I’ve spent my entire stargazing experience (2 months and bio’s) in the city where I can make out most of the constellations.

Last night I drove down to Moone in Kildare where my brother lives in middle of no where. The sky was very clear and the Milky Way was prominent, it was quite amazing.

My problem was it took me ages to find half the constellations because of the mass of stars which I can’t see from the city.

I would safely say it’s much easer for a beginner to learn the night sky in the city rather than in light pollution free sky’s.

It’s almost like the light pollution filters the sky and only leaves the constellations.

Does anyone share my view?

I suppose you have a poin there, but as your interest in the hobby grows, light pollution would surely be a limiting factor, and it probaly would put a lot of people off, that's just my view. I grew up in a city, now live in super dark skies at might in the countrysode, when I go for a visit back home, the night sky is very poor.

Keith..

I suppose you have a poin there, but as your interest in the hobby grows, light pollution would surely be a limiting factor, and it probaly would put a lot of people off, that's just my view. I grew up in a city, now live in super dark skies at might in the countrysode, when I go for a visit back home, the night sky is very poor.

Keith..

Hi Crescent.
An interesting question.

''Can light pollution be a good thing?''

My answer...
A humongous an rather shrill sounding 'NOOOOOOooooo!'



Here's why I say so...

It's all got to do with what you are used to...
If you had never seen the sky light polluted you would just
accept it (in all it's starry glory) for what it is and learn the stars and constellation regardless.

I have found though in certain places (eg Mt Parnon in Greece or The Burren on a good night)
that the sheer amount of stars visible does indeed make it difficult to make out
the constellations...
but what a problem to have!!!!




I used to be able to put up with the odd street light here or there but
now I can't really be happy unless I am miles away from a town,
(aside from observing the planets or Moon of course)

I reckon if you stick with it you may feel the same in time.

I think Franks explanation hits the nail on the head, Crescent. I know what you mean, mind you, from when I lived in Maynooth. During my NUIM days, when we used to (sometimes) bring out our instruments onto the playing pitch (this is during the Astro 2 days), the light pollution only allowed us to see pretty much what you saw. It was easy to point out to newbies the major constellations of interest because of that. I can only wonder if they would have had the same thoughts as you...

Seanie.

Crescent wrote:

Does anyone share my view?

No. Wear sunglasses observing in dark areas in future.

Talk about making the best of a bad situation.
I do see your point, but it's seriously offset by the immense list of what you are not able to see under heavy light pollution.

...going to prison can saves you YEARS of a mortgage...

I can see where you’re all coming from.

The andromeda galaxy nearly took up the full view of the binoculars instead of the bare smudge I normally see, the Orion Nebula was way more impressive than the bare smudge I normally see and the Triangulnm galaxy which normally I think I can see was definitely a smudge.

So yes, dark sky’s are better but I still think if you are starting off from scratch, city sky’s are better.

Another thing I saw in my hour down in Moone was about 7 (ignorance is bliss so sorry for this) shooting stars. I have only ever seen about 3 of them in my whole life.
They all seamed to be traveling south to north but in the west.

Is that normal?

In the main light pollution is a scourge for astronomy work.
However on occasion it can be to your advantage.
I took this image of Sirius last February in the early hours of the morning looking towards Wexford town.
That is light pollution in a nice way...

www.flickr.com/photos/51993400@N08/4792668105/

Dublinskywatch wrote:

In the main light pollution is a scourge for astronomy work.
However on occasion it can be to your advantage.
I took this image of Sirius last February in the early hours of the morning looking towards Wexford town.
That is light pollution in a nice way...

www.flickr.com/photos/51993400@N08/4792668105/

Sorry but what is good about light pollution in any form if you ask me it kills your image. I've enjoyed looking at your images over the last few days.

Sky glow is killing our hobby and no one give a rats ass about it only us astronomers. The technology is there to reduce light pollution by as much as 80% but the Irish government has no interest as far as I can see. The county council can help up to a point but there hands are tide. I have spoke to them a lot about this matter and the money is just not there anymore. light pollution has not only an impact on astronomy but look at the impact on the environment and the wildlife in this country it's time for a change but no one is listing to us and it gets right up my nose. I would love to meet John Gormley and ask him why the government don't want to save a few hundred million a year on energy bills help the environment and the wildlife and of course reduce light pollution.Is that not his job for god sake the whole thing just makes me sick to the bones.

Carl O'Beirnes,
Balbriggan Observatory (MPC# J09),
Co Dublin,
Ireland.

I don't disagree with what you say Carl at all.
I have had my own inter actions with the local council as well and I am quite sure that they are aware just how wasteful the situation is also.

I have lost many a good nights imaging to sky glow to my South which is the city and to my north which is the Airport. So I do agree with what you say. This was the same image only I converted it to greyscale.

www.flickr.com/photos/51993400@N08/4793868580/sizes/l/

Dublinskywatch wrote:

I don't disagree with what you say Carl at all.
I have had my own inter actions with the local council as well and I am quite sure that they are aware just how wasteful the situation is also.

I have lost many a good nights imaging to sky glow to my South which is the city and to my north which is the Airport. So I do agree with what you say. This was the same image only I converted it to greyscale.

www.flickr.com/photos/51993400@N08/4793868580/sizes/l/

Hi all,

The thing about reducing light pollution is the cost involved in changing the setup for the government and the tax payer it would cost millions to implement. But on the other hand it would save hundreds of millions each year on energy bills. But our government don't like good ideas. Do you remember E voting that went very well at a cost of millions and now just sitting in a warehouse somewhere. We all remember the millennium clock another few mill down the drain enough said I could go on but what is the point. I see some countries in europe trying to make changes on light pollution laws but I don't think Ireland ever will unfortunately.

Carl O'Beirnes,
Balbriggan Observatory (MPC# J09),
Co Dublin,
Ireland.

Maybe not but lets keep banging away.
It'll be much harder now the arse has fallen out of the economy
to get them to 'replace' lighting...
eg..
spend money to save it.

Not with one budget upcoming...
and the second one in an election year.

No folks.
Whatever LP crap you have to deal with now the only thing you can
hope for is for your local councill to become so underfunded that
they cant get the money to pay for replacemnet bulbs when they blow.
And hey! It's working for me!!
My South aspect is now better as the lamp blew its light some weeks
ago but has not been replaced yet.
In fact 2 other lights out our front
( by the way I have a double whammy of a main road OUTSIDE our
estate that has more lights (albethem FCO's)
Are blown.
So maybe in some respects the slump in funding is a good thing...
LOL

Crescent wrote:

My problem was it took me ages to find half the constellations because of the mass of stars which I can’t see from the city.

I had the opposite problem. I grew up in the country and the skies were pretty good. I was easily able to point out most of the constellations, but when I moved to Dublin I was lost. The constellations looked completely different and I could not longer pick them all out due to the "missing" stars.

The thing that makes me laugh is that the minister for the environment office in Dublin is the worst offender for light pollution in the city A photo from space proved that. And he was sitting in the audience when he was told.