Hot take: The new observatory in Flagstaff is a huge letdown for astrophotography

I drove out to the Lowell Discovery Channel Telescope last weekend, expecting dark skies and clear views. The light pollution from the nearby town has gotten so bad you can barely see the Milky Way with your own eyes. I tried to get a 30 second exposure of the Orion Nebula and the whole frame was washed out in orange. They built a world class scope there but forgot to protect the night sky around it. Has anyone else tried shooting there recently and found a way to work around the glow?

3 comments

3 Comments

johnh822mo ago

It's a real shame, and it feels like a broken promise to the astronomy community. They should have pushed for stricter lighting rules from the start.

perry.avery2mo ago

Got our town to pass a dark sky ordinance.

simonmoore1mo ago

Putnam County did the same thing two years ago and it's made a huge difference for stargazing.