Hi

My neighbour across the back has one of those annoying security lights that seems to light me up more than his back garden, what also annoys me that there is a streetlight that is equidistant between us, about 10 metres away, and if it lights up my back garden as much as it does, then it must do the same to his. I dropped round over the weekend to ask if he could point it towards the ground and got the bum's rush.

Last night, it came on a number of times blinding me. At the end of the night I was packing my gear away, I could see into the back of their house, where they watch televison, when I packed the gear away I got my Celestron powertank and turned on the powerful torch, and shone it in through his window, there are no curtains. I did this a number of times and he came out to see what it was, I waved to him and went inside.

Okay, I know it's a little childish, but it might give him the experience of having a powerful light shining in on him in an annoying manner. I haven't seen him yet, but if he says nothing I'll keep doing it until he confronts me and then I might get that light moved.

Can anyone suggest something else before it descends even further into farce?

Can anyone suggest something else before it descends even further into farce?

Patience may be a virtue but ..... get a sling-shot!

Paul, best thing to do is this, now that it is good weather, and the moon is great now, stand outside on your front raodside with binoculars if you have them near his house. If he catches your attention, ask him to have a look and explain that you can only see it form the front as your backgarden is unsuitable because of 'the light'.

He may them appreciate what you are trying to do. I had this prblem myself once, and diplomacy is the only way :!: anything else will p@£$ him off and he'll be likely to leave that damned light on all the time...

Keith..

Yeah.
Be diplomatic.
It's unfortunate he's not a sound guy.
Most people are nice and will help you out I find, but you
will always get one ape.

Don't rattle his cage.
It'll just make him more apish.

If communication has totally broken down
think about building a light shield.

It was discussed on these boards before and
I saw some good designs.
It's something I intend to build myself one of the days.

As the others have said - be diplomatic. Invite them in to observe some event (eg. mars opposition). You stand to get better observing and he stands to get better security by having the light aimed downwards. Eg. you are out there at night and if you are blinded by the light then you wouldn't see anyone breaking in! You might be able to if it was directed downwards at a lower wattage.

Having a copy of the ILE Domestic Security Lighting Guidelines printed and ready to give them may also help!

Her's the light shield Frank talked about, mine is not as wide, but goes a long way in helping look at the night sky :idea:

www.cloudynights.com/item.php?item_id=556

Keith..

Gather as much literature as you can about the light pollution problem and post it to him.
Might have an effect.

Get a balloon and fill it with black paint and throw it at the light. If he whines get another one and throw it at him.

I have a neighbour with a "security" light that switches itself on and off at the whim of some sociopathic electronic device. When it lights up it can probably be seen from Jupiter.

It's probably about 2000 watts. I hope he can't afford the ESB bill.

it might give him the experience of having a powerful light shining in on him in an annoying manner. I haven't seen him yet, but if he says nothing I'll keep doing it until he confronts me and then I might get that light moved

Not sure what else you can do besides try talking to him again, all he has to do is point it down, explain what this is import to you and even suggest you can give him a hand at it as only you know what you want. In his mind it might be a big deal, tell him its very simple.

Short of that go sneak into his back some night and cut the power to the light, most electricians don't do a good job of concealing the cable, just make sure you cut through the blue one!


I suggest this in gest, don't blame me if you get cought and arrested.

I suggest this in gest, don't blame me if you get cought and arrested.

Or electrocuted.

Seriously, we all have to contend with light pollution to different degrees. I have a near by football field who train a couple of nights a week - so I have to wait till after 10pm. My neighbour behind me installed a sodium light high on the rear of his house last year, so i have let a privit hedge grow higher at the end of my garden....but, the winds of change are upon us. I have read that there is now a growing awareness of light pollution and I would not be surprised if legislation appeared to curb some excessive night time light. As some of the articles commenting on this matter have said - probably more a question of energy conservation, than improving the life of the astronomer. Either way "the future looks dark".....hopefully

declan

Get a balloon and fill it with black paint and throw it at the light. If he whines get another one and throw it at him

I can already see the tabloid headlines:

"Berserk Astronomer sentenced for vandalism and attempted grevious bodily harm."

This is NOT the way to go.

I think of all the suggestions to find a solution the best is to invite the gentleman over to see your set-up .......in almost every case, diplomacy is the best route.....only then should you perpetrate a random act of senseless kindness - and send him an invitation to come over for dinner

Rather than go around to my neighbour...............i think i'm just gonna hammer a small sheet of ply wood to my wall to block out his light.

