Telescope Reviews: It Never Hurts to try!!

This is my success story in my quest for darker skies in my neighborhood. The community college by my house started leaving thier stadium/field lights on a couple of years ago. I finally decided to e-mail them. Here is my e-mail to them

My email to them:
I am writing you to ask if there is a reason why Arizona Western College keeps
the Super bright Stadium lights on all through the night and into the morning.
I can't recall when exactly, but probably close to 2 years ago I noticed that
the stadium lights (near Otondo Dr., on the east side of campus) where
continually on during the night. At first I figured that there were activities
being held, but as time went on, I noticed that they where never turned off.
These lights unfortunatley shine up and out in addition to down on the fields
and produce unnecassary stray light. The reason why I am asking is because I am
an amature astronomer, and the lights cause me viewing and photographing issues
when I reach that part of the night sky. I've lived out in the Tamarack Area
since 2002 and have enjoyed many dark beautiful nights, but the stadium lights
cause the night sky to dull with stray unwanted light. I have been up all
through the night viewing or photographing the night sky only to see the lights
on at 11:00pm, midnight, 1, 2, 3, 4 and until sunrise. I'm sure that no
activities are being held during those times. So why do the lights need to stay
on? I would hope that with AWC's green stance they would like to conserve
electricity that is not necessary. If there is a reason why the lights need to
remain on, please tell me. Thank you for your time.

a couple of weeks later I got a response from the facility director. He basically told me that the previous director had retired and he was the one who instructed them to leave the lights on. However the new director checked the timer on the light and noticed that it was malfunctioning. The new director told me that they would fix the timer and begin turning the lights off at 11pm and back on again at 5pm. I immediately noticed the lights being turned off at 11pm, so I sent another email, thanking the new facility director.

My thank you e-mail:

I just want to thank you again for your assistance in this matter. I have
noticed that the stadium lights have been turned off after 11pm. because of
this I have been able to get some pretty good Astrophotography shots from my
backyard. Here is a recent shot that I took from my house.
(I sent a shot of the flame and horsehead that I took with the lights off)
Again, thank you.

here is a summary of his response:

He loved the photo, and thought it was amazing. He also indicated that because of the college's position on saving energy, they were looking at ways to save electricity. and will be turning the lights off more often, when the fields are not in use.

I Noticed this last weekend that the lights did not get turned on over the weekend. Unfortunatley, believe it of not, it was overcast in Arizona..

it never hurts to ask!!!!