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Parts of the west are the best, but the growing malignancy will eventually engorge the pockets of dark sky remaining. No amount of public education or protestation will stem this inevitable trend. In the coming decades we can kiss goodbye forever our dark skies. That is unless humanity should suddenly vacate the planet.

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Most of the land west of the Rockies Front Range is government-owned, much of it in extremely large chunks. As long as lights are severely restricted in BLM land, National Forests, and National Parks, there will be plenty of dark areas in the U.S.

With respect to the original posting, not being able to see any artificial light in any direction (assuming completely unobstructed horizons) is a very high standard. Unreasonably high, in my opinion. Long before you reach that point, artificial light pollution is negligible compared to natural airglow and the zodiacal light.

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Tony Flanders

eyeglasses
6x15 and 8x32 monoculars
8x25, 7x35, 10x30 IS, 10x50, and 15x70 binoculars
70mm and 100mm achromatic refractors
4.5", 7", and 12.5" Dobs

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