Light Pollution Maps

[banner001]

Ok, we get a lot of people asking for these, so ive made a large pixel map of the google earth program i use (UK Light pollution Map), ive also placed (in white) 10 mile radius circles over the worst areas, i.e. if you want to look at a dark sky dont be under the white circle.

A few notes about the white circles, i make no guarantees about the light levels, ive not visited every place in the uk at night so i dont have first hand knowledge about everywhere. Ive not bothered to include blocking from hills/mountains, so the peak district (which is very dark) looks worse that it actually is (probably).

If you want guaranteed dark, go to wales or scotland

[Demonperformer]

The lower one certainly makes depressing viewing ...

Thanks!

[banner001]

TBH if you are in england and the place you are viewing from does not have the word 'moor' in it, it will not be dark and even then 'moor' does not guarantee dark

[banner001]

A guide to the colours on the first map:-

White : 0-15 visible stars (without planets) according to the conditions. Very high level of light pollution and all around.

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Magenta: 25-80 visible stars. Principles constellations began to be recognizable.

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Red: 80-150 stars : constellations and others stars appears. In a telescope, Some Messier object began to be observable.

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Orange: 150-250 stars in good conditions. The light pollution is present all around but some darks areas appears. Typicaly the middle suburbs.

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Yellow: 250-500 stars. Strong light pollution but the Milky Way can appear in good conditions. Some Messiers among the most bright can be visible with the naked eye.

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Green: 500-1000 stars : far peacefull suburbs, Milky Way many times visible but very sensitive to the atmospheric conditions. Typicaly, the glare of light pollution take a large place in the sky and reach at 40-50° of elevation.

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Cyan: 1000-1500 stars. The Milky Way is visible most of the time in good climatic conditions but without contrast.

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Blue: 1500-2000 stars. Good sky. The Milky Way is easily visible, we began to have the sensation of a good sky, but some source of light pollution damage the sky.

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Night blue : 2000-3000 stars. Very good sky. The Milky Way is present and powerfull. The light glares are far away and scaterred, they don’t affect the sky quality.

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Black : more than 3000 stars. No light pollution problems revealable on the sky quality

[trickytree]

I was just going to say the same as demonperformer .... depressing.

We're going to need a lot of green lazers ....

[Demonperformer]

We're going to need a lot of green lazers ....

Anyone know how long the streetlight STAYS off when you take the laser away?

[trickytree]

I read somewhere that it's about 40 minutes, but I can't remember where I read that.

[M4lcs67]

I bought one of the Philips Dark Sky maps of the UK the other week. Didn't really understand how bad light pollution was until I got that. The nearest Dark site to me is Kielder Forest or Galloway. Might be an excuse to try out my new scope in a really black place. For observing in my back garden I have just got a LPF.

[virtualpilot45]

All I can say is: I'm glad I don't live in the south east...