When I was a kid in Perth Australia, the city would turn off all street lights around 1 am - early 70's. The result was you could see the night sky the equivalent of travelling over 100km away into rural areas these days.
When comet Kohoutek came by in 1973, I was able to see it in spectacular fashion just standing in the street in front of my house, which was only 100m from a major hwy.
Imagine the CO2 reduction if all cities and towns across the globe did this? Also the taxpayer funds that would be saved!
Every time I see pictures like that, I wish I didn't live near an airport. I can make out Orion on a good night (Betelgeuse, blow up already, will ya?) and a few planets.... That's about it.
Children in the future will not experience the wonders of the night sky. I take this very seriously. Let’s just say a realtor & I butted heads over a HUGE mercury light he installed, across from a campground. It totally obliterated the night sky. More to the story than I can share here. Very sad 😞
Aww,absolutely adorable bless you and thank you so much for sharing your posts, I hope you're having a lovely Winter Solstice and warmest wishes to you for Yule blessings of peace, love and happiness, good luck and good fortune follow you too, I hope you have a lovely time, blessed be ❤️ 🎅🌚🎄🧚♀️❄️😘...
Even small towns wash out the night sky.
Out here in the woods it's almost a Spiritual experience to see ALL the stars. Some cloudless nights it feels like you could reach out and touch them.
I grew up in Manhattan. When I was a kid we could see the stars. Everyone everywhere stood outside one night to watch Sputnik traverse the sky. In Manhattan.
I took some photos of comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS,and multiple images were spoilt by starlink streaks. Even worse, they plan to vastly increase the number to 45,000 or so, and China Russia and others are also planning their own starling competitors with similar numbers.
The first time I camped out in the desert, I used no tent but spread my sleeping bag out in the bed of the truck so I could lie on my back and watch that crystal clear amazing sky. You can;t imagine how different and wonderous it is away from light pollution.
I mis the night sky from when I taught in remote Alaska. I would just lay in the snow at night and stare at the sky. My students couldn't understand. They'd ask, "Don't you have stars back home?" I'd say, "Not like this." Gave a lesson on light pollution.
One of my favorite stories is when LA had a citywide blackout in 1994 people were calling the police cause they were seeing something weird in the sky.
It was the milky way. They were seeing the milky way for the first time in their lives
I live near the LA Harbor. It’s very busy and it’s very well lit. I can only see one or two stars at night. So I’ve got the NASA app. It’s not the same but I do get to see amazing photos.
I live on the Big Island and country codes regulate the lighting for the island because of the observatories on Mauna Kea. It’s so dark on moonless nights the entire sky pops and is so beautiful.
Yes it is. Speaking of junk, our beautiful planet is surrounded by space junk. Everything that has been launch into space is still orbiting the planet. It is becoming increasing dangerous as Even the smallest satellites go at lethal speeds. And Musk is planning on sending 4,000 more satellites.
Thank you, I'll make note of that!
I live next to Yellowstone And Grand Teton National Parks, Dark Sky Places. The problem we have is satelites like starlink zipping across the sky whilst we're trying to make an exposure.
Wherever those photos are, I want to go there, I wanna be able to see that many stars and the Milky Way, even if the photos are photoshopped, I still wanna see a lot more stars, cause I live in a light polluted area, so I hardly ever get to see a bunch of stars
Developing countries, indigenous off-grid communities, islanders, rural areas...without satellites they're cut off entirely from the vast resources available on the internet.
So I'm ok with satellites, though I agree that they detract from the beauty of the night sky. Paint them matte black?🙂
Comments
Imagine the CO2 reduction if all cities and towns across the globe did this? Also the taxpayer funds that would be saved!
Out here in the woods it's almost a Spiritual experience to see ALL the stars. Some cloudless nights it feels like you could reach out and touch them.
It was the milky way. They were seeing the milky way for the first time in their lives
I was fortunate enough to grew up in the country where we could still watch the Milky Way and count the stars.
Since in summer it was hot we used to sleep on the roof and all this splendour was on display.
I did had a telescope in UK.
It is beautiful to see Jupiter with 4 moons.
ICE
You could try Light Pollution Map - Dark Sky (from the Play Store).
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.pa.lightpollutionmap&hl=en
I live next to Yellowstone And Grand Teton National Parks, Dark Sky Places. The problem we have is satelites like starlink zipping across the sky whilst we're trying to make an exposure.
I am so sad thinking of children growing up with the sky a blank canvas instead of a window into the wonders of the Universe.
Y'all PLEASE turn off your exterior lights and use motion sensor lighting!
So I'm ok with satellites, though I agree that they detract from the beauty of the night sky. Paint them matte black?🙂
https://parks.canada.ca/pn-np/ab/jasper/gestion-management/designation/cieletoile-darksky