Too bad !

[cotterless45]

Not being negative , as I always grab every opportunity to observe . Just wondering if you've experienced , 

challenging (!) if not worse observing weather and forecast ?

worse light pollution since led's have replaced sodium lights ?

Personally , I've had to adapt observing away from anything faint and get used to observing whatever the moon , breeze or early hours,

careful now ,

Nick.

[cloudsweeper]

Yes Nick, the weather is grim - very often starts really clear, then goes downhill!

Not had a problem with LED lights, but there are several security lights and loft extensions to contend with.  And a neighbour who loves ornamental lanterns.

Like you, I go out whenever possible, and recognise that faint stuff will be difficult.  Thank goodness for the challenge, interest, and variety of doubles.  Clusters are always good, too!

Doug.

[Highburymark]

Not been the best year Nick, I agree. Couple of reasons to look forward to the future - planets will eventually rise out of the murk - really looking forward to that. And Sun is getting more active - several years of rising activity to come - just need some cheap solar film or Herschel wedge to enjoy those Sunspots. 

[Knighty2112]

Yep, since leds went in around here my front garden observing is pretty much none existent. I have a small area in my back garden where i can set up and observe, but even then get blasted by led street lamps. Makes it hard to view fainter stuff for sure.

[wookie1965]

Well you know what I have to put up with with my LED light outside my back yard and the weather has been awful this year. Went out do solar my handset was set for the 24th of April over 4 weeks since been out and the one good night had the big bulb in the sky to wash everything out. 

[Jiggy 67]

When they were introduced, I was under the impression that LED’s were supposed to assist in reducing light pollution but it appears to be the opposite. I have always observed from my back garden but have recently ordered a lightweight AZ mount to travel out to darker skies….sign of the times I suppose 😢

[niallk]

I got into astronomy because there were darkish skies from my back garden... no more.  I now must travel for DSOs...

Maybe rose tinted glasses, but the weather / cloud cover seemed much better when I first got my 10" dob!

[Carbon Brush]

LED lighting has the potential to reduce light pollution.
The LED emitters are quite small, it therefore relatively easy to produce a fitting with a well defined beam.

However, the reality is sometimes different.
Often new fittings are placed on top of existing posts. Or new posts fitted in the same place as old.
My experience generally has been lights bright enough to read by, with slightly less bright areas between.
Then when you drive out of town, you think the car headlights are off until you adapt.

The basic problem is that lighting seems to be installed by people who have little idea what they are doing.
These people are supported by the mindless folks who think that if we don't get 24/7 daylight we will all be burgled or murdered.
But back to the skills and competence of the people who specify lighting...
How many light fittings (of any type) do you see in tree canopies?
Why put lamp posts on the outside of a bend (to risk vehicle impact) when there is a choice?

When my local light pollution organisation (Nottinghamshire County Council) replaced the ights in my village by LED, it was surprisingly an improvement.

The main street is like daylight. However, the well designed fittings mean there is little light scatter into my back garden.
Having said that, my back garden is 50M+ from the main road.

If you are suffering excessive light trespass (yes that is the word) into your home and garden, tell the council to sort it out.
There are quite a few threads on SGL with, I am pleased to say, success stories.

As for the weather....😡🌧️🥶💭.......

[maw lod qan]

I'm still in a decent location where I live, but the future looks bad.

There is a migration of northerners moving to Florida that it cant get better.

[wookie1965]

This is my LED light and the next is what they put on after I complained the first picture is what the light is like with this so called blocker on. 

[mdstuart]

The led lights going in in South Glos are actually well designed and point light downwards. Even with a lot of new building in my town things are actually quite stable in terms of light pollution.

Mark

[Roy Challen]

On 29/05/2021 at 13:27, cotterless45 said:

 

Personally , I've had to adapt observing away from anything faint and get used to observing whatever the moon , breeze or early hours,

careful now ,

Nick.

Exactly this. I now only observe the sun and the moon on a regular basis, and Jupiter, Saturn and Mars when they're visible from my garden.

However, this may change within the next six months as a potential (and likely) house move might allow DSO viewing again. Of course, that'll mean I have to buy a new telescope more suitable than my long 'fracs. So it's not all bad!

[bish]

Yes, I also moved from the top of a hill to a dip. The amount of air pollution was also more noticeable. Galaxies and nebula are my favourite thing but I don"t bother with those at all now. I do a bit of solar system and variable star observing. A couple of clear hours with bins at Kielder last year was a tonic. Hopefully get some clear sky up there this year.

[ScouseSpaceCadet]

Probably 99% of lighting here is LED, but there are more lights than before. The A57 which I live 50m from is lit up like Christmas. Luckily those lights don't directly affect me too much due to various houses, fencing and trees. However, the increased lighting overall has also increased sky brightness over the last ten years or so.

The most directly offensive LED street light in a cul de sac behind has, after a year of asking, a very effective shield in place which helps a lot. Badly installed and unnecessarily bright PIR LED security lighting is countered with a tarp shield.

Weather forecasting is definitely hit and miss. Although hasn't that always been the case? At least up here in the wet north west. The long range forecast for my Scottish break last week and for home was totally wrong... Temperatures were lower and the rain clouds more abundant!

Regarding targets. DSOs were given up on after the first year. From home I've managed one nebula besides Orion and five galaxies! Globulars are smudges of varying brightness. So to stay sane it's doubles, open clusters, lunar and planetary unless I'm away somehere bortle 4 or better.

Edited May 31, 2021 by ScouseSpaceCadet