Protecting Our Dark Skies
The Supermassive Podcast
Izzie Clarke
4.6 • 556 Ratings
🗓️ 1 December 2025
⏱️ 50 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
What are the threats to our dark night skies? And what needs to be done to protect them? Izzie, Dr Becky and Robert explore this important topic and head outside (...and the weather was not on their side!)
Thank you to Dr Samantha Lawler at the University of Regina in Saskatchewan and Andy Lawrence, the Regis professor of astronomy at the University of Edinburgh.
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The Supermassive Podcast is a Boffin Media production. The producers are Izzie Clarke and Richard Hollingham.
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | When I go outside at night, I can easily see the Milky Way. |
| 0:06.6 | Well, you can't stop light pollution completely. |
| 0:09.8 | What's the darkest and best night sky that you've seen anywhere in the world? |
| 0:16.9 | Hello and welcome to the supermassive podcast from the Royal Astronomical Society with me, |
| 0:22.4 | science journalist Izzy Clark and astrophysicist Dr. Becky Smethurst. This month we're exploring |
| 0:28.2 | dark skies. What are the threats to our dark night skies? Why is that important and what |
| 0:35.1 | desperately needs to be done to protect them? |
| 0:38.3 | I mean, how do you feel about this topic, Becky? |
| 0:40.5 | How much do you think about dark skies? |
| 0:42.8 | I don't think you're ready for what me and Robert will a leash on you. |
| 0:47.0 | I go and say, and let's dial back the rants, everyone. |
| 0:53.0 | And obviously, Dr. Robert Massey is here, too, |
| 0:55.9 | the deputy director of the Royal Astronomical Society. |
| 0:59.5 | You're already laughing away, Robert, as well. |
| 1:01.8 | I feel like we're going to unleash. |
| 1:03.2 | I definitely am. |
| 1:05.3 | So I know we usually ask you a question to kick off the show, |
| 1:08.9 | but I thought we should take things outside. |
| 1:14.7 | Hang on, where are you? I can't actually see you. |
| 1:18.0 | Wait, give us the wave. Let me go. |
| 1:24.0 | This is absolutely mad. |
| 1:31.3 | This is like sideways rain. As it is, I have to say, this is one of the craziest things I've done on a Saturday night. |
... |
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