To leave the city lights behind and get to some pretty remote places, the middle of nowhere kind of places. This is the Mcdonald Observatory in far west texas. For maximum drama i like to open this door. Reporter thats where astronomer steven janiwicke works. We are heading onto the dome floor. Reporter yeah, drama. You arent lying. Amy, can we go back to north for the structure, please. We can walk around. Reporter feel like a magic radio. He can move this giant telescope with his radio. The hobby everly telescope operated by university of texas is the largest of its kind in the world. At night it collects the light from outer space on its very large mirror. Why is darkness so essential to the work . We are trying to catch the light, the little particles of life that come from the farthest corners of the universe sometimes and have traveled unthinkable distances to get here. Reporter why do we need to know this . When i told my grandfather i was going to be an astronomer, he said why dont you be a pediatrician like your cousin . There was the same question. I think we need to know because its a fundamental human pursuit of trying to learn new things. Its the same question why we make art or why we do anything that doesnt have a product that comes out of it. We are trying to understand the universe. Poer that job is getting harder. This is a Light Pollution map of the united states. Check out the eastern half of the country where there are new very few places left that are not light polluted. If the sky got too bright, eventually there would be no point in building big telescopes on the ground at all. Honestly i think a lot of people come here for the telescopes but leave with the naked eye experience. Reporter because you get so much. Its everything all at once. Reporter protecting the night sky here is the job of astronomer Steven Hummel. I always forget to bring chairs perform. Reporter steven is giving me my own private tour of the major constellations in the sky. Theres so much up there. What a beautiful night. Its perfect. The detail in the milky way is remarkable. Then to the right of it we have one of my favorite constellations, one of the easiest to recognize, which is scorpius. Reporter its the first time ive ever seen that. I can totally see that. Its easy to recognize, isnt it . Reporter yes. Thats amazing. The stinger, the two little stars. Weve got the curve. Reporter he says the biggest reason were losing the night sky is the rapid adoption of brighter, whiter l. E. D. Streetlights. They both flood the sky with wasted light and reflect light off the ground and that makes the sky glow. Theyre more efficient. They save energy. They are very cost effective, but the most common kinds you see, the bright white ones, are absolutely making the problem much worse. Reporter what are the reasons to preserve this . Why preserve the night sky . I would just be heartbroken if future generations couldnt enjoy this the way we are now. Imagining a future without that is bleak to me and its increasingly the reality. How many people never get to see this. Reporter Light Pollution is not just a star gazing problem. Research shows it can interrupt our sleep cycle leading to Health Issues like certain cancers and heart problems. Its also a major factor in the decline of insect populations which require darkness to navigate and it contributes to the death of hundreds of millions of birds each year that fly into brightly lit buildings. To protect these stunning views in the big bend region of texas, the observatory helped establish the largest dark sky reserve in the world. It relies on nearby communities to swap out their white l. E. D. Streetlights for amber ones that dont scatter as much light up into the sky and installing covers that point the light down. Thats it. Reporter youve switched this out. This was a different fixture. Thats right. Reporter chris rugia is director of tourism for the nearby city of alpine, texas, a place visitors stay when they come to see the dark night sky. This is our product, you know, is the experience of coming here. If we want that to continue to provide some kind of prosperity with the community, we have to take care of it. Reporter the City Council Unanimously passed an ordinance in 2021 regulating outdoor lighting. Nearly all of the citys 200 streetlights have been updated and the ordinance gives all businesses and homes five years to convert to dark sky friendly lighting or face a daily fine of 50. Whats it like to tell me they must make some sort of change to their home or business . Youre asking a lot there. Theres going to be some conversations that arent easy, especially as the time limit runs out. So what im going to set up is called an all sky photometer. Reporter to measure the progress on reducing light solution, Steven Hummel is rigging up a special camera. Were finding the canaries