Telescope Reviews: Light pollution in North East USA....

So guys i understand there are many that share my situation.

I live in central new jersey, only 50-60 miles away from new york city, which is the absolute worst place in the world probably to be a star gazer.

I have taken a link from the clear sky chart website. The observatory i use is the Holmdel S.T.A.R association's. It is located only 4.9 miles away from my house.

Here is the light pollution map of central new jersey, with the Cross hair located over my observatory of choice, which can also be considered my home location.

http://www.cleardarksky.com/lp/HlmdlNYlp.html?Mn=focuser

So, I live in a Red zone, and under 10-20 miles away from a white zone. This is pretty disheartening news.

Look at the color guide chart below the map, it gives a brief description of what each zone would appear like to the naked eye.

The descriptions that are offered saying that you can see the entire milky way, or some of the messier objects with your naked eye shocked me into perspective on just how light polluted my area really is.

"Milkyway at best very faint at zenith. M31 difficult and indestinct. Sky is grey up to 35 degrees. Limiting magntidue 5.0 to 5.5."

This is the description for the red zone I'm located at...and its correct about the part where the sky is Grey all around on lower degrees. However, in all the time living here i have never seen the milky way or any galaxies with the naked eye.

I do all my observing in my backyard behind my house. To the north and east, i am surrounded by very high trees which block out all light. To the west and south I can see tall trees in the distance, but the perspective allows me a pretty clear view of the western and especially south, south east, south western skies. My observing site is almost 95% void of any intruding light. To make matters even better, the light pole near my house is broken and hasn't worked for over a year! great luck i think. It is so dark at my backyard observing site sometimes my eyes cant adjust to the darkness for almost an entire hour; and i am only in my 20s!

This thread's intention is to collect opinions and suggestions for people living in our area, and dealing with what is perhaps the WORST light pollution in the entire world.

What can we do in our area to improve viewing conditions, short of just transporting by car to a distant dark area? I want our members to be able to improve their own situation at their home, as this is where 80% or more of all the observations will take place.

Has anyone had any great experiences with UHC or light pollution filters? if so which ones and how much did it help?

--------------------
Meade 8.25"(209.55mm) LX-90 EMC (SCT)

Albert Einstein =>
“Intellectual growth should commence at birth and cease only at death.”
“If you can't explain it simply, you don't understand it well enough.”