Light pollution is one of my pet peeves, especially because I am an amateur astronomer. I can get past light pollution with filters when I'm at the telescope,but nothing beats being able to see the Milky Way. I was watching the Perseid meteor shower on Sunday and the Milky Way was so awesome around 3AM. I wish everyone would turn off their "security" lighting because the skies are not dark like they were when I was a kid. Night time used to be as dark as the inside of a cow. Also, trees and plants do not like night time lighting. A friend had a tree by a security light and that side of it was very thin. After she bought the house, she turned out the light and over the years, the tree has filled out. I read an article one time that said trees and other vegetation needs dark time to be able to rest just like people do.

When we moved to our house 12 years ago, I could go out on my deck and see so much..including the Milky Way. Over the years, so much building has been going on that we can no longer see the Milky Way and now only the brighter stars. I don't have a filter on my telescope (it's a relatively inexpensive one) so I am definitely affected by all the light pollution. I've tried to tell people that if you want security use motion detector lights...they're usually off and only come on if someone/something crosses the front of your house...

We are in Corolla on the oceanside this week and were able to view the Perseids quite well! Yes, many houses still had their security lights on (on all levels too!!!) but since there isn't much other light around when looking toward the ocean it wasn't too bad. My husband, who really isn't into stargazing was excited to actually see quite a few meteors--he even saw an Earthgrazer--which inspired him to sit with me for several hours that night! (I'm usually outside by myself!) Too bad we can't see much at home anymore.

I saw 2 earthgrazers here with big,blue tails on them. Like you, I never tire of watching the sky and usually go out every clear nite to see what's up. One nite I saw about 10 satellites in a 2 hour time frame, one of which was tumbling. A great pastime,especially with a glass of wine!! I just wish everyone would turn off their @%$#& lights.

People on ocean front should turn their ocean-side lights off during turtle hatching season. The hatchlings key in on moonlight reflected on the ocean to know which direction to head. Exterior lights can cause them to head for the dunes instead of the water.

At Sunset Beach they include the above info in the rental info one picks up with one's house keys.

I've also read that light pollution is one of the reasons some areas are losing their lightning bug (fire fly) populations. Too much light makes it hard for the critters to find a mate.

I miss the stars as well. When Fran came through years ago, and much of the state was without power...I saw stars I hadn't seen since I was a little girl. Even the Milky Way!

melanie

Hi, so glad to run into other stargazers. Light polution is getting worse all the time. I live on top of a mountain in the ARK Ozarks. I have a security light but it is controlled by a switch on my front porch,so i can injoy the night skys
I want my security light just for times i want to see whats going on outside because we have bears and copperheads. The movement lights would be going on all the time because of deer,and other critters.

I'm lookingforward to cold fronts comeing through to clear the atmosphere out.
vickie

I really miss the dark night skys of my youth (late 60Âs).
Even though I now live in a densely populated area, IÂm
looking for dark sky friendly lighting for my new home.

Here are some links:

International Dark-Sky Association
http://www.darksky.org/

Consumer Guide to
"Night Sky Friendly Lighing"
http://www.nmheritage.org/files/NightSky_Friendly_Lighting_Guide2.pdf

Starry Night Lights
http://www.starrynightlights.com/