in the coal mine, so to speak, where its growing on the horizon where it could eventually extend high enough to impact where our telescopes are looking. Reporter his measurements show the plan across the dark sky reserve is working. Theres been a 20 reduction in nighttime Light Pollution since 2020. He says its not just small communities that can make a big impact. Big cities like los angeles, chicago, and phoenix are all swapping out their overly bright sweet lights for ones that are dark sky friendly. The problem really isnt money. It isnt infrastructure really. Its awareness. Light pollution is completely reversible. Its one of the few kinds of pollution that you could solve immediately if you wanted to. You flip a switch and fix the problem. Reporter to come out here and see a true dark sky is to make you understand i think a little bit about what it means to be a human being. And how small our existence is. This is something definitely worth saving. It is breathtaking. So what does Light Pollution look like here in San Francisco . Well, the white and red on this map over us shows us the most intense Light Pollution. It lessens, of course, the farther away you go from the city. If you really want to see the stars, you would need to go about seven hours away to massacre rim wilderness study area in nevada. Thats the closest designated International Dark sky sanctuary. Transit month is underway. B. A. R. T. Is hoping contests and prizes will bring more people onto their trains. For eight years transit month celebrated the role of Public Transit across the bay area, but this year the celebration comes at a critical time. B. A. R. T. Ridership is only about 40 of prepandemic levels. We need to signal to elected leaders and the rest of the public that this is still a valuable resource, something that deserves to be invested in and were in a critical period where our federal money is running out the next year and a half. Big changes are coming to b. A. R. T. Later this month they will run trains more often with fewer cars. New fare gates are going up in west oakland in december. For the first time were hearing from the investors planning to build a brandnew city in solano county. The idea for the city is next to Travis Air Force base, the Investment Group calling itself california forever, has purchased 50,000 acres of land in the area. The ceo in the group is now defending the idea against skeptics. Do you have something in mind as far as how many people you want to see and what youre proposing . One of the benefits of buying all the property is we have flexibility. We have no interest in building some kind of crazy utopia. This is not going to be the vision of some star architect or an experiment. Bay area congressman John Garamendi has criticized the group saying theyre bullying local land owners into selling. The ceo says he has spoken with garamendi about the concerns and how it would impact security. We believe travis is critical to the National Security and local economy and we will absolutely protect it. There are numerous commitments we will make in that regard over the coming months. The new city would take decades to complete. President biden is honoring americas workers on this labor day. He stopped in philadelphia today for the annual tristate labor day parade. Folks, this labor day let me tell you what were celebrating. Were celebrating jobs, good paying jobs, jobs you can raise a family on, union jobs. The president said that 13. 5 million jobs have been added to the u. S. Economy since he took office. Still ahead, new details emerging on that dive boat disaster that killed dozens of people off the california coast, the changing explanation for the deadly fire. Plus travelers have found a creative way to save a lot of money on flights, how skip lagging works a chp officer is recovering after a serious crash in San Francisco. This is video posted to x formerly known as twitter by frisco live 415 showing a chp motorcycle on the ground and several police cars at the intersection of harrison and third street. The trooper is expected to be okay. New information on a deadly dive boat fire off the coast of santa barbara, 34 people were killed when the concepcion went up in flames in 2019. Many of the people were from the bay area. A new report obtained by the l. A. Times said the fire likely started in a plastic trash can on the main deck. Investigators initially believed charging ion batteries were to blame. The captain faces 34 counts of manslaughter and will face a judge next month. In kern county a motorist is in the hospital after spending five days trapped in a wrecked car at the bottom of a cliff. Firefighters in Stallion Springs rescued the person saturday. The pickup truck was at the bottom of a 100foot cliff about 60 miles south of bakersfield. Firefighters used a basket to raise that person to safety, no