Mapping the light on 23 February 2026

On 23 February 2026, the Società Geografica Italiana hosted Mappe di Luce, a multidisciplinary conference examining how natural and artificial light influence both the sky and the Earth. Held at Villa Celimontana in Rome, the event gathered researchers, environmental organisations, universities, and citizen‑science groups to confront the accelerating problem of light pollution. Elena Maggi, coordinator of AquaPLAN, served as co‑chair of the scientific sessions together with Fabio Falchi and Rocco Santarone, and took part in opening and closing the day’s work.

The programme highlighted emerging methods for mapping light, the ecological and cultural impacts of excessive illumination, and the need for coherent policies to safeguard natural darkness. The closing session featured BuioMetria Partecipativa, which presented eighteen years of interdisciplinary work on participatory dark‑sky monitoring and future directions for protecting and promoting the night sky.

The overarching message of the event was that preserving the night is not only an environmental necessity but also a cultural responsibility.

Access the programme here.