Bl**dy Great Search lights !!!!

[beamish]

Sorry to harp on BUT, on far more than just the odd occasion I've found myself going outside to find a dark(ish) clear night, perfect for setting up only to find that there is a blumming great sweeping search light beam emminating from Leeds City Centre. Now although it doesn't appear to impact too much with regard to imaging( using a filter) it certainly is very annoying when it comes to observing.

Is there anyone else out there that has seen it/bothered by it or even knows where it's coming from....I'm guessing a night club or some such. I just don't see the point of it.... "ooh I know lets go to that place with the search lights !" doesn't really sit well does it?

Does it need planning permission? If it does and has, can anything be done about it ? It appears to be working every Friday Sat and now Sun too.

a seriously pi**ed off Karlo- "I hate Leeds City Council"

[ashenlight]

beamish, I'm not from Leeds - I'm a Cardiff girl - but I can certainly sympathize with you. My garden faces south - perfect for observing, you may think. But it also has sweeping views of the city centre - marvelous in the day, but a right old nuisance in the night. I can confirm that your search light probably comes from a night club - the one that lights up my otherwise perfect horizon comes from a nightclub in the Cardiff city centre. I don't see the point of it either - it's a nuisance if you don't know what it is for, and if you do, surely you don't need a search light to get there! Unless, of course, you are that inebriated.

I hope you can find out who to get on about this, I really do feel your pain! Hopefully a fellow Leeds astronomer can help you out. Just thought I'd post for some well earned sympathy! I am making you a virtual cup of tea!

Amanda

[michaelmorris]

A while ago a court ruled that skybeams as they are known on nightclubs constitute advertising and hence require planning permission.

I complained to my local council (Worcester) about a skybeam. They quickly identified that it was coming from the roof of a local Nightclub. The local council told them to turn it off immediately and that if they wanted to use it to apply for planning permission. (I gather it was made pretty clear to them that they would be wasting the application fee because there was no way they would get planning permission for it). I also wrote to my local MP (Michael Foster) who also spoke to the council.

I know it's not very hip to praise politicians and government officials, but I have to say that my local MP and local council have both been very supportive of several local light pollution issues and support for UK astronomy. Well done.

[beamish]

I've rec'd an interesting email from a former member of UKAI suggesting it comes from the casino in Leeds. I've just written to a contact from CfDS based here in leeds to see if he can shed any light (sorry ) on the matter and whether he could offer help/advice re having it removed.

Karlo

[m.tweedy]

Hello Karlo

I have attached some links relating to the legislation regarding Light Pollution

Why Cant we Make a sticky of the relevant sites as this topic comes up regularly.

http://www.britastro.org/dark-skies/pdfs/ile.pdf

How to deal with light nuisance

Light Pollution and the Law

Good luck-it would appear that they are acting unlawfully.

Michael

[Beulah]

Hello Karlo

I have attached some links relating to the legislation regarding Light Pollution

Why Cant we Make a sticky of the relevant sites as this topic comes up regularly.

http://www.britastro.org/dark-skies/pdfs/ile.pdf

How to deal with light nuisance

Light Pollution and the Law

Good luck-it would appear that they are acting unlawfully.

Michael

Definetely - light pollution is a real issue. Even in my pre-telescope days (but studying the night sky nonetheless), I have always been bothered by extraneous light at night time.