291 replies to this topic

[ph0t0gr4ph3r]

This is what I have to deal with all night, every night. Even though it's at least two miles away from my house, it still casts shadows (the camera does it no justice at all). The only good things about it are that it cast some light on the ground so I don't go tripping over everything, plus it's good for aligning RDFs during viewing sessions. It, along with LP from Los Angeles, makes viewing anything near the Northwest pretty much impossible. 

 

Sorry about the grainy picture, for some reason that's what my camera's JPEG encoding does.

 

I use motion-activated floodlights outside my house, rather that the ones that are just constantly on. They are off most of the time, and if someone does get into the backyard the lights will activate and I'll most likely see it. I'm even in the process of making some DIY shields for them so when I go outside at night and they activate, they wont be spewing light everywhere.

Edited by ph0t0gr4ph3r, 07 August 2018 - 03:06 PM.

[Ulmer Spatz]

Wow, that's nasty. Who's doing this--a private party or some business?

 

Sometimes I'm ready to give up. I got an email from the State Park people today advertising a star party with the listing header Event Type: Astronomy/ Stargazing followed by Friday Night Hikes: Light Up the Night. The text below advertises "...a warm bonfire while stargazing." To be fair, the State Park near me (not the one with the bonfire) has been terrific for years now about letting people set up their scopes and keeping the area as dark as possible.

Edited by Ulmer Spatz, 09 August 2018 - 10:23 AM.

[ph0t0gr4ph3r]

Wow, that's nasty. Who's doing this--a private party or some business?

I'm 99% sure it's somebody's private farm. It used to only come on occasionally (once every 5 minutes or so) but now it's on all night, and even into the morning. Plus, last night I even found out that there's a second one that can be seen standing when standing in certain parts of the yard.

 

 

Sometimes I'm ready to give up. I got an email from the State Park people today advertising a star party with the listing header Event Type: Astronomy/ Stargazing followed by Friday Night Hikes: Light Up the Night. The text below advertises "...a warm bonfire while stargazing." To be fair, the State Park near me (not the one with the bonfire) has been terrific for years now about letting people set up their scopes and keeping the area as dark as possible.

That made me chuckle a bit. It almost sounds like the person who sets up the events has no idea what they're doing on the astronomy side of things. The wildlife preserve a few miles from my house does something pretty similar, where they let you bring your scope but "You must have a white light >100 lumens on at all times to protect both you and wildlife". They even say that if you are seen without the light they can kick you out! It's pretty ridiculous. My mom has volunteered for that place for almost 10 years now, and she says that they have had the same event coordinator for years, and that he's some grumpy stubborn guy who no one in the building really likes. Apparently he is a "long-time hiker" but people say he doesn't even organize the hiking events all that well.

[Ulmer Spatz]

Too bad, I sympathize. I tried to get a neighbor to shield his all-night front yard LED glare bomb a bit and just got a "I'll think about it." That was three years ago. My trees are big enough now where it doesn't matter. I like the "..protect both you and wildlife." Seems like everything stupid is for your own protection nowadays, LOL...

[Pbinder]

I live 50 miles from NYC and it is still bright for another 75 lol

[jcastarz]

I was hoping that the deployment of centralized solar power generation might reduce or even eliminate discounted night-time electric rates.  But from reading these postings it appears that increased lighting efficiency, in the format of LED lighting, may counteract any such price increases, and allow light polluters to keep on doing what they do?

[earlyriser]

Light Pollution - Vacation Edition

 

Upon my arrival at the same house we stayed at last year, I noticed a new addition to neighborhood. This required some investigation.

 

 

The culprit is the short guy at the other end of the parking lot, which was one house over

 

 

As you can see, this light is producing a lot of glare because it is too low and aimed at the horizon.

 

 

As a result, it is only lighting up a small area of the parking lot as compared to the HPS light to the left. Most of the light is being wasted and creating a nuisance.

 

 

In the daytime, you can see that the lights are aimed poorly.

 

 

This is a straight on shot. The lights are aimed nearly horizontally, which means about 50% of the light is being spilled uselessly into the sky. About another 15-20% is doing little more than generating glare. The lights are also angled to the left away from the condominiums the parking lot serves and toward the houses bordering the lot. My guess is that this was done after the occupant of one of the condos complained about the impact of the light on the enjoyment of their balcony.

