Light Pollution

[sologuitarist61]

Having just read another thread about light pollution, I was wondering if SGL has an official line/pressure group dealing with this. There seem to be many members and so I would have thought it would make a considerably strong grouping. At the moment I am already heavily involved down here in Cornwall where industrial estates seem to think it is OK shining thousand on watts of light onto their names boards all night long, and where the local hospital has 15 security lights that I can see from my front garden. These are the only lights I can see from that vantage point yet they wipe out all but 1st mag stars.

There is talk down here about switching off street lights for a period during the night but to be honest they are nottoo bad as all the shades have been changed for ones that only shine downwards. What is happening in the rest of country?

[sunshine185]

Here in Oldham we are in the process of replacing all the old sodium lights with new ones that are supposedly more efficient, they also direct the light downwards. Am really impressed with them as the sky does seem a little darker. Glad I am only visual though, for photography I hear they make things worse.

[sologuitarist61]

Not tried photography yet as still waiting for a Canon EOS T ring from FLO, however with them fitted down here in Redruth, you no longer get the blast of light that goes everywhere from each street light. It is more focussed and you can see the light forming a downward cone to the road. The skies are definitely better too and between each light you can see the sky again - not brilliant I grant you, but better than before.

[rory]

they have changed alot of streetlighting around our town,but has it made alot of difference....na not at all.

[sologuitarist61]

I think a lot of it has to do with the density of the lighting. Down here in Cornwall the towns are quite small and so you don't get street after street after street ad infinitum, so the difference is marked, maybe not so good where there is a high density of street lights.

[tony4563]

I'm moving to Cornwall!

[tony4563]

... The light pollution has definately got worse IMO

Struggling to see Ursa Minor from my garden

[sologuitarist61]

Almost thought you were moving there for a minute!!! Got me!!

[sologuitarist61]

... The light pollution has definately got worse IMO

Struggling to see Ursa Minor from my garden

Yeah, same down here, Polaris and precious little else!

[WillsF]

Around me, North Somerset, they turn off the street lights at some odd time after midnight.

It definitely improves things, but it is very unnerving when you are not expecting it.

And I can't work work out whether it does make a sound like somebody throwing a big switch to kill the lights or if I imagine it.

[The Sailor]

Streetlights go out here at midnight except for the one directly in the centre of my observing arc , I did ask if anything could be done but was given a curt no as it was in a bend to the sheltered housing but can probably work round it .

Jim

[sologuitarist61]

Streetlights go out here at midnight except for the one directly in the centre of my observing arc , I did ask if anything could be done but was given a curt no as it was in a bend to the sheltered housing but can probably work round it .

Jim

And they expect people in sheltered housing to be out at that time of night - obviously!

[The Sailor]

And they expect people in sheltered housing to be out at that time of night - obviously!

Sorry Richard, should have said it is the only way in and out and not exactly a two lane road so do have some sympathy about it all, hey can always move to Cornwall .

Jim

[sologuitarist61]

Sorry Richard, should have said it is the only way in and out and not exactly a two lane road so do have some sympathy about it all, hey can always move to Cornwall .

Jim

Don't even think about it!! Nowhere in Cornwall is more than a few miles from a coast in either north or south direction,and as such any rain coming in off the Atlantic falls here first and usually by the time it is up your way it has dropped it all on us!!

[Frank the Troll]

Oh what a joy! NO street lamps here.

[sologuitarist61]

Interesting to hear about street lights turning off after midnight - I know that is quite late but at least it gives you some usable time if you are all set and ready to go. Have to put that to the local councils down here - good for astronomy and will save them (us, I mean!) money

[The Sailor]

I was suprised to see it had happened here, I had assumed that the night I noticed them off there had been a power cut. I have left going out till latish here as the local school play area has floodlights (N) and the fire station has floodlights on early evening (S), then there is my one light that does not go off (E), and to my rear is the house (W) .

Jim

[Starlight 1]

I did put a post in some time ago for Earth hour on the march 31 8.30 till 9.30

As it is world wide it may be interesting.

[Nidge]

I sometimes wonder if my two main passions/obsessions can be medically treated By passioins/obsessions I mean visual/photographic astronomy and amateur radio. Both these areas, especially in recent years, have been similarly blighted by wideband interference.

In this area streetlight pollution has been reduced by replacing a lot of the globe assemblies with downlighters which is terrific but at the same time we have seen an upsurge in very badly installed building illumination and security lights. To the North Ursa Minor has dissappeard with Polaris only just visible and the current Southern aspect is competely bleached to the point that the main stars of Orion are only just visible.

There is a big similarity with my frustration with amateur radio whereby the need for cheaper electronic household items have all but destroyed the Shortwave bands and are now causing problems in the VHF/UHF spectrum.

Both Radio and the nightsky are two natural resources which are being denied to all but those that are lucky enough to reside in remote locations.

I'm not that old (46yrs) but I do remember a time when an individual who persued a technical/scientific interest received a certain amount of respect for their endevours and as hobbiests we were able to contribute to the scientific community as a whole. However these days, as is my experience, because I don't know who is top of the premiership league or what Xfactor and Big Brother are I'm an excentric loon.

Time to call the nurse and have a lie down me thinks

Regards

Nidge

Otley, West Yorkshire.

[sologuitarist61]

Well Nidge, I am a lot older and so remember the days when you could not see your hand in front of your face (night time of course!!). Now, even on the darkest of nights and given a few minutes acclimatisation you can see for miles and the sky has an orange glow. I think it is finally getting through to a lot of people, that the population in general derserve the right to see a decent night sky. But then, there are others who bemoan the fact that when they stumble home from the pub they need the lights!! Or that small kids who shouldn't be out anyway, won't be safe!!

The more people who sign the petition below the better - still only a couple of thousand names on there. I'm afraid they won't take much notice of that few people, so come on and sign the petition.

[The Sailor]

However these days, as is my experience, because I don't know who is top of the premiership league or what Xfactor and Big Brother are I'm an excentric loon.

Have to agree with you there, I have had a lifetime of experience and at the same time I have climbed the ladder of success, today a lot of younger people have no experience of worthwhile use and expect success in an instant. But I digress, yes the plethora of equipment now requiring remote signals has caused a lot of problems for all, off my soapbox now .

Jim

[Nidge]

But I digress, yes the plethora of equipment now requiring remote signals has caused a lot of problems for all, off my soapbox now .

Jim

Hi Jim

Apologies for going a little off the beaten track. Like a lot of lighting whereby it's not designed to illuminate the sky but does due to very poor design a lot of domestic electronic equipment is not designed specifically to be a radio transmitter but because of the technology employed radiation levels in the radio spectrum cause a very large amount of disruption.

e.g. Switchmode Power Supplies which, due to the need to save a few pence, have no filtering.

Plasma TV's that as the screen ages start to radiate.

Powerline ethernet adaptors which occupy the 2MHz-30MHz, and beyond, spectrum pump their data into unbalanced mains wiring emitting wide band hash over an extensive area.

And more recently the proliferation of solar panel installations with substandard voltage inverters.

I've just signed the petition that Graham has in his signiture and propagated the link via my Facebook page.

There are just over 13,000 active members on this forum with close to 1300 who have visited today alone, I think it would be a great idea if the petition link was made a sticky or even given pride of place as a banner on the front page of the forum.

Regards

Nidge

Otley, West Yorkshire.