14 replies to this topic

[CervidaeAxis]

I wasn't aware of the amount of light pollution in my area until I made my recent dive into astronomy. I was able to pinpoint the most egregious sources of LP in my area; a high school football stadium and a park's swimming pool, both of which keep their blindingly bright spotlights on even though they're closed or not in use at night.

 

So now that I know some of the bigger problems near me, where do I go from here? Is there someone I can contact about this issue? What does such a process usually look like for an ordinary person with no legal background?

 

Looking forward to your insight!

[Tulloch]

Take up Planetary AP?

[Bob Campbell]

I wasn't aware of the amount of light pollution in my area until I made my recent dive into astronomy. I was able to pinpoint the most egregious sources of LP in my area; a high school football stadium and a park's swimming pool, both of which keep their blindingly bright spotlights on even though they're closed or not in use at night.

 

So now that I know some of the bigger problems near me, where do I go from here? Is there someone I can contact about this issue? What does such a process usually look like for an ordinary person with no legal background?

 

Looking forward to your insight!

 I used to do visual astronomy back in the early 2000's when I lived in NM, bortle 3. When I returned to the hobby upon retirement in 2019 with bortle 9+ plus nearby streetlights in urban AZ, I took up EAA. It was the only option, and in effect 'see' much deeper and in color with the camera/scope combination. There are loads of EAA forums to visit to see what can be done.

 

I have read here on CN in quite a few threads that reporting or complaining to offenders does very little other than get your dander up.

 

Bob

Edited by Bob Campbell, 02 October 2024 - 12:15 AM.

[james7ca]

If a school is keeping their stadium lights on at night even when the facility is not being used, well that seems like a waste of money and something that can be brought to the attention of city government. That said, I know that my local high school often has their stadium lights on during mid-week and I assume that is because they are holding practice.

 

As for light pollution, unfortunately I think that is a lost cause.

[vidrazor]

For visual or astrophotography? I can't answer the former, but for the latter proper exposures for urban environments and modern post production tools and techniques allow you to extract some pretty decent imagery. It will never be as good as shooting from better skies, but today you can at least shoot where you would not have thought possible before.

[TOMDEY]

I wasn't aware of the amount of light pollution in my area until I made my recent dive into astronomy. I was able to pinpoint the most egregious sources of LP in my area; a high school football stadium and a park's swimming pool, both of which keep their blindingly bright spotlights on even though they're closed or not in use at night.

 

So now that I know some of the bigger problems near me, where do I go from here? Is there someone I can contact about this issue? What does such a process usually look like for an ordinary person with no legal background?

 

Looking forward to your insight!

Consider moving about fifty miles away. I did that 45 years ago and it worked out wonderfully. That's actually the easiest solution... otherwise you'll be tilting windmills forever, rarely observing under dark skies, or give up astronomy entirely. Actually --- there are lots of other nice hobbies that do not require darkness.    Tom

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[tea_bird]

Have you considered contacting the school or the local parks department? Maybe they aren't even considering that someone might want them out. Always worth a shot when dealing with someone local face to face.

 

My biggest issue is an Ameren sub-station that was built about .5 miles from my house a decade or so ago. Their massively bright LED flood lights are for safety, apparently. I hate them lol (but not as bad as my family friend who lives directly across from the station since before it existed)

[Bob Campbell]

Consider moving about fifty miles away. I did that 45 years ago and it worked out wonderfully. That's actually the easiest solution... otherwise you'll be tilting windmills forever, rarely observing under dark skies, or give up astronomy entirely. Actually --- there are lots of other nice hobbies that do not require darkness.    Tom

you had to rub it in, didn't you???

 

My world:

 

 

lucky you.

 

Bob

Edited by Bob Campbell, 02 October 2024 - 07:23 PM.

[vidrazor]

My world:

You're doing alright.

My world

 

[Bob Campbell]

You're doing alright.

My world

 

I like the mouse tag (at least I THINK it's a mouse)

 

Yes, I recall that photo of yours from a while back Leaves an impression for sure.You did illuminate the foreground to take that pic tho', right? There is no way that would work otherwise.

