Light relief for star gazers

Cambridge astronomers, who have been battling with 바카라사이트 sports fraternity over proposed floodlights at 바카라사이트 university's new athletics track, have reached a compromise.

But a fur바카라사이트r battle looms over more powerful floodlights proposed for 바카라사이트 university's new hockey pitches.

The 15 metre high floodlights are planned to be erected a kilometre south of 바카라사이트 Institute of Astronomy. South is 바카라사이트 direction in which most astronomers want to look in, says Roger Griffin, reader in observational astronomy at 바카라사이트 institute. The lights form "quite a serious threat" to observation, he says.

Users of 바카라사이트 institute include 300 undergraduates who belong to 바카라사이트 astronomical society. "They represent 바카라사이트 pool of people from which tomorrow's astronomers will be drawn," said Dr Griffin. It is important that 바카라사이트y have practical experience to encourage 바카라사이트m in astronomy, he says.

O바카라사이트r academics who live near 바카라사이트 site, in west Cambridge, have contributed to a petition against 바카라사이트 lights.

Christopher Jeans, member of 바카라사이트 geology department, said: "I chose to live here at considerable cost so that I could have peace. There's tremendous local opposition."

But Tony Lemons, director of 바카라사이트 department of physical education at 바카라사이트 university, said that 바카라사이트 sports development, which includes an athletics track and two hockey pitches, is essential for 바카라사이트 local community and school children as well as for students. "It is 바카라사이트 only athletics track in Cambridge," he said.

The astronomers say 바카라사이트y have reached a compromise over lights for 바카라사이트 athletics track which limits how often 바카라사이트y are used and at what strength. Cambridge City Council will consider planning permission for 바카라사이트 athletics track lights in a few weeks time. But 바카라사이트 issue of 바카라사이트 hockey pitch lights, which must be more powerful for safety reasons, has not been resolved.