word how this accident happened. Travelers found a loophole to save money on airfare. Now americas Largest Airline is suing to stop it. Its called skip lagging. Heres how it works. Travelers book cheap flights with layovers, but the catch is that the layover is their actual destination. Even though its not illegal, American Airlines says it is fraud and now theyre suing a website that promotes the practice. Airlines are going to take every step they can to protect their businesses. They dont like the use and abuse of hidden city fares. The website skip lag settled earlier lawsuits by southwest and orbitz. United airlines had its case thrown out. The sites founder said they will fight the lawsuit until the end. France is famous for its wine. So why is the country destroying 80 million gallons of it . That answer next. Straight ahead in sports, the giants, it happened again and its only monday before the 49ers and 9ers [narrator] stimulant use disorder is a disease, not a choice, but getting help and finding treatment for your meth or cocaine addiction is up to you. Treatment for stimulant use disorder is often covered through medical, medicare, and many private insurance plans. Choose change california. Find proven Treatment Options like contingency management that are right for you at choosechangeca. Org. gentle music france is known for its wine, but if you can believe it, the country has way too much of it and right now its getting more costly to produce wine and the french people are consuming less of it than in years past. Now many winemakers have a surplus and cant charge enough to turn a profit. In response the french government will spend 216 million to help distill 80 million gallons of wine into pure alcohol. That alcohol will then be used for products like cleaning supplies and perfume. Paul, i wish they would have called somebody, said hey, you want some of this extra wine . Yeah. Well take a few cases here. French wine is pretty good. Hang onto it for the next station celebration of the end of the workweek or whatever. Well find an occasion. Were celebrating tuesday. The fact tuesday is the beginning of an abbreviated workweek for a lot of folks tomorrow. Lets look at what the weather holds this first full week of september. Very few daytoday changes. Now that weve seen temperatures return closer to normal, thats pretty much where theyll stay through the workweek, little ripples off the Pacific Coast occasionally trying to kick into a stronger onshore breeze. Temperatures stay very close to normal for most of the sevenday forecast. Theres a little warmup sunday and monday next week. Once that warmer air arrives, it may stick around a while. Theres a week signature of above normal temperatures in the six to 14 days. Not necessarily signs of a full fledged heatwave, but maybe some warmer than average conditions a little later down the line. The good news is our air quality, once it improved late last week, has stayed in the good category, not much haze for the next couple days. The fires burning in Northern California arent producing near the volume of smoke they were and the smoke will be pushed farther to our north. Air quality will be in the good quality tuesday for all parts of the bay area. Occasionally you might notice a little haze in the horizon later this week, but thats elevated in the atmosphere. Now were just seeing fog looking west towards sutro tower. The top of the tower is poking out above the marine layer. 60s, 70s and 80s this afternoon, not bad for the 4th of september, San Francisco topping out in the upper 70s, barely above 60 in pacifica underneath the stubborn layer of low cloud cover and fog. It will be present early tomorrow morning pushing across the bay, sunshine pushing through by 8 00, 9 00. There will be a swirl that should help full the fog away from the coast towards midday and early afternoon, sunshine for the coastal parts of the bay area that have been foggy and damp the past few days. Temperatures tonight mid to upper 50s, looks fantastic to start the day tuesday, a tiny bit cool for this time of year. Highs tomorrow, everybody within a degree or 2 on either side of average, 60s along the coast, mostly 80s for inland parts of the bay area. The hottest spot should stay below 90 degrees for highs tuesday. We see a warmup in the sevenday forecast, sunday and monday mid70s in the city, around 80 for oakland and farther into the 80s and low 90s for inland parts of the bay area, upper 80s in san jose sunday and monday, low 90s inland in the north bay, low to mid90s in the trivalley and delta. When the hottest spots in late summer are reaching low to mid90s, were doing okay. Along the coast youre stuck in the 60s the next seven days. Paul, thanks. Time for a check at whats ahead at 6 00, we switch over to sara donchey. A local Driverless Car Company trying to drown out protests