rflynn74
member
Reged: 06/29/09
Posts: 25
Loc: New Jersey, Land of Garbage an...
|
|
So my new neighbor moves in right in the back of me (Of course this is where I have my telescope).
I haven't had the chance to introduce myself and I was pretty excited to welcome him to the neighborhood. So this morning I woke up to this little present right in his backyard.
This thing literally is a Street light, this picture does it no justice on how bright this lamp is. Literally, it shined right through my windows and would keep me awake at night if I slept in that room.
So my question to you guys is this, what do you think the best approach is to asking him to not have that thing on? My wife and I thought just by telling him the truth would suffice, but I thought by telling him that the light he installed in the backyard was keeping me up at night.
Seriously, this thing is absolutely horrendous. And I hate the fact that I have to introduce myself and welcome him to the neighborhood and then asking him to not have the MEGA STREET LIGHT ON at night would be really appreciated.
(Side Note- It turns out he's a cop ,not that this means anything but I'm thinking he should be a little more understanding)
|
csa/montana
Den Mother
Reged: 05/14/05
Posts: 40306
Loc: montana
|
|
All you can do, is try talking with him.
--------------------
Carol
AstroTech 16" Dob (Thanks ASTRONOMICS!)
Vixen 80MF/AstroTech Voyager
Masuyama's 7.5, 15, 25W, 35mm,
Pentaxes; 5XW, 7XL, 10XW.
14mm Meade 4000 UWA
TV Panoptics; 22, 35
DreamCatcher Dobservatory, #2
|
ebusinesstutor
sage
Reged: 07/01/09
Posts: 468
Loc: Nanaimo, BC, Canada
|
|
Invite him and his wife over for coffee or a beer.
Bring it up casually in conversation. Find out if it was security purposes and suggest a motion detector. You can even offer to pay for the motion detector.
--------------------
Garland Coulson
Orion XT8i Dob & Celestron 80 ED on a Vixen Porta Mount Mini
Baader Hyperion 8-24mm Click Zoom & Siebert Observatory 36mm
Siebert Black Knight Binoviewers
SkyWatcher Observing Chair
Celestron Skymaster 15x70mm binos
|
rflynn74
member
Reged: 06/29/09
Posts: 25
Loc: New Jersey, Land of Garbage an...
|
|
I'm going to try and talk to him tonight. Just sucks this is the way I have to introduce myself
"Hi welcome to the Neighborhood, please turn off your LIGHTS!"
Edited by csa/montana (10/05/09 04:29 PM)
|
senske
sage
Reged: 01/10/09
Posts: 360
Loc: Spokane, WA
|
|
I know what you mean. What a bummer to have to ask them about the light when you first meet them.
It reminds me of the movie "Lakeview Terrace". You should rent it if you haven't seen it already. It might scare you, though, if you watch it before introducing yourself.
I'm sure everything will be okay. New neighbors generally don't want to rock the boat... unless they're sociopaths.  Only one way to find out.
I hope all goes well. Good luck.
--------------------
Andrew
Orion SkyQuest XT10 Intelliscope with Orion 9x50 and Telrad Finders
Orion WorldView 10x50 Binoculars
Celestron NexStar 8 SE with GSO 8x50 and Red Dot Finders
Galileoscope
|
Achernar
Postmaster
Reged: 02/25/06
Posts: 5028
Loc: Mobile, Alabama, USA
|
|
If all else fails, I would plant tall shrubs or build light blocking panels or screens. If asking him nicely doesn't work, then you'll have to block the offending light(s) while observing.
Taras
--------------------
15-inch F/4.5 Dob under construction
10-inch F/4.5 Discovery Dob
6-inch F/8 Homebuilt Dob
4 1/4-inch F/4 Homebuilt reflector
A whole bunch of eyepieces, filters and other accessories....
