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Hello from Walsall

Astromart

By Astromart
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Astromart

Astromart

Posted
Posted

Hi all,

Ive always had an interest in looking up into the night sky & being amazed at its splendor. I watched with child like enthusiasm the 'stargazing live' show at the start of Jan & decided to take it a little more serious. So I sold my motorbike (which was in bits & in the garage - winter project) and decided to buy some 'giant bins'. Ive just bought a pair of Nipon 10X50's to get me started & familiar with whats goin' on up there. With only a few clear nights in the Midlands I havent been able to do much, but when I was able to get outside the bins performed well. Orion looked great & bright and had a faint glimpse of M31. Im hoping for better views latter in Feb. My garden suffers with light pollution - its not very long & has a very bright streetlight at the end of it !!!! Any ideas (non violent) how I can reduce the brightness would be appreciated. The forum is a great source of info/advise & I'll hopefully be putting some input into some of the threads.

Things are looking up ...... Astromart

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haitch

haitch

Posted
Posted

Black spray paint and a ladder? :)

Got to say the street lights around the Walsall area are no joke - high pressure sodium (supposed to be reserved for us in town centres) and no deflectors anywhere! I've got the M6 Toll 1/2 a mile away over the back of me too and, although they use high pressure sodium on there, they are much better because they are properly shielded and only shine the light downwards.

Tried complaining to the WMBC about the ones in my street several times but have heard nothing back. I think I'll have to elevate it and call in favours from any old friends still remaining from my days working there.

The best solution is to leave the worst of the light pollution behind - I occasionally try to get together in Cosford with some other Black Country stargazers off here (a kind farmer lets us on his land). It takes me 25 mins from B'hills up the A5 to Cannock then a few junctions up the M54.

What part of Walsall are you in? - Have you visited Walsall Astronomy Society? (Based at Rushall FC.)

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michael.h.f.wilkinson

michael.h.f.wilkinson

Posted
Posted

Welcome to SGL. I would try to get a scope that is easily transported in a car, and quick to set up. Getting out of town is the best way to avoid light pollution. An alternative is to get an interference filter called a light pollution reduction filter, or an ultra-high contrast (UHC) filter. In the case of high-pressure sodium they may not be sufficient.

Best of luck with the light pollution

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glowjet

glowjet

Posted
Posted

Hi Astromart, a warm welcome to the SGL forum, you might try a light shield, with bins I use my reclining camping chair, which I surround with 4x 6 foot poles onto which black polythene is attached, it does not stop the general pollution in the sky, but it does help dark adaption as it blocks the glare from nearby street lamps, which I can see from my garden, its then an easy job to roll it up and store it away in the roof of the garage.

John.

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todd8137

todd8137

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Posted

hi and welcome ,i have a street light about 50 feet from my house to my east which kills my views of saturn when she is low i usally put a plastic blacl sheet up (6.99 from any diy shop 20feet x40 feet) between to poles which makes my garden totaly black but the light is still there but not on my garden what a pain it can be some times

pat

clear skies always

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MorningMajor

MorningMajor

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Posted

Hi and welcome to SGL - LP is a real problem, I've got a streetlight overlooking my garden and my neighbour went out a put black tape around the upper edge to stop the light coming off at 90 degrees and it's made a huge difference - not perfect, but a lot better

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