STARS IN THEIR EYES SKY-GAZERS HAVE BAD VISION OF LIGHT MARRING THE VIEW.

Byline: Naush Boghossian Staff Writer

VALENCIA - His telescope ready near the top of Mount Pinos, amateur astronomer Jim Mahon awaited the black of a recent moonless night and remembered one of his favorite tales of starry skies.

It was before dawn Jan. 17, 1994, just after the Northridge Earthquake hit, knocking out power for miles and miles. Buildings fell, roads collapsed, the city lights were extinguished and the skies above flooded with stars - a sight that confused some used to the sparse twinkling of a typical L.A. night.

``My neighbors were hanging out on their front lawns astounded at the way the sky looked,'' said Mahon, president of The Local Group of the Astronomy Club of Santa Clarita Valley. ``They were amazed by the sight of the Milky Way and how many stars there were because they had never experienced that at their homes.''

These days, unadulterated views of the night sky are difficult to find, especially in Los Angeles, because of ``light pollution.''

Mahon and others in the crowd gathered on Mount Pinos worry that development is nearing that remote site and threatening their heavenly view.

Tejon Ranch, one of the largest landholdings in California is about 20 miles to the east. Now grazed by cattle, the ranch is slated for commercial, industrial and residential development - and the light that comes with it.

The astronomers see the development as a threat to their night view and are working with the landowner to ease the potential light pollution. And the company has vowed to work with them.

Four members of different local astronomy clubs - together representing 800 members from clubs in Ventura County and Los Angeles counties - met in May with executives of the Tejon Ranch Co. to voice their concerns about the effect of development on stargazing at Mount Pinos.

The astronomers appealed to the developers' sense of cost-cutting by explaining that light pollution is a waste of energy.

``When you have shielded lighting, you can put much smaller wattage bulbs and save yourself a heck of a lot,'' said Richard Wade, vice president of Santa Clarita's astronomy club. The four astronomers provided recommendations on how to implement more efficient lighting to minimize the light pollution.

``They were very, very receptive,'' Wade said.

E. Andrew Daymude, director of advanced planning and entitlements for Tejon Ranch has assured the club members he would incorporate standards recommended by the International Dark-Sky Association into the design of a huge IKEA furniture distribution center under construction there, as well as future buildings.

``Specific standards have been incorporated into our design guidelines that require lighting fixtures to have sharp cut-off shielding,'' Daymude said.

That design blocks light from seeping above the fixture and minimizes glare, cutting sky glow - rays that beam above the horizon to create a murky glow.

Sky glow is an astronomer's enemy. It comes often from street and porch lights - safety amenities that cost skygazers that mesmorizing view of a starlit sky.

For years, astronomy buffs like Mahon have flocked to a parking lot near the top of Mount Pinos, located in Los Padres National Forest, a place they consider the prime site to observe the stars because it is so far from city lights.

On a recent Saturday night during the new moon, the lot - altitude 8,000 feet - was jammed with cars, recreational vehicles and about 200 telescopes and 300 people who gathered for a ``star party.''

Astronomy enthusiasts held up star charts against the sky; there were various magazines and reference books on hand; and people sat in lawn chairs training high-powered binoculars on a sky peppered with stars.

``As it gets darker, they'll keep popping, popping, popping, and there won't be any room left for the sky,'' said Nancy Bond, an amateur astronomer.

When blackness finally fell, the millions of twinkling lights that make up the Milky Way were splayed across the night sky. Mars was an orangish- red dot in the sky. Satellites were visible streaking the sky.

Not far away, the sky above the closest cities - Bakersfield and Santa Clarita had visible light - a glow that washed out the stars.

The International Dark-Sky Association wants to change that. Its mission is to preserve and protect the nighttime environment and the dark skies through quality outdoor lighting as artificial lighting threatens to destroy views of the sky.

Daymude said his company will work with the association ``preserve the beautiful atmosphere that our night sky provides.''

Laverne Booth, an association member from Santa Clarita, is a bit skeptical about the partnership forged between astronomers and the development company.

``It looks like they're going to work with us and want to cooperate, but that remains to be seen,'' said

She said she has seen wasted light ruining the night skies and nothing done to change it.

``Gas stations, for example, use 10 times the amount of light needed to pump gas,'' Booth said. ``They think that people, like moths, are attracted to all that light.''

She believes that there should be ordinances to control wasted light energy.

According to the association, the cost of the misdirected light in the United States can be conservatively calculated to be more than $1.5 billion annually. U.S. power plants burn nearly 6 million tons of coal to generate this amount of wasted electricity.

``It's a rare treasure,'' Booth said of Mount Pinos. ``It has to be saved.''

CAPTION(S):

6 photos, map

Photo:

(1 -- 2 -- color) Astronomers set up their telescopes at the top of Mount Pinos. At 8,600 feet, the mountain is far above the lights of Los Angeles and affords spectacular view of the Milky Way, top, that can't be seen from light-polluted neighborhoods.

(3 -- color in Valley edition only) Nancy Bond of Studio City checks her star charts before nightfall atop Mount Pinos. The charts show the location of stars, planets and more.

(4 -- color in Valley edition only) Holding a small flashlight in his mouth, Jim Mahon prepares one of his telescopes for viewing atop Mount Pinos. Star-gazers use red lights to minimize the effect on their night vision- and to avoid light pollution.

(5 -- color in Valley edition only) Jim Mahon shows kids one of the telescopes used to view the stars. Astronomers worry that light from planned developements will wipe out that view.

(6 -- color in Valley edition only) Star-gazers fill the parking lot at the top of Mount Pinos well before nightfall. The mountain is a prime viewing location for astronmer because it is far above the lights that blot out the beauty of the night sky.

David R. Crane/Staff Photographer

Map:

(ran in SAC edition only) Mount Pinos