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Feeling dejected, another neighbours lights thread

Peco4321

By Peco4321
in The Astro Lounge

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Peco4321

Peco4321

Posted
Posted

The last few nights have been clear but I am just not enjoying being in the garden and it's down to neighbours lights.  I have a light shield contraption but one neighbor has a big conservatory which shines bright but the main culprit is a very bright upstairs chandelier in a room that seems empty. It illuminates my whole garden and bounces off my house. 

I am torn between seeing them or not, as if I was them, I wouldn't want to be asked to change my life for someone else, they have every right to do what they want in their own home. But also I would hopefully be sympathetic. 

I can not go to dark sites through the week as it all gets too late, weekends I like to relax with a beer as well. 

I almost feel like packing in I'm that fed up. Anyway, that's off my chest now, I may stroll round later for a chat with them, maybe take some wine. 

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domstar

domstar

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My problem would be giving them a sarky comment or a deniable veiled criticism (I'm trying to work on it). If you can talk to them without doing this then go for it. They might be willing to help and if they aren't then they'll probably still help if you can just get out of the conversation without any reason for them to feel criticised. 

Anyway, what do I know? Good luck.

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SteveNickolls

SteveNickolls

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Sorry to hear of your plight. Yes, going to have a friendly word in a diplomatic way could be the best solution if they are even half-open to respecting a neighbours interests. As a fall back plan could you not make a high, portable light screen on your side of the fence to give you the darkness you need? I realise the photo may make the other house seem further away and lower than in real life. I would have thought they wouldn't want everyone to see into their home at night and a lined curtain would solve both matters.

Cheers,
Steve

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Peco4321

Peco4321

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27 minutes ago, tooth_dr said:

Very frustrating, when out in the garden it'll be hard to think of anything else.

Nail on the head there, once something is on my mind, that's it. And night vision keeps getting screwed every time a breeze wafts the curtains on my light shield. 

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tooth_dr

tooth_dr

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1 minute ago, Peco4321 said:

Nail on the head there, once something is on my mind, that's it. And night vision keeps getting screwed every time a breeze wafts the curtains on my light shield. 

My neighbour - approx 1200 yards away, has installed those new LED spot lights on the corners of his house.  He switches some on some nights, some on other nights, and some nights none at all.  But they create a mini dome of white light on my eastern horizon, and one in particular points directly at my house.  I've been trying to work out should i just nip round some evening and adjust it slightly.  Your situation is much worse though, and I fully sympathise with it.

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LightBucket

LightBucket

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13 minutes ago, tooth_dr said:

My neighbour - approx 1200 yards away, has installed those new LED spot lights on the corners of his house.  He switches some on some nights, some on other nights, and some nights none at all.  But they create a mini dome of white light on my eastern horizon, and one in particular points directly at my house.  I've been trying to work out should i just nip round some evening and adjust it slightly.  Your situation is much worse though, and I fully sympathise with it.

1200 yards away, thats nearly 3/4 of a mile....wouldn’t have thought that would be much of an issue...! :)

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PhotoGav

PhotoGav

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Thankfully I have no direct experience of trying to get neighbours to turn their lights off, but remember reading on here a suggestion to invite the culprits round one evening to show them what you are trying to do in your garden. Even better, give them a view of Saturn through your scope (very topical and visible!) and that might make them a little more sympathetic to your cause. Good luck, I hope you sort it out.

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tooth_dr

tooth_dr

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14 minutes ago, LightBucket said:

1200 yards away, thats nearly 3/4 of a mile....wouldn’t have thought that would be much of an issue...! :)

Actually just measured it there on the map, its 600 yards.  Its surprising how much light is given off when a light is pointed directly at you.  It's like looking at a car headlight on full beam.

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scarp15

scarp15

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No harm in having a friendly chat with them if you know them, explain your hobby, enthuse them a little by bringing up the subject of the Cassini space mission that concluded in such a spectacular circumstance today. Observing from home can be problematic, from my back yard I will sit on my bench and observe with binoculars but that has become about it.   

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Uranium235

Uranium235

Posted
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Best advice, go see them and have a chat. If you have images, show them what you do - even offer a pair of curtains if you have to (bribery often works!)

I bribe my neighbours every Christmas with a calendar of all the images taken, and it seems to have worked!

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LukeSkywatcher

LukeSkywatcher

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"I am torn between seeing them or not, as if I was them, I wouldn't want to be asked to change my life for someone else, they have every right to do what they want in their own home. But also I would hopefully be sympathetic".

Light pollution (like noise pollution) is a bit of a criminal offence. If you suffer either by neighbours (light shinning into your house, or loud music), it is a matter for the police. Nobody wants to get the cops involved. Most neighbours, if you talk to them about the situation are very obliging. They honestly just dont take these things into consideration because they are not astronomers. 

In this case it is not a "insecurity" light that is the problem. Most people who have those things have them pointed way too high up anyway and dont know it.  

I must admit, i cant see that one bedroom light being much of an issue. The flash on your camera gives off more light. 

Here in Ireland, beeping your car horn in a housing estate after 10pm is considered by the police to be noise pollution. 

 

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Beulah

Beulah

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The trouble with that one bedroom light is when your eyes are dark adapated, you can see how far the light spreads...

There are many solutions to this issue which does include talking to your neighbour, but at the end of the day, a good relationship with the neighbours is worth more than all the gear owned by SGL members combined! I do think that maybe external lights can be sorted out using tact and diplomacy but internal lights? Feels a little too personal?

Even if you can get out once a month to a favourite dark site, away from the stress of worrying about LP (After all, we should enjoy our hobbies), it will certainly help and some SGL members have already found this to be a perfect solution. Some have designed and obtained telescopes they can take on the bus, walk a short distance, put in a trailer and towed by pedal bike and others have bought telescopes to fit into a car. When there is a will...

Even modifying what you observe from home might help - double stars, clusters, planets, lunar...then go for the exciting DSOs if you are able to travel further out.

If you choose to take it up with your neighbour, I wish you success.

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F15Rules

F15Rules

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I'd second the direct, friendly approach first. Most people just don't think about others, but not maliciously..they have what I'd call benign ignorance- just need occurring to them they might be causing a nuisance.

So I think if you are friendly in your approach they might well meet you halfway or even stop using that wretched light altogether.

If they aren't willing to be cooperative, I'd write to you council. Out every detail in writing and explain how lightweight pollution is officially bad for the environment, and how it is affecting your right to enjoy the night sky and that you need their help.

You might also contact the International Dark Sky association for help (www.darksky.org) or search here on SGL for other threads in similar vein (I'm sure there are quite a few), and see what they tried to sort the problem.

Good luck and DON'T give up!

Dave

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Macavity

Macavity

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If you are really "chicken" drop a little note through their
letter box! It gives people time to *reflect* on stuff tho? ;)

I was *surprised* to receive a note back (after dark!). My
neighbour (at the bottom of the garden) was *very sorry*
about his errant security light! He was very busy... But his
DAD (an electrician) and would fix it as soon as possible!
It took a while longer. But "faith in humanity" restored? :)

He moved away... I never did the "Astronomy Evening"
I promised him. Now who is the "guilty party" on this... :o

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