Jump to content

SkySurveyBanner.jpg.21855908fce40597655603b6c9af720d.jpg

Light Pollution??

ObnoX

By ObnoX
in Getting Started With Observing

Recommended Posts

ObnoX

ObnoX

Posted
Posted

Hi, total beginners question...

How far away from the city lights/street lights would you get a better view of the sky? 

Where I live, there are stretches of farmers fields in between towns, maybe 2-3 miles. Would standing in the middle of these fields make much difference or are we looking for complete countryside here?

Cheers.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
ScottS

ScottS

Posted
Posted

Basically the darker the better. I find if I can see the Milky Way clearly then that's a good dark site indicator. But you have to factor in how far you are prepared to travel, site suitability/safety and transport of your kit. You want to try and lose as much of that city/town street light orange glow as possible. Of course, just as important is maintaining your eyes dark adaptation once you are there. So use a red filtered torch and avoid car headlights etc.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
ToTheWorld

ToTheWorld

Posted
Posted

I live on the edge of town myself and looking towards the town gives a terrible orange glow to the sky, however looking out towards the countryside gives me some pretty decent darkness. Being out in the middle of one of these fields and looking towards sky that is away from the towns should surely give some reasonable views for you.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Mr Q

Mr Q

Posted
Posted

   It is hard to find a nice dark site since atmospheric moisture (haze) does wonders in reflecting even distant LP from cities many km. away. At least try to find a location like those dark fields where you can see (even barely) all the stars of the Little Dipper (Ursa Minor). That should be a very good site to concentrate on, though the seeing may change from night to night due to atmospheric moisture.

  BTW, that link is nice - I live in an red-orange zone and travel 30 miles to a zone with yellow (it produces skies down to 5.5 to 5.9 mag.), so look for at least a yellow area.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Langy

Langy

Posted
Posted

Even in a town etc. if you can shelter yourself from the street lights it's surprising on how much more you can see above you.

I can go out the front of my house which has street lights all down the road, if I stand next to a high hedge and shelter most light hitting me I can see lots.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Naemeth

Naemeth

Posted
Posted

I found this digging about online though I think it's 8 years old now it may give you an idea.

https://mywebspace.wisc.edu/dlorenz/web/astronomy/lp2006/overlay/dark.html

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

No surprise that I'm in a red zone then... about 20 or so miles out I can get to a green zone - something to try when I've built up to cycling that far :).

Every little helps in terms of light pollution - my local astro club meets in an orange zone which is quite a lot nicer to observe in than in my back garden, that's only about 5 miles away :).

Link to comment
Share on other sites
AlexB67

AlexB67

Posted
Posted

I found this digging about online though I think it's 8 years old now it may give you an idea.

https://mywebspace.wisc.edu/dlorenz/web/astronomy/lp2006/overlay/dark.html

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I am on the edge of a red to purple zone transition in Bristol too according to avex, southern to eastern skies are significantly better from my back yard though.

I've tended to use this map

http://www.avex-asso.org/dossiers/pl/uk/index.html

Also this is a an interesting simulation.

http://www.need-less.org.uk/

According to that I should have Bortle 8 skies. In practice I find it better after midnight though to the better facing skies by some margin. somehow that simulation does not seem to pick out on that when I face east or south I can see that much more.  I'd say it is somewhat pessimistic. M33 should not be detectable at all under Bortle 8, but in my experience it is from my backyard. Not the sort of view  I would sketch and send on a postcard to impress, but it is there if ever so faint on good nights. :smiley:  or may be I have bionic eyes or something :grin: I doubt it :tongue:

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Moonshane

Moonshane

Posted
Posted

I agree it depends where you look. I am lucky that I observe from my back garden which faces roughly east which is the direction of the peak district and the skies in that direction are quite good. over the other side of my house are Manchester to the north west and Stockport to the west. if my house faced west, I'd have a bigger problem.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Naemeth

Naemeth

Posted
Posted

I agree it depends where you look. I am lucky that I observe from my back garden which faces roughly east which is the direction of the peak district and the skies in that direction are quite good. over the other side of my house are Manchester to the north west and Stockport to the west. if my house faced west, I'd have a bigger problem.

I have that problem, the best views I have (well, only real views) from my back garden are all southerly, the direction of Leeds city centre :rolleyes:.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

Go to topic listing

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue. By using this site, you agree to our Terms of Use.