Due to light pollution and the commercial exploitation of the radio spectrum, astronomical observations and astronomical research are becoming increasingly threatened. It is therefore necessary to engage in efforts to mitigate the negative impacts of artificial electromagnetic interference (EMI) on astronomy, the environment, and society. 

The ORP started a regional initiative "Preserving the skies" with the aim to aid efforts mitigating EMI (light pollution through artificial light at night from the ground and from satellites and radio interference) and funded the ORP Sky Protection Group. The activities of this group are of regulatory and technical character and can range from networking within our region to software or hardware development. While we are working from the perspective of astronomers and astronomy students, membership is open to everyone. The goal of the ORP sky protection group is to engage with and support other dark and quiet sky protection efforts, as well as to define its own activities, making use of the leverage that a consortium like the ORP can offer, but avoiding to create parallel efforts. Hence, all our activities are coordinated with the IAU Centre for the Protection of the Dark and Quiet Sky from Satellite Constellation Interference (CPS) and communicated with activities within the EAS.

If you would like to participate in the ORP sky protection group, you can sign up following this link. If you have any question, please contact us.