Was the Sky really Darker Last Night or was it Me?

[Cygnus X-1]

Miracle 1: 100% cloud clover leaving Waterloo on the commute home last night. I looked out again 20 minutes later around Richmond Bridge to see clear sky and the receding edge of the cloud bank. Having just received a Telrad and a Hotech collimator I couldn't wait to get home to try them.

Miracle 2: Once dark I could see more stars from my back garden than I have ever seen before. Now I have only been observing since January. I live in the Thames Valley not a million miles away from where William Herschel used to live and my rear garden backs on to a school with floodlights. I therefore struggle with a lot of light pollution. I had resigned myself to not being able to see the Milky Way but could definatley make it out last night.

Now my question is was it especially dark last night or was it me???

My own thoughts are:

1 The school yard definately seems darker I think one of the lights are out (nothing to do with me).

2 I had a break over the middle of the Summer and all my observing since then has been done on moonlit nights.

3 There was very good transparency (although the seeing was rubbish).

4 After 9 months of keeping my eyes shut they have finally adjusted to the dark.

Anyway I hope it continues.

[FraserClarke]

I'm always amazed the difference good transparency makes to the sky brightness; less moisture/dust/etc in the air to reflect the light pollution.

Probably a combination of all four effects; but if it was just after a front moved through I'd put money on 3 being the leading cause...

[LukeSkywatcher]

The same thing happened a few weeks ago. Dozens of people here reported being able to see the Milky Way very clearly from their back gardens. I also saw it at the same time. It was like nothing i have ever seen from my garden before.

[BazMark]

Strangely enough, last night I could see the milky way from my back garden too. I could also see the double cluster in Perseus and the Andromeda galaxy without the aid of binocs. These views weren't as good as at my sister's place in N Wales last week but they were very apparent. I was quite taken aback as I've never been able to see these before form my back garden. I could also see more stars nearer the horizon. Perhaps it's down to the amount of rain we've had here over the last week or so clearing the atmosphere of reflective junk.

[jimmym123]

me and my bro was watching the taurids (i think thats the correct spelling) last night and it was fantastic. the milky way was very clear and we also spotted andromeda. i agree that the recent rainfall has affected how clear the night sky is. I just wish it was clear tonight as it was last night! Stupid cloud cover, cant even see jupiter

[shaunster]

Yes it was very clear sky last night

I could see maybe 200 stars but usually I can spot 100 maybe lol