Two curious cats
|
Javier
sage
Reged: 05/03/09
Posts: 434
Loc: New Jersey
|
|
I've got the same problem. I have new neighbors and they discovered the 5 million watt garage light. Nice people but they won't turn it off. I guess it's to go to home depot so I can build a light shield or move to a darker area.
It's funny I never did mind living in my area until I got into Astronomy, no I can't stand it.
|
FirstSight
Post Laureate
Reged: 12/26/05
Posts: 3898
Loc: Raleigh, NC
|
|
Point out that it is shining brightly into your bedroom window, and request that they direct/sheild it so it is shining only downward in their yard. Offer to help pay for any necessary shielding.
QUESTION: Is this a light your neighbor has *newly* installed, or else did your neighbor simply revive/refurbrish a preexisting fixture that their predecessor had turned off (or that had burned out) some indefinite time ago, and your predesessor had left it disused while they still owned the property?
--------------------
Chris M., aka "First Sight"
Orion XT12i Dob with Moonlite CR-2 focuser
WO Megrez 90 refractor on UniStar Light mount
Nikon 10x50 Binoculars
Edited by FirstSight (10/05/09 09:30 PM)
|
Carl Kolchak
professor emeritus
Reged: 08/02/06
Posts: 549
Loc: Northeast, Florida
|
|
rflynn74 said:
Quote:
So my question to you guys is this, what do you think the best approach is to asking him to not have that thing on?
I went through this same type scenario, different characters though, about two months ago. I live in a very light polluted condo area and the condo next door had been empty for about two years so I could remove the wall lamps at will and view from my driveway or my back yard.
Then the college girls moved in. Three college age girls moved in and on about the third night they installed a 300 watt light at their back porch killing my back yard viewing and to top it off the light poured into our bedroom.
One night I had set up in the front driveway and lo and behold here were the new neighbors coming in about 11:30PM. I invited them to look at the Moon and they got very excited and oohed and ahhed at what they saw. I told them about how hard it was to observe in the city because of the LP and said that the light on their patio wall was a real killer. They then told me that the reason they put it up was they were afraid of the area and wanted to have some security. I told them they could call me anytime day or night if they heard scary noises or whatever and I'd check it out for them. I gave them my cell number and they replaced the light with a much dimmer light and keep it off most of the time now. 
I know this may not be your answer but you may be surprised if you invited them for a look one night and explained the dilemma of light pollution for our hobby.? Good luck!
peace & clear skies,
--------------------
Richard H.
Antares 105mm f/9.5 Elite Series Refractor
AstroTelescopes 102mm f/7 Refractor
Orion ShortTube 90mm f/5.6 Refractor
Meade Model 300 80mm f/15 Refractor
Tasco Cosmic 6TE-5 50mm f/12 Refractor
Orion SkyView Pro 8" Intelliscope
Orion Scenix 10x50 Binoculars
Zhumell SuperGiant 20x80 binoculars
NightSky Journal
|
TimD
scholastic sledgehammer
Reged: 02/16/05
Posts: 907
Loc: CA USA
|
|
What gets me is just how insensitive or uneducated people can be with these types of things. The side unshieled lights waste any useable light by sending it all around and skyward. Let us know how you neighbor responds....Hope it goes well. One small victory at a time is all we can hope for.
--------------------
Takahashi TSC 225
WO Megrez 102
Meade ETX 90, ETX 125
Meade LX90
Classic Orange tube C14, C90, C5+
Etc,Etc,Etc!!
|
Tiny
super member
Reged: 05/02/08
Posts: 197
|
|
i dont know if i'd say anything to start, see if he shuts it off on his own accord once he settles in. My neighbor occasionally leaves his stupidly strong front lights and rear shed lights on all night and when i go to work in the morning they're still on in the day. Some people just dont care and are too inconsiderate to think anyone else will care either. Perhaps he'll notice it and shut it off and that will be the case for you most of the time as it is for me.
