United States Light Pollution

Tracy

Tracy

Dark Sky lover
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This just gives you an idea of how challenging it is, especially out on the east coast and a small segment of the west coast (California, we're talking about you) to find dark skies. There is a lot of light pollution in areas that you would think would be more "green" in their behavior.

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It's pitiful when you live in a town of around 17,000 and the nearest "big" city is about a 45 minute drive away (105,000) and when you check for the area you live in you find this

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No wonder my guide scope is having issues getting focused for me. Tonight it was bright enough to read outside... so just going to wait until the weather settles and the moon is not so bright and go down into the country to some friends land. It's in a Class 3 area so it should be easier to confirm in PHD2 that it's picking up stronger than what it was night before last.
The 2018 VIIRS gives that area a 0.46 that I'm going to go to.
 
Here is the mapping for the world's light pollution

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In addition to our local abnormally high light pollution, we have a thin haze of smoke in the upper atmosphere from the California wildfires.
Apparently it's already made it's way to the East Coast also, which presents viewing problems for most everyone now.

The smoke is being carried far & wide by the jet stream and there is a band of carbon monoxide that is also coming from the fire that goes to the east coast and splits southward towards Texas.

This is NASA's image of the smoke plume
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Have they converted the street lamps to LED there already? My understanding is that People who invested in LP filters are finding their expensive filters won't/don't work for the wavelength that LEDs emit.

I am however really impressed with all photons! Amazing little things!!!
 
OhNo said:
Have they converted the street lamps to LED there already? My understanding is that People who invested in LP filters are finding their expensive filters won't/don't work for the wavelength that LEDs emit.
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Not in my neck of the woods.. they still use (the government and most businesses) fluorescent and sodium based industrial lighting. There are a FEW places on our major loop that they have put up LED lights, but that is probably less than 5% of the installs in town. We do have some IDS recognized sites here in Texas.. mainly a few State Parks. I'm currently adding several IDS sites into the DB for KStars.... and plan on sending it to them - as well as making it available here for download.

Some of our larger surrounding cities are pushing LED, not so much because it's better... simply because it is cheaper. Most of the houses around me use LED now for exterior lighting. I had been contemplating an Optolong L-Pro... but at roughly $200 for the 2" (for the William Optics) and $150 for the 1.25" (add about $100 to that if you want the dual bandpass) I decided that I could hold off and put in the "kitty" towards one of the CEM40's or maybe an AM5.
 
There's money in AP, WE put it there!😉😂🤣
 
We put a lot of it there 🤣🤣😂😂😶
 
It's "nickel and dime" me to death... I am constantly finding more and more that I'd like (not necessarily need) for this stuff.
 
The rabbit hole is actually a Bottomless Pit!!!! But ONLY if you let it be. I have finally settled down and have 2 Cameras, and 2 AP appropriate scopes I use. Could they all be better, you bet ya. Getting the potential out of what you have pays dividends in the "Self-Worth" department....
 
I guess I'm in the perfect spot.

www.go-astronomy.com

Illinois Dark Sky Parks & Places | Bortle Light Pollution Map | GO ASTRONOMY

Find the best dark sky places in IL for stargazing and night-sky viewing. Light pollution maps, Bortle maps, and list of parks and IDS-certified locations.
www.go-astronomy.com www.go-astronomy.com

I live on the southeastern portion of southern Illinois (Metropolis) on the Ohio River across from Paducah, KY.

I'm always in the Shawnee National Forest portion.

Looks to be the best area for dark skies.

#RuralLiving :D
 
My uncle travels the US with his RV that he lives in. He’s been all over the country. I asked him awhile ago for his opinion on which state was the best for viewing stars. He told me hands down Oregon.
 
Nycguy76 said:
My uncle travels the US with his RV that he lives in. He’s been all over the country. I asked him awhile ago for his opinion on which state was the best for viewing stars. He told me hands down Oregon.
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Only problem with Oregon is it has a higher incidence of cloudy skies from what some that I know that used to live there have said.
Arizona, New Mexico and Nevada are probably amongst some of the better locations that have fewer cloud cover days and large swathes of land that isn't light polluted by larger cities and large open areas of land.
I have an IT associate that lives in Arkansas and he bought some land in New Mexico and erected a remote observatory on it and he's able to shoot very regularly. He laughs because he's got gigabytes of collected data, but he just hasn't taken the time into processing it. He has more fun doing the actual captures than getting the results.
 
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