desired a darker sky in Chicago, diminishing the horrid ugly orange glow that blankets our sky and prevents the marvel of the heavens to shine through...something that has been long lost. In a symbolic gesture, a International event was planned for Saturday evening at 8:00 pm to turn off the lights, and exterior lighting on Chicago's buildings and attractions....as well in many other cities.

I arrived at the Adler Planetarium at 7:00 pm to secure parking and scout a good spot to photograph the event, but the temperature took a dive when the sun did and it was quite cold and windy. Anticipating the freezing environment, I did dress appropriately.

Fellow astronomers and friends joined me at the designated area to enjoy the spectacle. My cell was kept busy with people seeking my location and calling out my name in search of our group.

Here Santiago and I prep our equipment while the sun sets and the lights set to extinguish.

Although the event was to start at 8:00 pm, some buildings started to shut out their lights a couple of minutes before, catching many unprepared and missing the blink out.

As a guide to match which buildings are which, here is a handy image that I use often at the Adler to point out the names to our visitors during telescope events.

The Sears Tower's Antennae illumination went out and the 311 Wacker building to the west, (Which I often call the Crown Building), turned off it's bright cake top. The CNA Building went mostly dark...

...as did Two Prudential Plaza and Smufit-Stone Building's angled Diamond top. One Prudential tower shut down it's trademark letters...

The Chase building followed suit and the Hancock snapped off on time, but the Board of Trade building kept it's garish lights burning well past the shut off time and went back on well before the turn on time.

But the intense lights of Grant park by the Pritzker Pavilion blazed at 100% as the biggest offender, destroying whatever effect the other considerate buildings accomplished. Navy Pier shut off the Ferris wheel and other incidental lighting, but other buildings stayed on as bright as ever and with nary a light shut off. The Shedd Aquarium shut off it's roof illumination very late, but kept on the interior lights of the facility, keeping that section of the lake lit.

Traffic around the Adler was now by 8:30 pm heavy and congested, with police happily writing out tickets and moving gawkers along. My cell kept ringing with friends in the area, but not able to park and others on the way. I advised those not here yet to stay away from the area for their own sanity and really...they weren't missing anything.

Lights started to come on before the 9:00 pm turn on time and within a few miniutes, the city skyline was back to it's shining gem.

Pictured here with the cities lights turned back on are fellow members of The Chicago Astronomers: Myself, Santiago, Juan Pablo, Fred and Hiram. Fred brought along his 4.5" reflector for some observation, but the wind was kicking up too much for steady views.

The Chicago Astronomical Society was also at the event, with Audrey Fischer really working to push for dark skies for some time now.

Shown are: Myself, John Andrews, Audrey Fischer, Greg Fischer, Juan pablo, Fred, Santiago, Gomer and Terry Mack.


The skies did not darken at all, as I hoped it might. The images do not convey the actual illumination of the sky above the city...but we did catch the International Space Station fly over to the north over the city...not that the lights out event helped spotting it. We attempted to spot the ATV supply craft following the ISS, but we could not.

Overall, it was not what we expected the event to be, but it was a good gesture toward energy conservation and a first step to a darker and more complete Lights Out event for next year.