If he has an issue with it he is welcome to come to me about it............at which time i will explain my reasons.

Call me chicken.

Rather than go around to my neighbour...............i think i'm just gonna hammer a small sheet of ply wood to my wall to block out his light.
If he has an issue with it he is welcome to come to me about it............at which time i will explain my reasons.
Call me chicken.

you know, this isnt a mad idea at all, if they dont like it let them call to your door and complain about it!

Paul,
Just make the 'light shield' as big and as ugly as you can,
make it so when he looks out his window it p's him off.
As long as its on your property there is 0 he can do about it.
If it were me I'd go OTT on it and make it totally obvious as
to what it was for.
If he came to me about it I'd quite calmly tell him if he angled
the light down then the shield would come down and everyone wins.

Paul,
Just make the 'light shield' as big and as ugly as you can,
make it so when he looks out his window it p's him off.
As long as its on your property there is 0 he can do about it.
If it were me I'd go OTT on it and make it totally obvious as
to what it was for.
If he came to me about it I'd quite calmly tell him if he angled
the light down then the shield would come down and everyone wins.
If he thinks he has the 'right' to flood your back garden with unwanted light
then you equally have the 'right' to block it out.
Other than that I'd get on to your local council and see have they any
suggestions, maybe get them to check out are there any laws
you can use in your favor.
(know any solicitors?)

In fact,
I've seen this crop up quite a few times on this forum and
I wonder is there anyone here that might know the law?

I've seen this crop up quite a few times on this forum and
I wonder is there anyone here that might know the law?

Albert White is the man to talk to on this issue - he's away accepting his MSc in Astronomy from Swinburne in Oz at the moment - Go Al!!

The gap in my evergreens is big enough to draw his/her attention to the ply wood shield i plan to erect (on my side of the wall).

As i said "IF he/she has a problem with the plywood..............let them come to me about it" and then i will explain why i did it and maybe then he will point his light downwards.

Costs next to nothing for me to do it.

Paul,
Just make the 'light shield' as big and as ugly as you can,
make it so when he looks out his window it p's him off.

yea, get some green luminous paint and write on it
"turn off you damn light!!" :twisted:

Mightn't be a bad idea to drop a copy of the article in March's Sky at Night on light pollution and the "environmental" and economic reasons for reducing it into the offenders letterbox.

I've tried the gentle approach. It usually doesn't work, but the "take no prisoners" approach never does, especially when you own and may have to put up with that neighbor for decades. Unless you have Neighborhood Nuclear Superiority youtube.com/watch?v=0rLahdNAUks

If the friendly approach fails, rather than hit the neighbor with the obvious 1 million candlepower torch, why not let a tiny bit of stray red light (laser pen) trespass onto his property, specifically onto the daylight sensor of his insecurity light? It worked on those ugly mercury vapor garage lights (so I'm told The light took 10 minutes to warm up again after illumination, a continuous beam could keep it off indefinitely. If you're really subtle, he'll eventually tired of replacing the "blown" bulbs.

I'm seeing light pollution encroach from all fronts. The badly aimed school and sailing club "security" lights make it all the easier for the lads to aim their rocks and practice graffiti cursive. The Tesco distribution center wiped out what was, until 2 years ago, a good northern sky over the upper Broadmeadows estuary, To the west its another new 500W halogen glare light fitted to set off the neighborhood dogs barking whenever a blowing leaf interrupts the motion sensor. To the east a neighbor built a new 500k house on a side garden and fitted it with halogen lights which illuminate the underside of his eves, his driveway, the underside of some palmetto shrubs and my garden. I have less lights in my living room than he has outside and I'm using CF (11W) and LED (1.6W ) where he is using halogen 40W bulbs).

I also like the ugly light shelter idea, but its too windy here and our walls prevent it from being unsightly enough to be noticed by a neighbor who thinks roof line and palmetto lights are aesthetically pleasing forms of artistic expression.

Sounds like you've got it tough.
Maybe this new "Gormley" deal will go through and ban the sale of halogen bulbs. That would be a step in the right direction, though its causing a storm at the moment. They could at least ban the sale of 500W, 300W etc halogens to the domestic market.

I have decided that the least hostile approach is to print up the leaflet from Albert about home security lighting and give it to my local residence association to distribute in their monthly newsletter.

BTW...............i voted for the 1st time in my life in the last election and i voted GREEN.

I'm kinda starting to regret that vote.