Be thankful you at least have the fence, the same neighbor of mine use to run something similar on the top of a forty foot flag pole right on the property line which illuminated his entire back yard plus 60% of mine. Thankfully that ended. I suspect the bulb burned out and he was too lazy to change it .
|
Matthew Ota
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 04/30/05
Posts: 1096
Loc: New England
|
|
Just remember that when dealing with neighbors yuo catch more flies with honey. Avoid confrontational situations. Explain the situation calmly and reasonably.
--------------------
Matthew Ota
Meade LX250GPS 10 inch SCT (Frankenscope)
Orion ED 80
ETX-90 OTA
Coronado Helios 1 H-alpha
TheSky 6 Pro
|
Darenwh
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 05/11/06
Posts: 1224
Loc: Covington, GA
|
|
Try talking to him. If that does not work try talking to his wife. If that does not work then check to see if there are any legal ways to get him to turn it off or sheild the light. Last resort, see PM...
--------------------
Daren
Covington, GA
|
FirstSight
Post Laureate
Reged: 12/26/05
Posts: 3898
Loc: Raleigh, NC
|
|
The reason I raised the question of whether your new neighbor newly installed the light vs simply fixed up a disused preexisting fixture (e.g. by replacing its burned-out bulb) is that if it's the former case (brand new fixture) - then besides any investment of money and effort involved, it's likely he has quite a bit of mental investment in the notion that it serves an essential, justified purpose. On the other hand, if he merely installed a new bulb in a long-burned out preexisting fixture, that might hopefully prove to simply be the result of methodical fixerup-itus of a new homeowner finding all the stuff that isn't working well and needs a little TLC. In other words, he might have fixed up the light simply because it was there, and might not have much of a mental investment in keeping it as it is.
If it is a newly installed light, he may still prove to be amenably open to being neighborly considerate and minimizing its collateral impact on you - but within his framework of what's reasonable in the way of minimization, given that it's new presence means he thinks the light serves an essential purpose at night. The fact that he's a policeman might (or it might not) prove further indication of how firmly he holds the notion that the light is essential for his family's safety. I wouldn't be surprised if this proves the case, but neither would I presume he holds a rigid attitude about this until you meet him in a friendly way and get to know him a bit.
If he's just a new homeowner tinkering with stuff that seems broken, OTOH he may simply be oblivious to the light's appearance and impact, and might prove more amenable to working with you on it (or shutting it off) than you expect.
But you won't know until you make a friendly outreach to meet him, and tactfully but frankly raise the issue.
--------------------
Chris M., aka "First Sight"
Orion XT12i Dob with Moonlite CR-2 focuser
WO Megrez 90 refractor on UniStar Light mount
Nikon 10x50 Binoculars
|
nobody special
sage
Reged: 12/30/08
Posts: 405
Loc: Connecticut
|
|
Quote:
I'm going to try and talk to him tonight. Just sucks this is the way I have to introduce myself
"Hi welcome to the Neighborhood, please turn off your LIGHTS!"
Well. I wouldnt exactly go about it that way 
Bring up your astronomy intrest in converstation as if your checking to see if your new neighbor has any intrest then at least the door is open to discuss the light.
--------------------
Tom
Orion XT8 Classic
Hyperion 13mm (With 28mm Tuning Ring)
Orion Sirius 25mm
Meade Series 4000 Plossls 32mm 6.4mm
Orion Shorty Plus 2x Barlow
Telrad
OPT OIII Filter
ND Moon Filter
80a Blue Filter
Smart Seat III
|
adamsp123
sage
Reged: 11/20/08
Posts: 444
Loc: welshpool mid wales UK
|
|
Personally I have gone for the direct but very polite approach, eg " Hi I am xyz and your neighbour (show where if need be) I wonder if you could do me a really big favour, I am an amateur astronomer but unfortunately your light is shining onto my telescope and it is so bright I cannot use my scope properly any chance of turning it off at night when possible I am happy to show you what I mean when you are free" etc etc
Gauge reaction, plan B - make a screen!
