Am I the only one whose street's new lights are blowing out my planet photos?

I was out on my porch trying to snap Jupiter with my basic telescope setup last evening. The city just installed these super bright street lamps that cast a harsh glow across the whole block. My shots keep turning out fuzzy and overexposed because of the extra light. What do you all do when your own neighborhood fights against your hobby?

3 comments

3 Comments

william_henderson1mo ago

My town in Colorado passed a dark sky ordinance last year after a bunch of us complained. The key was not just focusing on astronomy but highlighting how bad lighting messes with sleep cycles and local wildlife. You might have more luck if you frame it as a health issue for the whole neighborhood, not just your photos. I got my neighbors to sign a petition by talking about the bats and birds getting confused by the all-night glow. The city ended up installing shields on the lamps to direct light down, which cut the sky glow by half. It's a fight, but shifting the argument can get results.

allen.ivan1mo ago

Honestly, I tried to show my nephew the Big Dipper from my backyard and realized I was actually tracing the outline of a neon taco sign. Felt like a proper uncle fail right there. Your point about framing it for wildlife is smart, because my big astronomy pitch just got me laughed out of the family cookout.

faith2741mo ago

Shifting the argument is the only way to win. People don't care about stars until you tell them their sleep is wrecked. It turns a hobby complaint into a real problem they feel.