 

Bob

Edited by Bob Campbell, 02 October 2024 - 11:13 PM.

[KD5NRH]

Take up Planetary AP?

Well, if Elon would quit playing with his dumb toy cars and focus on getting us set up on a darker planet, I would.

[vidrazor]

I like the mouse tag (at least I THINK it's a mouse)

Yes, I recall that photo of yours from a while back Leaves an impression for sure.You did illuminate the foreground to take that pic tho', right? There is no way that would work otherwise.

Bob

Yeah I can't work with touch pads, they drive me nuts. Years back at a scuba expo a woman was selling tiny mouse pads with undersea art she painted on them, and somehow it's has survived decades. You can see it below. I actually bought two them, and somehow miraculously still have both. They're perfect for a tiny are like it's on.

 

Yes small flash unit illuminating the immediate area. I'm surprise it didn't blow out the Ekos screen that the laptop is wirelessly logged into (the computer is on a the scope itself). That was when I still carted my gear on the back of a motorcycle, you can see my riding gear in the foreground.

I'm surprise at times at what I can get out of Bortle 8-9.

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[Tulloch]

Well, if Elon would quit playing with his dumb toy cars and focus on getting us set up on a darker planet, I would.

My point was that you don't need dark skies to sucessfully image the planets...

[Bob Campbell]

Yeah I can't work with touch pads, they drive me nuts. Years back at a scuba expo a woman was selling tiny mouse pads with undersea art she painted on them, and somehow it's has survived decades. You can see it below. I actually bought two them, and somehow miraculously still have both. They're perfect for a tiny are like it's on.

 

Yes small flash unit illuminating the immediate area. I'm surprise it didn't blow out the Ekos screen that the laptop is wirelessly logged into (the computer is on a the scope itself). That was when I still carted my gear on the back of a motorcycle, you can see my riding gear in the foreground.

I'm surprise at times at what I can get out of Bortle 8-9.

you are going to laugh at this, but I wasn't referring to your mouse pad. I was referring to the graffiti (aka 'tag') on the wall to the right of your scope! There are some characters, and the profile looks a bit like a mouse facing to the left. 

 

Yes, I remember now that you took your setup on a motorcycle!  Cool!

 

Bob

Edited by Bob Campbell, 03 October 2024 - 03:49 PM.

[Craigar]

I image lots of nebula from the city, usually from my bortle 9 backyard and have lots of images I'm happy with, many are in my gallery. Recently I started using a Radian "Tri-band" filter with my OSC camera and after learning the processing techniques end up some really good nebula images. These dual, tri ,and quad band OSC filters block out more than 90% of the light pollution - but takes WAY longer to capture enough data for high detail - me and many others have found it to be worth it - if we can't/don't want to drive to darker skies.

 

everything in this album from about April through September 2024 was done with a Ridian Tri band filter in my bortle 9 backyard

Album: ES DHL 6" Mak-Newt comet hunter

37 images

1 comments

 

Here's the most challenging for me so far cause it's pretty faint

 

need about 4x the data to get more of the faint wings on M27, but off to a good start - all bortle 9

 

I also have very bright LED street lights BUT my house acts as a shield to prevent those street lights from going directly into my scope and really doesn't effect the sky above me - and I almost never shoot lower than 45 degrees above the horizon - and the sky above that angle may be closer to bortle 8 - the closer we are to the zenith the darker the (moonless) sky will usually be.

 

If you aren't surrounded by dense city lights your bortle might not be as bad as you think. I'm in the L.A. metropolis = bortle 9, if your more tha 20 miles from a major city it will be much better. 

 

This Light Pollution Map is pretty accurate and showed me how I can get to bortle 5 skies by driving 25 miles in one direction, - or 15 miles in another direction BUT that location has much more "marine layer" which is a lot like fog..

https://www.cleardar...lution_map.html

 

 

 

Edited by Craigar, Today, 12:17 PM.