Southern England dark sites?

[Froeng]

It is indeed a very nice area. Whilst the lightpollution is better than in London, the problem is we have ALL of London in our southerly aspect. So anything below 0 deg DEC is a struggle when it crosses or is near to the meridian…

But I can see the summer milkyway - VERY faintly - from zenith to about mid-Cygnus. It is not overwhelming or structured, but a very faint haze naked eye.

[carastro]

Quote

I've lived at my current B6 place for 4 years and had forgotten how few stars can be seen from central London. I recently went back to see my parents and could barely see any other than Vega and Deneb etc..

I can't imagine how anyone does astrophotography from a city centre

I don't live too far from you in Bromley, but I think Biggin Hill is better than Bromley.  Talking about stepping outside and not seeing much.  There are some nights when I step outside and I can't see anything in the sky until I get a little more dark adapted, I at first don't know if it is cloudy of not because I can;t see anything.  If it's clear, then eventually some of the brighter stars will come into view - it's that bad!!!!

I do do imaging from Bromley, but can only do the brighter stuff with narrowband filters.

Carole  

[Concordia000]

3 hours ago, Froeng said:

It is indeed a very nice area. Whilst the lightpollution is better than in London, the problem is we have ALL of London in our southerly aspect. So anything below 0 deg DEC is a struggle when it crosses or is near to the meridian…

But I can see the summer milkyway - VERY faintly - from zenith to about mid-Cygnus. It is not overwhelming or structured, but a very faint haze naked eye.

Anything better than London I take that as a W since I am planning to go narrowband anyways…

[MKHACHFE]

11 hours ago, carastro said:

I don't live too far from you in Bromley, but I think Biggin Hill is better than Bromley.  Talking about stepping outside and not seeing much.  There are some nights when I step outside and I can't see anything in the sky until I get a little more dark adapted, I at first don't know if it is cloudy of not because I can;t see anything.  If it's clear, then eventually some of the brighter stars will come into view - it's that bad!!!!

I do do imaging from Bromley, but can only do the brighter stuff with narrowband filters.

Carole  

Yeah, there is a very big difference between Bromley and Biggin hill. And if one drives 5-10 minutes from here towards the countryside of Kent, it's even better. Certainly not dark site levels, but it's interesting what a difference a few miles can make.

I can very very occasionally see a HINT of the milky way from my garden. Maybe a handful of times a year. 

[UKDiver]

14 hours ago, Concordia000 said:

I visited a few weeks ago and I liked it. It’s more expensive than one of the other place I was thinking of (Reading) though…

Reading. Hmm. I suppose it's about what you're used to.  I refused (late 90s) to move there with a previous employer as I could not afford Reading and what I could afford was commuter build and small in Yate or Chippenham. Is the LP in Reading that much better?

[Concordia000]

1 hour ago, UKDiver said:

Reading. Hmm. I suppose it's about what you're used to.  I refused (late 90s) to move there with a previous employer as I could not afford Reading and what I could afford was commuter build and small in Yate or Chippenham. Is the LP in Reading that much better?

I mean, Reading is apparently maxed out at B7 compared to London’s B8-9, so it’s slightly better.

The bigger reason to move there would be the cheaper rent which means I would be able to get a larger place/a place with garden more easily.

It is harder to commute from than St Albans though…

[UKDiver]

6 minutes ago, Concordia000 said:

I mean, Reading is apparently maxed out at B7 compared to London’s B8-9, so it’s slightly better.

The bigger reason to move there would be the cheaper rent which means I would be able to get a larger place/a place with garden more easily.

It is harder to commute from than St Albans though…

No idea of the St Albans bit, but I imagine you'd be paying £5k (after tax etc.) a year for the pleasure of standing on a packed train from Reading. How much would you be able to work from home?

[Concordia000]

6 hours ago, UKDiver said:

No idea of the St Albans bit, but I imagine you'd be paying £5k (after tax etc.) a year for the pleasure of standing on a packed train from Reading. How much would you be able to work from home?

It will be like one day every week where I have to go to the London office.

My company has another office in Reading which I can use if I don’t have to meet my London colleagues in person.