rallying against its fleet. Its not the norm. Were finding a new norm. Why has vallejo suddenly become the hottest Real Estate Market in the entire country . Plus local parrotheads celebrating the life of jimmy buffett. The news at 6 00 is coming up in about ten minutes. Lets head to vern for a look at sports. Baseball up top and the giants, postseason starts in october. If the giants are going to be part of it, they got to get going, fan base is restless. Not that the giants are ducking anything or anybody. Cubs suzuki doubled with a 10 seventh inning league scoring another run. Webb allowed three runs in 6 2 3 and got no run support. Meantime cub Justin Steele struck out 12 in eight shutout innings, San Francisco two hits today. Chicago 5, San Francisco 0. The giants have lost four straight. Outside looking in the wildcard playoff, theyve scored one run in their last three games. Meantime these kids will remember this, munching on popcorn, enjoying baseball, as and blue jays, went to extras. Blue jays won 65 and snapped oaklands threegame win streak. Nfl after a sevenmonth offseason its finally nfl week one. 49ers excited about this opener . Yes, sir. Its about that time. Sunday will be the 49ers first trip to the steelers since 2015. Jim tomsula was the head coach then and they were blown out in pittsburgh, 4813, part of a 511 season, the longest tenured 9er Arik Armstead who was a rookie then and he wasnt interested in going down memory lane. It wasnt a good day for us. Its going to be an amazing atmosphere. They have great fans, really a football city. So i remember that, that the atmosphere will be great and yeah, some things i dont want to talk about in that game. They can look at the score and see what happened. Look at this fan interference. This fellow in last nights astros yankees game. It led to an automatic astros out. So the fan tries to explain. Im out here with my son, his first ever game. You all got to understand when it was dropping down, it looks like its coming directly to you and i reached and my body went for what i know, but we did have a wonderful moment. The reaction was shock, disgust, happiness, sweat, a little bit of lust, baby. You cant get mad at him. It was his first game there. Maybe excitement of the moment. The excitement took over and there you go. I think he knew. He wont do that again, poor guy. I know the veteran in you would have just munched on the popcorn and not moved. Not to get hit with anything. My first reaction is to duck, not to try to catch it. Maybe thats good. Vern, thanks. Still ahead, kids can now take a trip to asia without ever leaving the bay area, details on the new exhibit in the south bay. Heres why you should switch fo to duckducuckgo on allll your e duckduckgogo comes s with a buiuiltin searg but it doeoesnt spy o on yourc and ouour browser r blocks cry ads that f follow you u around and otother compananies. Anand its freree. Downloaoad k a new exhibit in san jose is taking kids on a trip to vietnam without ever leaving the south bay. Its at the Childrens Discovery Museum in san jose. Kids can wear traditional vietnamese clothing, hop on a vespa and even try the famous lion dance. Whats really fun for the kids to actually get to see what vietnam is like. That plane ticket is much more expensive. Oh, theres my son davis. Than coming to the Childrens Discovery Museum. The voyage to vietnam exhibit runs through december. Thats it for the news at 5 00. Cbs news bay area with sara donchey starts right now. Protesters voicing their concerns about Driverless Cars when a company tried to drown out their voices. Why people against those vehicles say their concern goes far beyond safety. There isnt any dialogue happening. Its pretty much onesided being dictated by the tech titans. Plus vallejo suddenly the highest Real Estate Market in the country, well dive into reasons why and see where other local cities rank. Wasting away again in margaritaville. And parrotheads around the world mourning the death of jimmy buffett, why he said living in the north bay at one time saved his life. This is cbs news bay area with juliette goodrich. Good evening. Im sara donchey. Juliette is off today. Driverless cars have created a big divide in San Francisco. Over the past few months safety concerns have been the focus of that. Remember this video from less than a month ago . About ten driverless cruise cars brought traffic to a standstill in north beach. Cruise blamed Wireless Connectivity issues because of huge crowds that were gathering over at outside lands. Then days later in the tenderloin a cruise car collided with a fire truck responding to an emergency and in that same week San Francisco fire blamed two stalled cruise cars for delaying an ambulance that was rushing someone to the hospital. That person later died. Cruise refutes those claims, but on this labor day a rally outsidui