light pollution

American  

noun

1. unwanted or harmful light, as from bright street lights or neon signs.

2. Astronomy. artificial illumination of the sky that sets a limit on the faintness of stars that can be observed or photographed.

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light pollution British  

noun

1. the glow from street and domestic lighting that obscures the night sky and hinders the observation of faint stars

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Etymology

Origin of light pollution

First recorded in 1970–75

Example Sentences

According to the Royal Museums Grenwich the Lyrid meteor shower reaches maximum on 22 April and being two days before the First Quarter Moon, the Moon won't cause too much light pollution.

From BBC • Apr. 21, 2026

France also saw a major reduction, with nighttime brightness falling by 33 percent as many cities turn off streetlights after midnight to conserve energy and limit light pollution.

From Science Daily • Apr. 9, 2026

A buildout of the claims could end public access to the area and permanently scar the landscape, drawing traffic and light pollution and harming springs and groundwater stores, he said.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 30, 2026

When asked if the darkness could have played a part in Nancy Guthrie's disappearance, several local people disputed that theory, defending Tucson's rules against light pollution.

From BBC • Feb. 7, 2026

G’ma said they can’t see them from Atlanta because there’s too much light pollution.

From "Clean Getaway" by Nic Stone