Major Tim's views of the UK

[baggywrinkle]

Looking at the on-line version of the Daily Mail and there was an article about photos Major Tim took over the UK, and my fuirst thoughts were 'How sad, look at all that LP'

Need to get him onboard about dark skies.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3425075/Hey-recognise-place-Major-Tim-Peake-posts-brilliant-photos-UK-London-night-International-Space-Station.html

 

[Putaendo Patrick]

How true, and how sad!

There's an article that claims "UK now boasts more than 100 spectacular stargazing sites" with first class dark skies - I personally don't know that's anything to boast about. Fifty years ago, there must have been thousands, and a hundred years ago, almost anywhere that wasn't a major city would have had a fantastic dark sky.

http://www.stfc.ac.uk/news/uk-now-boasts-more-than-100-spectacular-stargazing-sites/

The International Dark-Sky Association is one way to get involved in protecting what is left.

http://darksky.org/

[Shelster1973]

Was my first thoughts too whn seeing the pictures..far too much LP showing and can even be seen reflecting of the atmosphere too...

Is a shame that we can only boast the 100 sites, there should be far more than there actually is.  I did like the initiatives that some councils put out of turning off or dimming street lights in the wee hours, but seems the scared people who are asleep in bed are worried that someone might come to some harm....am sure there is a small chance that it can deter the odd opportunist burglary, but the majoroty of the scum who break into peples homes will be either in bed at that time or playing PS4 games unti the early monring when it will be their time to actually go aout and do the robberies...when the majority of people with nice stuff are away working for their money....must stop rant now before I go off on one.

[brantuk]

Amazing pics from space but not a lot of fun if you're looking the other way with a scope.

[baggywrinkle]

Part of my collection of astronomy books are 4 volumes published in the late 1800's and early 1900's.

They are all about naked eye observation, telescopes were very expensive items. The descriptions of the constellations in the books all point to darker skies which is what you would expect.

In Norfolk we do have some dark skies areas but they are being encroached upon. The Norwich Astronomical Society has a fantastic site at Seething to the SE of Norwich, 4 purpose built observatories, observing pads and a very active membership which hold public evenings every month.

it is now under threat as the local Lord (literally) has plans to build a used bio digester waste storage site right next door to the NAS site, this will bring both light pollution from lighting and increased road traffic plus heat pullution from thermals above the 9m tall storage areas.

NAS and local villages are campaigning against it but it would seem (as usual) friends in high places will mean planning permission is granted and another area lost, that's despite Norfolk County Council paying (lip) service to being proud of dark skies.

[Physopto]

Tim is on Facebook a lot,  his pictures are fantastic of areas of our Earth! But as Baggywinkle says light pollution is now nearly everywhere. 

Even a report by some one planning for a new telescope to be built on the Atacama Desert has condemned the surrounding new building of towns some miles away. Apparently the street lighting and pub or club advertising outside them is now affecting the telescopes ability to see clearly.  The new light pollution is radiating into the night sky in or about the direction the telescopes need to look to see and image the universe as it was back at its beginnings. These towns are, if I remember the article some 50 to 100 miles distant from the telescopes. You would think that with the money ploughed into such projects that this would be a priority for that country and stop this happening, but apparently not.

Derek

[LukeSkywatcher]

I'm struggling to recognise that image as the UK. Where have Wales and Scotland gone?. Surely that cant be the Isle of Man to the left. Its HUGE.

[JonH]

36 minutes ago, LukeSkywatcher said:

I'm struggling to recognise that image as the UK. Where have Wales and Scotland gone?. Surely that cant be the Isle of Man to the left. Its HUGE.

The view is looking straight up the English Channel with northern France on the right and the UK on the left.