The relentless advance of rubbish lighting

[Hypernova]

I have come back from a week's camping at Shell Island in North Wales, which I have frequented since my childhood. One of the main reasons I like going there, despite the overcrowding, is the darkness of the skies when it gets truly dark. There is the usual floodlighting n the top car park and a few nearby villages but the NELM is still 5.89 according to need-less light pollution.

I have previously visited the site and made some good observations with a pair of binoculars, the amount of things I can see is much greater than from Crewe where the NELM is around 4.5 on a good night. I compiled and posted a short report on the views that night here: http://stargazerslounge.com/observing-reports/118529-darks-sky-observing-deepest-wales.html

What has made post this thread though is my discovery of a newly installed street lamp right in the middle of the camp and just a hundred yards or so from where I regularly pitch up. It stands by a shipping container which has been converted to a block of portaloos by the people the campsite owner bought it off (a building site in Birmingham apparently). I assume this was put in to remove any liability for possible accidents on the short flight of steps to the toilets. The light isn't a full cut-off design either, instead it allows a portion of light to escape sideways and upwards and as such illuminates the surrounding area and can be seen from the car park which is 1/3 mile away and 10-20 metres higher in elevation.

I can't see the owner doing anything to rectify it as it wouldn't be in their interests to do so, I would assume that they would see no problem with it and say it is necessary.

It is at least a good thing that the offending light is blocked from direct view from my pitch by a small hill. Still though it is is shame that they felt a need to potentially spoil the nice dark skies that they have on their doorstep with ill-thought-out lighting. I have yet to see it's effects on the night sky as there weren't many clear spells in the week I was there, a few short lived breaks appeared where the MW and M31, plus a few Perseids were seen. The sky wasn't crystal clear and I hadn't been fully dark adapted so I can't really make any judgement on the impact of the new light.

I may just be fussing over nothing and being a bit of an anorak but this is something that I am genuinely displeased with.

[Nexus 6]

Sorry to read your holiday spot is now being overrun with more LP Tom, I hope you may find an alternative for visits in the future.

[JimStan]

We seem to feel that the answer to Light Pollution is to just go to a more distant spot. Unfortunately, we are running out of "distant spots" to retreat to.

Western Maryland USA ( where I ive ) is dotted with cities and towns, and their ugly light domes impinge on formerly dark venues more and more each year. In the mid-sized city of Hagerstown, it is impossible to see the Milky Way, and most of the Messier objects that used to be plainly visible several years ago through a relatively small telescope, now are washed out by a salmon colored haze that is visible up to 30 degrees above the horizon.

The International Dark Sky Society exists to combat this growing problem, but unfortunately many citizens and their governmental leaders do not appear to consider this as a real issue!

Shame ! Jim S.

[Beulah]

Sorry to read this, Tom, vote with your feet and go elsewhere.

[DarkV0!D]

I feel your pain. I hate LP. Its pretty bad were I live in NJ though, I can barely see a dozen stars. If only people turned off outdoor lights during the night.

[Austin]

Light pollution really breaks me!! It doen't just impact us astronomers, it can seroiusly mess with the breeding/migration patterns of certain birds. And probably has an impact on other types of wildlife too. Not good all round!