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Just found out how much light a single street lamp can ruin your view
I was trying to spot the Andromeda Galaxy from my driveway in Springfield last night with just my old binoculars, and it was a total wash. Got curious and looked it up online. A single unshielded street lamp like the one at the corner of my block can wash out stars for over a mile? That's crazy. It explains why I can only see the very brightest stuff from my spot. I read that a simple shield on the top of the lamp could fix most of that light going up into the sky. Makes you wonder why they don't just do that from the start, right? Has anyone else had success talking to their town about getting darker skies, or is it a lost cause?
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sarahhart2mo ago
A mile from one lamp... that's honestly depressing.
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