Billions of stars in the sky, but now there are only 20. Where'd they all go?

Question

I really need help finding an answer to my question. When i was a kid i rember lookin up at night into the sky and seeing billions of stars everywhere. now i am 24 and when i look up i can barely count 20 stars thew the whole night sky. im still looking from the same place. so were did they all go? why cant i find more then 20 stars in the sky at night? Please help, ive searched all over the inet with no luck.

Answer 1

Maybe it's time to see an eye doctor.

Answer 2

Two words:

LIGHT POLLUTION

There are so many outdoor lights these days that in most cities the night sky is too bright to see the stars. Go out to the country, far from any city lights, maybe on a camping trip, and you can still see the stars like you remember.

Now go to the source, the web site of the International Dark-Sky Association and see what you can do to help save our night sky! Lobby your local government for lighting ordinances and building codes that limit outdoor lights and requiring full cutoff fixtures. This saves money, fuel, and reduces accident causing glare as well as allowing us to actually see the stars.

Answer 3

Well, the vast majority of those "billions" of stars disappeared with your youthful imagination. There are never more than 3000 stars visible to the naked eye, even in the darkest of skies.

Likewise, I find the count of 20 to be an exaggeration on the low side. That might be true number in the middle of a megalopolis, but no city has grown so much in the last 20 years to have experienced the change in light pollution that you describe.

Therefore, you might want to have your eyes checked.

Answer 4

Light pollution. All the new development and lights left on all night makes the sky glow with light from the city. You're going to have to go someplace rural to see the stars like you want.

Answer 5

That's simple - there are now more lights in your area then there were when you were little. Light pollution blocks our view of the night sky, and it's a waste of electricity! Check out this website for more info on what you can do about light pollution:
http://www.darksky.org/

Or it could be that you need new glasses (I was 20 when I got my first pair of glasses - when I was in high school I had perfect vision!).

Answer 6

they didnt go anywhere, you can't see as many because of light pollution. the more unnatural light you have in your area the harder it will be to see stars. same concept as turning the lights out to see a better picture on your tv. if you were to travel to a very rural enviroment you would find the billions of stars that left you so many years ago.

Answer 7

its called "light pollution"

the stars are still there, but there is so much light from things on earth like streetlights and houses that you cant see them anymore.

try driving way out in the country, away from any city lights, and you will see a ton more stars.

Answer 8

You really couldn't figure this out on your own?

Answer 9

there all burned out