The return of overcast weather indirectly supplied me with the answer to a question that has long since intrigued me.
AI having become so wicked smart, I decided to see if it had an answer, so I asked:
“What causes the nightly glow on the southeastern horizon from Cambridge NY.”
The answer was supplied in less than a minute:
“The nightly glow on the southeastern horizon from Cambridge, NY is caused by light pollution reflecting off the sky from massive commercial agricultural greenhouses located south-southeast in the Petersburgh and Berlin areas. [1]”
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“Industrial Grow Lights: Large-scale commercial indoor farming facilities operate high-powered, overhead artificial lighting systems throughout the night to grow crops like lettuce year-round”
“Cloud Reflection: On nights with low-hanging cloud cover, dense fog, or heavy moisture in the air, the upward-facing artificial light bounces off the water vapor. This creates a prominent “sky glow” effect visible from more than 15 miles away”
“The Pink or Purple Hue: Greenhouses rely heavily on targeted red and blue light wavelengths because they are the most efficient colors for driving photosynthesis and plant growth. When these colors mix and escape through the greenhouse ceilings, they paint the clouds with a distinct pinkish-purple or soft reddish tint.”
It had been a while since I saw that glow, but with a low cloud base, there it was last night.
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Asking for more information, I got:
Causes of Greenhouse Light Pollution
Extended Photoperiods: Cultivating crops like cannabis, tomatoes, and peppers often requires 18 to 24 hours of daily light.
Intense LED & HPS Spectrums: Modern LED systems emit distinct magenta, pink, or red-blue hues, while older high-pressure sodium (HPS) fixtures create bright yellow-orange glows. Low clouds, fog, and snow can amplify this skyglow up to 3,500 times normal background levels.]
Unshielded Structures: Light leaks through greenhouse roofs, unsealed sidewalls, doors, and vents during night operations
Impacts:
Local Ecosystems & Wildlife: Stray light disrupts bird navigation, insect pollination, and the feeding or migration patterns of nocturnal animals.
Human Health & Communities: Persistent pink or yellow skyglow causes neighbor disputes, pilot glare, and potential sleep disruption or circadian rhythm interference for nearby residents. Organizations like DarkSky International track these growing concerns across North America and Europe.
Sensitive Crops: According to community discussions on Reddit, low-intensity light spillover can alter natural flowering cycles in neighboring wild plants or sensitive commercial ornamentals.
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So glad I asked 🙁
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Tamarack time.
Strange that I would have said it’s only been in the last couple of years that I noticed them, yet I have photos dating back to 2020.
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It would have been surprising not to notice them.
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But perhaps I didn’t look for them as keenly till recently.
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Coming back from Greenwich we got a good view of the farm on the hill above our place. I’d never noticed that stand of tamaracks before.
Perhaps trees in the foreground had been felled.
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The felling of trees is certainly what made this stand visible, but I’d rather those 9 trees had not been cut down. There seemed to be no good reason for it.
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At the end of our little road that leads out to the highway, there is another stand.
The above was at around 10:30 am.
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Early morning on a grey day is a really good time to see them.
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And they always catch my sight when the setting Sun sets them afire.
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A hundred years ago in my distant youth I asked a pretty girl I was told would know how the sky got all those crazy colors. She was a physics major and proceeded to tell me all bout wavelength filtering by chemical compounds in the air, or not in the air, depending on location. This was before all night grow lights except in closets. I learned not to ask questions that would cost me a good lunch and half an afternoon.
Light pollution is the single reason why we moved to Beetley. After a lifetime of light pollution in London, turning night into day, the joy of finding somewhere with no street lights and no nearby source of light pollution was the deciding factor. The nearest town of Dereham, just 4 miles away, is not big enough to affect the star-strewn skies, and we have enjoyed celestial wonders and much better deep-sleeping since we moved here.
Best wishes, Pete.
I don’t think I would turn to AI for answers – it sounds way too complicated for my brain to process! One of the benefits of living on a farm is that we aren’t surrounded by streetlights shining into our bedroom window all night. That’s also why we love camping in the wild so much – the stars are just so much brighter. Love the Tamarack trees! Such lovely colours in your photos.
One thing I loved about night sailing was the lack of light pollution and the wonderful green phosphorescence trailing behind a boat or dinghy. Nature is stunning!
I’ve found AI isn’t always accurate.
More lovely colours in your photos during this time of year.