Cloudy skies or light pollution??

[neurostar]

Hello all,

I've been anxious to start star gazing at home but I haven't had one clear night yet!

I did some star gazing at my college and the skies seems a lot clearer.

My college was in the middle of no where but my house isn't in a bustling city or anything, just in suburbia.

I've never done any star gazing from my home location so I can't tell if my house just happens to be in a bad light pollution area or if I've been really unlucky with cloudy nights (it has been stormy for awhile here).

Any ways to be able to discriminate light pollution vs. cloudy skies?

Thank you!

[night vision]

Hi,

Cloud can scatter light pollution an awful long way. Even moisture in the air can make a dark site look bad. Hopefully you will find that when the current spell of rubbish weather clears, your sky will improve. I live about 4 miles from the centre of Exeter and on a good night I can see some really faint objects with the naked eye. If there is any cloud around, I could read a book outside at midnight.

Liz

[neurostar]

thank you for the insight!

the night sky was almost cloudless where i live and the viewing was much better tonight

[night vision]

I am pleased to hear that. Hope you have a few more clear skies soon.

Liz

[cervesca]

Been a couple of years since I went into the country to observe, the horrible thing was coming back and seeing all the orange glow being reflected back downwards as I got closer to home - so if its really bad it will illuminate clouds - tho I was seeing it from somwhere reasonably dark as I drove home.