A non-profit that takes the night seriously.
Leve(n)de Nacht is a Belgian non-profit organisation fighting light pollution. We work at the intersection of science, policy and citizen action — for more than thirty years.
Three pillars, one goal.
We safeguard natural darkness as a common good — for people, for fauna and flora, and for the right of every generation to see the starry sky.
Raise awareness
We show citizens, policymakers and companies the impact of light pollution on health, biodiversity and cultural heritage.
Advise
We help municipalities, engineering firms and organisations to draft sustainable lighting plans and concrete improvement tracks.
Protect
Through campaigns and the Darkness Needs Map we make core areas of natural darkness visible and open for discussion.
Thirty years standing up for the night.
- 1995
First Night of Darkness
A handful of amateur astronomers and nature lovers organise the very first edition. The campaign grows each year to include hundreds of participating municipalities.
- 2010
Leve(n)de Nacht is founded
The campaigns receive a formal legal structure. The non-profit bundles lectures, policy advice and publications.
- 2016
Saving Private Orion launches
A citizen-science counting campaign in which everyone can measure the visibility of the Orion constellation from their own garden.
- 2022
Darkness Needs Map
A scientific instrument that shows where darkness must be protected as a priority — for nature, people and astronomy.
The people behind the non-profit.
A volunteer board of six members oversees the work. The secretariat supports campaigns and members on a daily basis.
Four complementary pillars.
Lectures
For associations, schools, municipalities and companies. Tailored to the audience, from introduction to in-depth technical content.
Consulting
Policy advice, lighting plans, audits and peer reviews. For local authorities and engineering firms.
Campaigns
Three campaigns — Night of Darkness, Saving Private Orion and the Darkness Needs Map — reach tens of thousands of people every year.
Knowledge sharing
An open knowledge base with publications, standards and guides. Freely accessible to everyone.
DarkSky International Chapter.
Since 2024, Leve(n)de Nacht has been the official DarkSky International Chapter for Belgium.
As a Chapter we are at the forefront of the global dark-sky movement. Together with regional volunteers around the world, we work on regulation, support and awareness around light pollution.
Visit darksky.org
Leve(n)de Nacht is also a proud partner of the European Light Pollution Coalition (ELPC), a European network of organisations and researchers dedicated to reducing light pollution.
Through this partnership we join forces across borders: we share knowledge, campaign together and work on a European policy framework that protects the night.
Visit lightpollutioncoalition.eu