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

Woeful ignorance

[PhysicsGenius]

"Getting away from city lights may be the hardest part, though.

Timothy, what do you think observatories are for? Remember that old story about how you can stand at the bottom of a well and see the stars during the day because the light from the sun is blocked out? Well, observatories do the same thing. City lights will not be an issue at the level an amateur operates at.

If you have no knowledge of a subject, please be kind enough to shut your mouth.

Ahh, the NYTimes

[Anonymous Coward]

Reporting on wealthy New Yorkers who can afford an entire exterior building as an observatory for their 17 year old sun.... it's always news. It's always relevant to /. readers. It's relevant to everyone.

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.