Photograph of Dwejra’s Night Sky makes the frontpage
A photograph I captured of Dwejra’s night sky with a view to increase awareness of the need to protect the dark sky heritage of this site has made it to the front page of a local newspaper, The Malta Independent (20th July 2017), helping to spread the word about the importance of conserving this aspect of Dwejra. By engaging with the public we can all help ensure it can be enjoyed by future generations to come.
The caption reads:
“This picture, taken by Joseph Caruana, shows the splendour of our home galaxy, the Milky Way, as viewed from Dwejra in Gozo. Due to the widespread problem of light pollution, Dwejra is one of the last remaining sites on the Maltese islands from where one can observe the beauty of the night sky. For this reason, along with a number of other coastal areas in Gozo and Comino, Dwejra is designated as a dark sky heritage area, meaning that its dark skies are protected and installation of lighting is not allowed. Nevertheless, encroaching light pollution from the rest of Gozo (e.g. via improperly designed lighting and the continued illumination of churches and monuments throughout the whole night), and infringement of regulations, mean that this pristine view of the night sky is constantly under threat. By spreading the word and striving to educate the public, we can all ensure that future generations will continue to enjoy Dwejra as a window to our beautiful universe.”
Direct Link to newspaper:
https://www.pressreader.com/malta/malta-independent/20170720