--------------------
SkyWatcher 120ED PRO, GSO 200mm F4 Astrograph, Meade 10" SNT, WO 72ED & 66ED
Vixen Sphinx and Vixen Atlux with starbook,
QHY5 guider, Modded Canon 1000D, Baader MPCC.
WO Flattener III
Don't you wish there were a knob on the TV to turn up the intelligence? There's one marked 'Brightness,' but it doesn't work."
TV is called a "medium" because it is neither rare nor well done.
Edited by adamsp123 (10/06/09 02:19 PM)
|
Javier
sage
Reged: 05/03/09
Posts: 434
Loc: New Jersey
|
|
I'm getting an estimate on more hedges on the side of my property that faces my neighbors house. Aside from blocking the light it gives me more privecy. I told the guy that does our lawn to make sure that the hedges are so thick that it will stop a speeding freight train.
Javier
|
FirstSight
Post Laureate
Reged: 12/26/05
Posts: 3898
Loc: Raleigh, NC
|
|
Quote:
I'm getting an estimate on more hedges on the side of my property that faces my neighbors house. Aside from blocking the light it gives me more privecy. I told the guy that does our lawn to make sure that the hedges are so thick that it will stop a speeding freight train.
Javier
Javier:
Plant bamboo if you want to both create a dense screen fairly quickly and wordlessly make a convincing point to your neighbors about the perils of piggish insistence on intrusive utilitarian things like that bright light.
Sorta like the sign the Kate Blanchett character in the movie "Rat Race" made to remind Whoopie Goldburg and Lenai Chapan characters of the foolishness of their refusal to go along with Blanchett's quirky request: YOU SHOUD HAVE BOUGHT A SQUIRREL.
--------------------
Chris M., aka "First Sight"
Orion XT12i Dob with Moonlite CR-2 focuser
WO Megrez 90 refractor on UniStar Light mount
Nikon 10x50 Binoculars
Edited by FirstSight (10/06/09 08:48 PM)
|
JayKSC
scholastic sledgehammer
Reged: 01/01/05
Posts: 985
Loc: Florida
|
|
Most people aren't outside after dark; we're the odd ones!
I say go with the nice introduction and polite request idea. If your neighbor insists on the light for security, then offering to pay for a motion sensor or a full cut-off shield would be an option. Maybe try inviting your neighbor over for a view through the scope?
At one of my former residences I had a neighbor who had a similarly offensive porch light, but after talking with him about it, not only did the light stay off, but my neighbor got himself a decent telescope and joined the amateur astronomy ranks! At another location, when a neighbor had a glaring garage light he was reluctant to rid the offending fixture, but instead offered to let me use his backyard for observing. This worked out quite well, as his yard had a far more open view of the sky.
Good luck and here's hoping that friendly reasoning works for you!
- Jay
South Florida (gee, there's not much I can do about getting the city to turn off all of these street lights!)
--------------------
Refractor manic. 
My Sketches
|
solaryellow
member
Reged: 09/28/09
Posts: 52
Loc: New Milford CT
|
|
Didn't hear back on your results, but next time you see him outside, and the light is on, invite him over to look through the telescope. But only do this when the light is on... the point will be made.
What will happen is this...
Point your scope in a way that you have to look through the ep in the direction of the light.
When he goes to look through the EP, the suddenly reality may kick in, that, "hey my light is interfering"
You probably won't even have to ask him to fix it at that point, if he truly is a gentlemen and understands.
Does he have kids?
Offer to show them the sky and teach them a little science along the way no charge.
I know first instinct is to grab the bb gun, but I have invited kids over who I know live next door, in hopes they can relay the message to their parents.
--------------------
16" Meade Starfinder,GEM AC version. home
16" Meade SCT McCarthy Observatory (JJMO)
Tak FSQ106 JJMO
5" Meade refractor/ Coronado filters.
60mm Bushnell refractor, my first since early 80's
|
Previous
Index
Next
Threaded
Edit
Reply
Quote
[Re: 