Astrophotos Ruined

Only the brightest stars are left visible. This is Betelgeuse in Orion, which should look like this.

This beam spanned horizon to horizon making attempts at astrophotography futile.

Skyglow represents wasted $$ and energy - all due to ignorance.

Thanks for nothin' Willey Ford of Bountiful, Utah. This egregious example of light pollution prevents me from enjoying my hobby of astrophotography at my own house.

If you enjoy any of my astrophotos, or simply enjoy the stars please show your appreciation by learning about and preventing light pollution.

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Comments

lucycat says:

That's awful! Have you complained to Willey Ford? Organize all your friends to complain? I hope the beam is just temporary. I hate light pollution!
Posted 46 months ago. ( permalink )

makelessnoise says:

lucycat - yes, I visited them and spoke to the manager. It is a rented light through Saturday, so at least it is temporary - but I can't shoot til then without leaving town. Should anyone have the right to do that?
Posted 46 months ago. ( permalink )

jpstanley says:

Advertising searchlights should be illegal. Willey Ford doesn't own the sky and shouldn't be allowed to monopolize it.

I'm not looking forward to this fall. If it's like last year, a dozen stupid corn mazes and haunted houses will blare their searchlights into the sky, and I'll have to drive out into the sticks to enjoy the stars...
Posted 46 months ago. ( permalink )

*hb19 says:

Thanks for sharing & posting your concern about light pollution, I live in the high desert & can see the effects of that from the nearby city.
Posted 46 months ago. ( permalink )

AdamPSc says:

The fact you are in a city and can see stars must be nice. I live in Toronto and I don't see stars much at all. Even at the cottage (220km north) the light polution is creeping.
Posted 45 months ago. ( permalink )

makelessnoise says:

Adam: I'm sorry to hear that. The worst part is that it is totally unnecessary to point lights up! It is utterly wasted. Why why why?

Have you considered contacting local lawmakers to develop good lighting practices?
Posted 45 months ago. ( permalink )

Steve Webel says:

why? because some people find it beautiful or interesting, just like you find the stars to be beautiful or interesting. What makes your 'opinion' the right one and the guy who likes the lights in the sky the wrong one?
Posted 44 months ago. ( permalink )

makelessnoise says:

Because the skies don't belong to you. They don't belong to me. Should I be allowed to shine light anywhere I want? How about a searchlight into your bedroom window? Should that be allowed? Were you aware that animals and insects are harmed and confused by uplighting? Estimates are that 1 billion birds a year die flying into brightly lit skyscrapers.

But hey, someone's of the opinion that that's beautiful, then it's okay, right?
Posted 44 months ago. ( permalink )

Space Ritual says:

I'd be out there with my "l'il bastard slingshot"
Posted 42 months ago. ( permalink )

nebarnix says:

And people will fight tooth and nail for the right to waste light. Pisses me off so much.

--
Seen in your The Skies set. (?)
Posted 38 months ago. ( permalink )

noprayer4dying says:

Hi, this is an extraordinary dark photo
And you are invited to join I LOVE DARK PHOTOS
I LOVE DARK PHOTOS is a truly dedicated
group for the picture taken in low lights.

Posted 21 months ago. ( permalink )

kiwajima says:

wow. so sorry. I lived in bountiful for a year and it felt a struggle, for as pretty as it was. the police would follow any car that drove up the mountain at night. got pulled over for a license plate light, being out. and a registered rave got... completely busted.... with no seeming listening to reason. that town made me afraid of the justice system I used to believe was ideal.
Posted 18 months ago. ( permalink )

Tha Bizness says:

How much money do you think we spend to light up the night? How many millions of dollars will this country loose to bad mortgages and lights pointed up!?!?
Posted 14 months ago. ( permalink )

makelessnoise says:

Estimates are around $1B annually, or $2.7M every night in America, gets wasted on misdirected illumination.
Posted 14 months ago. ( permalink )

Space Ritual says:

Posted 14 months ago. ( permalink )

J Cordes says:

I'm stuck in the city of SF... Anyone organizing any starparties out of town?

We should start a group... "LIGHTS OUT!" and organize these lights out nights. It could catch on and save...

The main reason for lights at night are for intruders... Not the backyards!!! ...You wouldn't need a red lamp in the field if the stars lit everything... shoot nice portraits from only the moonlight...ect... Who's in?
Posted 10 months ago. ( permalink )

J Cordes says:

I t probably already exists but if there aren't any groups like this, we should start! With enough pull, we could shut off some switches in our towns for a few hours...

With all the infrared security cams, renegades and regulators like me in this world, we should be safe in the dark for a few hours...

These organizations could also bring some peoples fear of darkness down to the realization that there is no such thing as darkness in the clear night sky at this very short point in time...
Posted 10 months ago. ( permalink )

makelessnoise says:

Jonny - Indeed there is a light pollution group. Please join! There are so many good solutions for reducing light pollution, too. If we simply shined light down instead of up or sideways, we could have both stars and adequate outdoor lighting.

The biggest problem? Convincing people to light differently. Thanks for commenting.
Posted 10 months ago. ( permalink )

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Astrophotos Ruined

Comments

lucycat says:

makelessnoise says:

jpstanley says:

*hb19 says:

AdamPSc says:

makelessnoise says:

Steve Webel says:

makelessnoise says:

Space Ritual says:

nebarnix says:

noprayer4dying says:

kiwajima says:

Tha Bizness says:

makelessnoise says:

Space Ritual says:

J Cordes says:

J Cordes says:

makelessnoise says:

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