 

 

What a stupid annoying light. It irritates me just looking at it.

 

Edited by earlyriser, 18 August 2018 - 12:22 PM.

[Kendahl]

At the Nebraska Star Party, I came across a photographer who had set up what I can only describe as a small building to shelter his equipment and block light. It consisted of custom made tarps attached by bungee cords to steel electrical conduit. The custom made tarps for the walls and roof, welded fittings (e.g. corners and tees) and bungee cords came from a mail order company called A1 Tarps (www.a1tarps.com). The conduit came from Home Depot. He said his cost for his 10' x 10' shelter 6' high using 1" conduit (which thought was thicker than needed) was $400. It occurs to me that this company could be a good source for panels to block obnoxious lights during observing sessions.

 

This landscaping website (https://empressofdir...-privacy-ideas/) has ideas for attractive privacy fences that could easily be adapted for astronomy.

[Astroman007]

Light Pollution - Vacation Edition

 

Upon my arrival at the same house we stayed at last year, I noticed a new addition to neighborhood. This required some investigation.

 

stupid light 1.jpg

 

The culprit is the short guy at the other end of the parking lot, which was one house over

 

stupid light 2.jpg

 

As you can see, this light is producing a lot of glare because it is too low and aimed at the horizon.

 

stupid light 3.jpg

 

As a result, it is only lighting up a small area of the parking lot as compared to the HPS light to the left. Most of the light is being wasted and creating a nuisance.

 

stupid light 4.jpg

 

In the daytime, you can see that the lights are aimed poorly.

 

stupid light 5.jpg

 

This is a straight on shot. The lights are aimed nearly horizontally, which means about 50% of the light is being spilled uselessly into the sky. About another 15-20% is doing little more than generating glare. The lights are also angled to the left away from the condominiums the parking lot serves and toward the houses bordering the lot. My guess is that this was done after the occupant of one of the condos complained about the impact of the light on the enjoyment of their balcony.

 

stupid light 6.jpg

 

What a stupid annoying light. It irritates me just looking at it.

 

stupid light 7.jpg

Lucifer, is that you?  

[earlyriser]

We haven't had any pictures in awhile, so here's one. This is the EMD Millipore Plant at 2909 Highland Ave in Norwood Ohio. The plant operates 24/7, so the lights are on all night every night. This is just from one side, but it's representative of how the whole place is lit up.

 

chemical plant C.jpg

Here is another picture of the above plant from the highway. This one gives you an idea of how much uplight the plant is producing based on the glow above the plant. 

 

 

The lighting was installed by Eco Engineering. Ironically, their mission statement is to "Help customers identify and implement energy-saving solutions that deliver improved financial results while creating an ideal visual environment and preserving our world for future generations." https://ecoengineering.com/our-values/

 

I personally don't see how this installation creates "an ideal visual environment" or preserves "our world for future generations".  

Edited by earlyriser, 12 December 2018 - 03:44 PM.

[Astroman007]

^ What a depressing sight. I'm guessing that your LP situation has only gotten worse--or stayed the same--since you last updated us in mid-August?

[earlyriser]

^ What a depressing sight. I'm guessing that your LP situation has only gotten worse--or stayed the same--since you last updated us in mid-August?

Yeah. Some of the parking lots on my way to work have replaced their burned out halide lights with new LED lights, and a new public storage facility opened up this week that is illuminated like Fenway Park 24/7. I don't know what it is about public storage facilities, but they just love wall pack lights. I think the over illumination is a marketing strategy to draw the attention of potential customers. It makes sense that you would want people living nearby to know about your facility. The biggest problem with the LED replacements is that they are typically about 4X as bright as the lights they are replacing. 

 

More pictures to come.

Edited by earlyriser, 12 December 2018 - 05:53 PM.

[simingx]

I'm staying in the most light polluted city in the world... goodness knows why I even started this hobby! :/

[spacemunkee]

Here is another picture of the above plant from the highway. This one gives you an idea of how much uplight the plant is producing based on the glow above the plant.

EMD Millipore from I-71 Small.jpg

The lighting was installed by Eco Engineering. Ironically, their mission statement is to "Help customers identify and implement energy-saving solutions that deliver improved financial results while creating an ideal visual environment and preserving our world for future generations." https://ecoengineering.com/our-values/

I personally don't see how this installation creates "an ideal visual environment" or preserves "our world for future generations".

