Astronomer Wes Lockwood (image above) doesn't know why he enlisted to defend the night sky of Flagstaff, the largest city on the Colorado Plateau. It wasn't out of self-interest, for the light from Flagstaff homes, businesses, and parks barely affects his research at Lowell Observatory, overlooking the west side of town. "I must have been going through some do-gooder stage in my life," he explains, smiling.

That do-gooder stage has continued through many battles over nearly two decades. Though he can't recall what got him started, he is very clear about why he fights for the night now. "Everyone likes to look at the night sky," he says. "Adults who've lived in a dark place want their children to see dark skies. . . And in a brightly lit urban environment, this is completely gone. You can't see a star in Los Angeles or New York City or Chicago. And since the population of the country is growing and growing, the places where you can see the stars are getting fewer and fewer."

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