Golden sky or Starry sky ?

Golden sky or Starry sky ?

On this photograph taken from the village of Rennes le Chateau in the Aude, the Pic de Bugarach appears alternately surmounted by a golden sky and a starry sky. Few clouds dotting around the horizon reflect the light coming from the ground indeed : an artificial light generated by streetlights, car headlights - in a word, by human activities. This light pollution affects not only the observation of the starry sky, but also and especially the fauna, the flora, the fungi and the ecosystems. This phenomenon first appeared under the reign of Louis XIV who, to fight against crime, generalized public lighting in the streets of Paris. To date, it would concern no less than 20% of our planet. To fight against the inexorable expansion of this bright halo and its deplorable impact on biodiversity, the International Dark Sky Association has certified several international reserves of the starry sky in the world, including the Reserve of the Pic du Midi de Bigorre.