The Problem of Light Intrusion in a Small Town. The Case of Artesa de Segre (Lleida)
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.5944/etfvi.18.2025.44960Keywords:
Light intrusion; light pollution; street lighting; Artesa de Segre (Lleida)Abstract
This article analyzes the problem of light pollution in Artesa de Segre, a small town in Catalonia (Lleida), focusing specifically on light intrusion caused by street lighting. Light pollution negatively affects not only astronomy but also human health and ecosystems. Through fieldwork, a total of 46 streets in the municipality were evaluated, identifying critical points along nighttime transects where artificial light penetrates homes, disrupting nighttime sleep. It is observed that wall-mounted and spherical streetlights are the main causes of light intrusion and light diffusion into the sky. Despite being in a maximum light protection zone (E1) due to its proximity to the Montsec Astronomical Park, the municipality of Artesa de Segre needs to improve its public lighting to reduce light pollution, with the application of some corrective and adaptation measures such as the adoption of more energy-efficient lamps and arranging the streetlights at a more appropriate height and orientation.
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Copyright (c) 2025 María del Carmen Moreno-García, David Galcerán Vila
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