Turn those bloody lights off

[Ixion]

This (http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10608829) is a really worthwhile initiative that should be supported by everyone who is not so old that they've lost the ability to marvel.

Light pollution sucks

[dipshit]

Couldn't agree more!

I used to give classes at an observatory in Dunedin a couple of years ago and always tried to talk about light pollution.

I've also helped the Dark Sky Association with getting Earth Hour (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gkq7Zady4IQ) going.

Have been spending some time up at Tekapo lately for a photography project. Love the place.

http://www.PhotoShare.co.nz/PhotoShareGallery1/100366/107354/IMG_6637aul942.jpg

BTW, did you see the Simpsons on TV today? It was about light pollution. Lisa was trying to take up astronomy.

[R6_kid]

You get really good sense for the term 'light pollution' when you travel up and down the coast of New Zealand. I can vividly remember being 15km off the East Coast of the North Island on a stormy night and being able to see where Wellington, Palmerston North and Napier were - just from their light reflecting off the clouds at 11pm at night as I chundered over the side of the Spirit of Adventure after having an eating competition before entering Cook Straight and 4m swells. :sick:

[pzkpfw]

Great pic.
Our "technology".
The Earth. The Universe.
Our attempt to look at and "understand" the Universe.
Awesome.

[dipshit]

This is one of my best dark sky locations i travel to for doing astrophotography. Absolutely nothing - not even any farm houses for miles.

http://www.photoshare.co.nz/PhotoShareGallery1/100366/100974/IMG_2732e3ul3111.jpg

Stars down to the horizon. It almost feels like being on the moon.
http://www.photoshare.co.nz/PhotoShareGallery1/100366/106311/IMG_3716ul590.jpg

Great for seeing and photographing the Milky Way...

http://www.photoshare.co.nz/PhotoShareGallery1/100366/106311/IMG_3658e3ulbig456.jpg

[Trumpess]

This (http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10608829) is a really worthwhile initiative that should be supported by everyone who is not so old that they've lost the ability to marvel.

Light pollution sucks


Wow ... thats a real worthwhile cause and one this country should cherish!
Get rid of the light and it is mind blowing what you see!
I haven't been to that Observitory, I may just have to make it a mission i think!

[The Pastor]

sorry ixion, its law now to have your lights on all the time

[Pixie]

I never saw the Milky Way till I moved to Bugtussle

[EgliHonda]

Fantastic pics, cheers...
I live in a semi-rural area, and get tremendous night-sky vista's. Sadly, the trend at the moment is to hang energy sucking lights all over your house frontage, which in my opinion is retarded...

(hypocrite alert)
I do have an elm tree in the front yard I want to light from underneath for barbecues however, but this will only be used on balmy southern nights so lights will be turned on probably about 3 times per year... :cold: :laugh:

pic of tree attached...

[george formby]

Good call! I used to live oop north on the Karikari peninsula & spent many a happy & inebriated evening in the bath on the deck marveling at the milky way in all it's glory & feeling awfully small in the scheme of things.

[EgliHonda]

I spent many a happy evening in the bath on the deck feeling awfully small in the scheme of things.

Was the water too cold...?

[Flatcap]

Light pollution sucks

I reckon Dark Pollution is worse

Thats when zombies and the bogie man come

[Winston001]

Good call Ixion and thanks for raising this public issue. As a country with a small population and open spaces we have a good chance of limiting our light pollution. However that requires a community will and acceptance by local authorities. At the moment its an unknown problem.

In NZ the Ports of Auckland have shown excellent leadership with a huge reduction in the amount of light emitted during the night.

Internationally France rather surprisingly leads the world. They have rules regarding the design and emission of public lighting.

[Winston001]

This is one of my best dark sky locations i travel to for doing astrophotography. Absolutely nothing - not even any farm houses for miles.


Nenthorne?

[gatch]

pic of tree attached...

Nice tree, your pets are obviously comfortable..

[NighthawkNZ]

This (http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10608829) is a really worthwhile initiative that should be supported by everyone who is not so old that they've lost the ability to marvel.

Light pollution sucks

but its law for me to ride with my light on during the day??? :scratch:

[EgliHonda]

Nice tree, your pets are obviously comfortable..

Only the one, that's my boy doing the biz...

[dipshit]

Nenthorne?

The Lammerlaw range.

[george formby]

Was the water too cold...?

Yup, you got it. "Awfully small" is the pet name for my todger.

[fliplid]

Can we start in Puke- getting the flaming sports fields lights turned off, like when there's no one there!

[StoneY]

I used to work on trawlers in the Southern Ocean and man once ya 50 miles offshore the sky is fuckin awesome
I saw why the aincient mariners belived in gods in the Heavems, its breathtaking being out there on a clear night

Used to lie on the wheelhouse roof and gaze upwards, 360 degrees of a full dome of STARS and no hills, reflections, nothing...skipper would kill all owrking lights sometimes just so we could get some pix etc

Oh well, back to the BIKEOI threads

Nice pix dude

[NighthawkNZ]

I used to work on trawlers in the Southern Ocean and man once ya 50 miles offshore the sky is fuckin awesome
I saw why the aincient mariners belived in gods in the Heavems, its breathtaking being out there on a clear night

Used to lie on the wheelhouse roof and gaze upwards, 360 degrees of a full dome of STARS and no hills, reflections, nothing...skipper would kill all owrking lights sometimes just so we could get some pix etc

Oh well, back to the BIKEOI threads

Nice pix dude

Nothing like being out at sea looking up at the night sky... ;)
ex navy myself