I feel for you there. Know that area well. You are under a pile of retail and industrial business lights. Be surprised if you can hardly see anything but the moon naked eye.

Guess I should be happy where I'm at in eastgate area with the brightly lit areas a couple miles away. But still sucks as nearly my whole horizon glows like daylight.

[Astroman007]

I'm staying in the most light polluted city in the world... goodness knows why I even started this hobby! :/

Because we know that the darkness will eventually conquer the light? Because hope springs eternal? Because beauty will win out over ugliness?

[okiestarman56]

I've been bitting my tongue since the tribe here finished their war memorial to their fallen.  Yes, all lights aim upward, as in straight up.  Not super bright but enough to see the shaft of light, its 4 blocks away but at least it's to the west of me.  The tribe was the last I would have thought would do this, so much for their Mother earth. 

[jcj380]

They just built about 20 3-story townhouses straight up the street from me.  They're on higher ground and separated by mature trees and a railroad line, but with the trees bare, I can now see the multitude of security and "landscape" lights they installed.

 

OTOH, I'm living in a pink zone, so I guess I shouldn't complain - just one more piece of schmutz...

[Astroman007]

I've been bitting my tongue since the tribe here finished their war memorial to their fallen.  Yes, all lights aim upward, as in straight up.  Not super bright but enough to see the shaft of light, its 4 blocks away but at least it's to the west of me.  The tribe was the last I would have thought would do this, so much for their Mother earth. 

Or Father Sky...

[Asbytec]

Light Pollution - Vacation Edition

 

Upon my arrival at the same house we stayed at last year, I noticed a new addition to neighborhood. This required some investigation.

 

stupid light 1.jpg

 

The culprit is the short guy at the other end of the parking lot, which was one house over

 

stupid light 2.jpg

 

As you can see, this light is producing a lot of glare because it is too low and aimed at the horizon.

 

stupid light 3.jpg

 

As a result, it is only lighting up a small area of the parking lot as compared to the HPS light to the left. Most of the light is being wasted and creating a nuisance.

 

stupid light 4.jpg

 

In the daytime, you can see that the lights are aimed poorly.

 

stupid light 5.jpg

 

This is a straight on shot. The lights are aimed nearly horizontally, which means about 50% of the light is being spilled uselessly into the sky. About another 15-20% is doing little more than generating glare. The lights are also angled to the left away from the condominiums the parking lot serves and toward the houses bordering the lot. My guess is that this was done after the occupant of one of the condos complained about the impact of the light on the enjoyment of their balcony.

 

stupid light 6.jpg

 

What a stupid annoying light. It irritates me just looking at it.

 

stupid light 7.jpg

I had a similar situation with a strip mall being built a block over. Lit up my second story bedroom. Armed with some Dark Sky material (pictures), I asked the engineer to turn the lights toward the parking lot to reduce glare on the security guards and limit light trespass on the adjacent neighborhood. "Light up the parking lot", I said, "so drivers can actually see where they are parking." Worked like a charm, he obliged. If not already, try asking. "Stupid light!"

Edited by Asbytec, 22 December 2018 - 05:49 AM.

[Kendahl]

I asked the engineer to turn the lights toward the parking lot to reduce glare on the security guards

If the lights are aimed sideways rather than down, that just creates glare for the guards and customers. They need to be shielded and aimed down.

 

For all that people complain about Walmart, every one of their stores where I live has good lighting. The lights are fully shielded and point down. All that gets into the sky is refection from pavement and painted walls.

[Kfrank]

If the lights are aimed sideways rather than down, that just creates glare for the guards and customers. They need to be shielded and aimed down.

 

For all that people complain about Walmart, every one of their stores where I live has good lighting. The lights are fully shielded and point down. All that gets into the sky is refection from pavement and painted walls.

 

Same around here.  The local Walmart has virtually no light dome and much smaller venues create far more light pollution.

[John Fitzgerald]

Car dealership lots are the worst light polluters around here.

[Chardo]

Nice new leds. You can’t see in the picture but there are 4 more buildings in the row that run up to my yard. 

Attached Thumbnails

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[rekokich]

Check out the LIGHT COLOR AND VISUAL PERCEPTION section at the following link:

 

http://www.illinoisl...lightcolor.html

[Astroman007]

Nice new leds. You can’t see in the picture but there are 4 more buildings in the row that run up to my yard. 

Yuck.