Figure 3-28 Light Pollution These two images of New York City, as seen from under the Brooklyn Bridge, show the increase of light in the sky from 1955 to 2010. Compare the skies just above the buildings. This light prevents New Yorkers from seeing dimmer stars that are visible in darker locations. Since 1972, light pollution, a problem for many observatories around the world, has been partially controlled by local ordinances passed by cities.