Rose tinted spectacles

[8472]

It seems, as a resident in our vicinity likes to leave their rear porch/security light switched on all night, every night, I was wandering if there is such a thing as red tinted glasses available to buy, for the amateur astonomer?

It was also a little annoying to have to quickly cover our eyes every time we heard a car coming, when we were observing in a localish darksite up north from us, recently.

Niche in the market, perhaps, or am i missing something?

[acey]

Yes, you can get red goggles: http://www.amazon.com/Orion-AstroGoggles/dp/B0000XMV5O

They won't help when you've got your eye to the eyepiece though.

[8472]

Aha!

Great find - just the thing I had in mind!

[Beulah]

A large hood, snood or black cloth draped over the head whilst looking into the eyepiece can help block out stray light to the eyes.

Coupled with a dewshield on the scope to block out any further stray light - there are the two most mobile methods...the other is rigging up a screen of somekind, a heavy blanket or something on the washing line.

I have the same frustrating issues under a sky that is pretty dark. You have to gauge whether you are in a position to approach your neighbour about the issue or try to improve the environment around you.

For me, the internal/external LP and intermittent traffic was too much for me and I've decided to observe deeper in the countryside.

[nytecam]

Yes, you can get red goggles.....

but not when The Bill is around otherwise the Silence of the Lambs creep comes to mind

[BuzzBomb]

I would just and ask them to turn it off. If you explain why, you find most people are accommodating. My neighbours agreed to me sending them a text message when I would like their lights turned out, so I don't need to go to the bother of calling round. It's quicker too!

[Carbon Brush]

How selfish of us expecting to have the enjoyment of our property without interference.

I have been asking a neighbour about a light turn off with limited success.

He cannot understand how he can walk across his garden without stadium intensity lighting. Even at dusk or under a full moon.

He now only blasts across my (and other) garden for an hour at a time and thinks this is OK.

I have thought about a set of mirrors to reflect the light back to his property in places that will return the offence and cause nuisance.

For example at eye level outside his door, or on his driveway near the road. But it is difficult to arrange.

My next move will be to explain that I will only rev up my motorbike for an hour at a time.

Only burn compost for an hour at a time, and only play loud music for an hour at a time.

All of this when he is trying to enjoy his garden for his frequent summer family gatherings.

[leelee970]

I’m quite blessed as I live in a small hamlet of 13 houses by a country road with no street lights, but every now and then one of my neighbours leaves their outside light on all night – luckily they are approachable and once I’ve explained the situation then it’s not switched on (well for a few weeks anyway), I’ve even invited them around to view the heavens and their children just loved it.

Unfortunately some people view their home as THEIR castle and so don’t give a **** about anyone else – sad really, together we achieve so much more. Though the last thing you want is a battle, then things can get really nasty.

[RobH]

My next move will be to explain that I will only rev up my motorbike for an hour at a time.

Only burn compost for an hour at a time, and only play loud music for an hour at a time.

All of this when he is trying to enjoy his garden for his frequent summer family gatherings.

Amanda used to have neighbours who had noisy barbecues.....she found that deciding to creosote the fence at the same time had the effect of putting them off their food!!

I'm very lucky in that our immediate neighbours are happy to turn lights off....there is a bloke a few houses down who has a death ray light on a sensor in his garden, but this generally doesn't stay on that long and the obsy is well shielded from it.

Rob

[nytecam]

I'm in suburbia and know all about neighbours and light pollution and been fighting it for decades but take a more relaxed view now greenery in the gardens including mine screen most of it. I've trained evergreens into the apple trees for all-round cover! Without my dome the astronomy I love to do would be near impossible but in reality my obsy is the perfect sanctuary for imaging with virtually no deepsky object elluding me. I rate an obsy an early priority to combat local LP for those who are 'settled'.

[Beulah]

Tackling local neighbour light pollution is more difficult than dealing with it in a wider sense. I'm one of those who'd rather keep the peace and try to save any 'issue taking' when noise levels are high enough to be intrusive as I don't want the reputation of being a pain in the butt.

People feel they have a right to light, and in some ways, they have. Our neighbours have their upstairs lights on which blaze into my garden and ruin my observing sessions but they have a right to have them on! I can't expect them to bumble round in the dark or get them to move their house 90 degrees! Light blocking in my garden only goes so far (I'm able to clearly see the central dark lane in M82 when no one has their lights on!); so to keep my blood pressure low, the scope gets chucked in the car with a flask of something hot, a hot water bottle and an observing companion or two.

In my opinions all these issues are part and parcel of living in close proximity to people and some of it I'd just have to suck it up or else suffer from a nervous breakdown...

Anyone rich enough here to build an astro community in a dark location? Put me on the list for a property!

[8472]

I would just and ask them to turn it off. If you explain why, you find most people are accommodating. My neighbours agreed to me sending them a text message when I would like their lights turned out, so I don't need to go to the bother of calling round. It's quicker too!

I thought someone would bring this up - sadly this is a non-starter for various reasons, tbh.