Serious Home Observatories

peatbakke writes: "Here's an interesting article about the affordability of backyard observatories. Rich kids get all the fun at the moment, but it's getting better." Getting away from city lights may be the hardest part, though.

Comments

Re:Dark Sky

[Kymermosst]

The point the society is trying to make is that 50%-70% of the light from outdoor lighting is wasted (points to the sky, not the ground). This causes light pollution and doubles electricity bills. Their solution has been to design alternate lighting fixtures that fit ordinary light poles.

And rather than using education to accomplish their goals, they prefer to buy off local city and county council members to enact stupid light-ordinances, so that now, in my area, not only can lights not shine into the sky, they also can't have direct rays on your neighbor's property, nor can you get waivers for security lighting. Of course, none of the ordinances apply to streetlights... funny that.

Thanks Dark Sky Association. Congratulations on your lobbying successes.