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Light Pollution Map

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Re: Light Pollution Map

#151

Post by crazygringo »

tut-urut-utut wrote: post #25

It's not like nothing can be done about light pollution. For example Germany has a law about light pollution, and it shows on this map. It less polluted than its neighbours, although it has higher population density and urbanization level.

Germany doesn't seem appreciably better than France, looking at the map.

Peak levels are the same for Berlin as for Paris. The width of Paris's light pollution is wider, but it's also double the population of the metropolitan area.

And actually, rural areas of Germany seem consistently and significantly brighter (worse) than rural areas in France, across both countries.

Is there really a lot that can be done about light pollution? Isn't it mostly due to streetlights, which you want on for safety?

I mean, sure there are some metropolitan downtown areas with bright lighting of advertising, but that's very localized.

Is there really low-hanging fruit that cut could overall light pollution by, say, 50%, without impacting safety?

Re: Light Pollution Map

#152

Post by bb88 »

So it occurs to me that this map and other light pollution maps are estimated, not measured.

The town I live in is in a valley. Go north past the mountains and it gets very dark quickly. In fact, the light is blocked significantly that I don't have to go very far to get to a dark sky.

Re: Light Pollution Map

#153

Post by packetslave »

JoeAltmaier wrote: post #117
amoorthy wrote: post #70

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Wow amazing! I've been itching to show my kids the Milky Way. I myself have only seen it once in New Zealand decades ago. What is the minimum dark sky rating to be able to see it with the naked eye? I live in the Bay Area and I know there is Pigeon Point Lighthouse which is a dark sky spot but I think it's often cloudy. If anyone has better suggestions would be grateful to hear those.

Lick Observatory

Not open to non-professionals after dark except for a handful of "Photo Nights" each summer. If you drive up there after dark, you'll get yelled at (at a minimum) or they'll call the cops on you for trespassing.

Re: Light Pollution Map

#154

Post by technothrasher »

I took my boy to Botswana a couple years ago, coming from the bright red on that map of the East Coast of the US. The first night I told him to look up, and it was so much fun watching his mind get blown by what he saw.

Re: Light Pollution Map

#155

Post by macintux »

at_a_remove wrote: post #110
tut-urut-utut wrote: post #25

It's not like nothing can be done about light pollution. For example Germany has a law about light pollution, and it shows on this map. It less polluted than its neighbours, although it has higher population density and urbanization level.

Lord knows if I were emperor or whatever, I would have some fairly draconian laws on the books, with hefty fines, about so many light sources. I can walk around at night and read a paper books. It's easy. Some places, I feel like the going standard is "can someone perform open heart surgery on this stretch of road?" A lot of it is a race to the bottom -- look at my sign! Sure, my business is not open right now, but I…

I was driving down the highway at night a few years ago, before digital billboards were as common here. I saw one with a dark background that I was struggling to read, but then it transitioned to a different ad with a bright white background.

Instantly blinded. I was fortunate there weren’t a lot of cars around, because it took a few seconds to be able to see clearly again.

Re: Light Pollution Map

#156

Post by meristohm »

at_a_remove wrote: post #110
tut-urut-utut wrote: post #25

It's not like nothing can be done about light pollution. For example Germany has a law about light pollution, and it shows on this map. It less polluted than its neighbours, although it has higher population density and urbanization level.

Lord knows if I were emperor or whatever, I would have some fairly draconian laws on the books, with hefty fines, about so many light sources. I can walk around at night and read a paper books. It's easy. Some places, I feel like the going standard is "can someone perform open heart surgery on this stretch of road?" A lot of it is a race to the bottom -- look at my sign! Sure, my business is not open right now, but I…

Tucson, Arizona has laws to limit light pollution out of consideration for the nearby observatories. I remember bicycling along roads and the lights turning off intermittently. Great to be able to see the stars at night, though; I’d much rather that than lighting all the things.

Re: Light Pollution Map

#157

Post by malwarebytess »

Until the invention of the electric light every night humanity communed with the stars. There's no part of human mythology or history that hasn't been influenced by a human being looking at the night sky.

We have excised this from human experience and it is a fundamental mistake. Human beings evolved with the night sky and it is criminal that we no longer have the connection.

Re: Light Pollution Map

#158

Post by dawnerd »

macintux wrote: post #155
at_a_remove wrote: post #110

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Lord knows if I were emperor or whatever, I would have some fairly draconian laws on the books, with hefty fines, about so many light sources. I can walk around at night and read a paper books. It's easy. Some places, I feel like the going standard is "can someone perform open heart surgery on this stretch of road?" A lot of it is a race to the bottom -- look at my sign! Sure, my business is not open right now, but I…

I was driving down the highway at night a few years ago, before digital billboards were as common here. I saw one with a dark background that I was struggling to read, but then it transitioned to a different ad with a bright white background. Instantly blinded. I was fortunate there weren’t a lot of cars around, because it took a few seconds to be able to see clearly again.

I don't understand how digital billboards are legal. They're way too bright for night driving.

Re: Light Pollution Map

#160

Post by jakear »

jakear wrote: post #87
jakear wrote: post #65

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Neat! Any idea where on the Oregon coast would be the best place to watch? Hard to tell specifics from that map.

Answered my own question with the power of macOS preview. So the center of the outer band lies at around Newport, then continues to just south of Bend. Cross referencing with the dark sky map, your best bet on the coast is probably around Roosevelt Beach, though the Oregon Dunes and Dismal Swamp general area also holds promise (I have no idea how far out of the band you can be while still seeing it, they list Salem a…

Oops, update again: I called up the research institute and they informed me that the outer band is actually the line past which you cannot see the aurora, so in fact anywhere north of Newport should be good, the northernmore the better
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