Seeing Stars is in response to the unprecedented mass die off of sea stars up and down the Pacific coast. This wasting disease, marked by lesions and rapid decomposition of the stars (where limbs will even tear themselves away from the body) is thought to be caused by the Densovirus. Although this virus has been found to be present in sea stars since the 40s, it has never been known to cause such devastation. It is believed that the the impact of warmer ocean temperatures, pollution and closer observation and reporting may be factors in these higher tolls. Scientists are watching to see what the impact of the elimination of this apex predator will be to tidal pools and whether new generations of stars will have developed some immunity to this disease.

Much more work to come… in the mean time check out this link from University of California Santa Cruz on identifying and reporting the disease :

http://www.eeb.ucsc.edu/pacificrockyintertidal/data-products/sea-star-wasting/