A timelapse of the starry sky in New York City, USA, aiming to draw public attention to the issue of light pollution

Text by: Nic

Like Hong Kong, New York City in the United States is a metropolis filled with high-rise buildings, surrounded by dazzling neon lights that remain vibrant even after dark. However, the cost of such a scene is the creation of light pollution, which causes the starry skies that would naturally appear at night to vanish.

Photographers Gavin Heffernan and Harun Mehmedinović of the Skyglow Project are well known for creating timelapse works. Their latest creation, a short film titled “SKYGLOW: NYC,” brings a touch of starlight to the night sky of New York, hoping to raise public awareness about light pollution.

Because the light pollution in New York is so severe that the stars are “nonexistent,” observant readers may have noticed that the starry sky in the video is not actually from the area. In fact, the starry sky in the footage is a composite of images taken from the Grand Canyon and Death Valley by the two photographers, which is why they describe the work as an “Experimental Timelapse.”

This short film is a follow-up to the “SKYGLOW” timelapse released in 2015. It was shot using a Canon EOS 5D Mark IV and a series of Canon lenses. Both works aim to communicate the issue of light pollution to the public.

Although highly urbanized Hong Kong also faces the problem of light pollution, fortunately there are still places where one can photograph the starry sky. But if all areas are developed into high-rises, will these magnificent sights disappear? Do you prefer the night skies above cities with severe light pollution, or the pristine starry sky?

▲ Member of the DCFever “Works Exhibition Area”