… is a professor of astronomy at the University of Groningen (Netherlands). He specialises in observations of galaxies, using a range of different techniques. He has worked for 3 years at the William Herschel Telescope on the Canary Island of La Palma, an island with a beautiful, dark sky. Since 2016, he has been involved in measuring the effects of man-made light pollution, and working to reduce them. He actively helps to keep the Dark Sky Park Lauwersmeer, his ‘home base’, dark, so that people in the heavily light polluted Netherlands will continue to be able to experience the darkness.
Reynier has been part of several national and international projects to reduce light pollution, such as ‘Donkerte van de Waddden, ‘Keep it Dark’, ‘Darker Sky’ and ‘Nacht van de Nacht’, and organised the 2024 Eurodark conference. He specializes in night sky monitoring, using satellite maps, single pixel detectors and digital cameras. He is also very much interested in the processes needed to convince lighting managers to adapt more nature-friendly illumination.