Where do you lie on the light pollution map?

[DubWolf 17,263]

Here's a reference. How dark is it where you live or currently reside? I'm currently in... class 7.

Below is the map, scale is below (click the image for better resolution)

https://darksitefinder.com/maps/world.html#12/30.3896/-97.5507

 

Edited August 23, 2020 by WWolf

[Envy 6,163]

Suburban/urban transition according to that map. Hm, I would have thought I wouldn't have thought I would have been that far down. I thought I would have been in one of the plain suburban categories.

[Phosphor 11,529]

Ah, this topic certainly has my attention. 

One thing to keep in mind when using the Dark Site Finder LP map is the satellite data and computations are from 2006. A lot has changed since then. I recommend this map which uses satellite data from 2014 or so.

https://cires.colorado.edu/Artificial-light

With that said, my skies rate at Class 3 Rural Sky (Blue Zone on both maps). Zenith usually measures 21.6 mpsas with my sky quality meter. Clouds at night are as dark as charcoal briquettes, except along the southeast horizon. There's a low light dome about 12.5 degrees above the SE horizon. My meter measures 21.0 when pointed towards it. I can see the dark lane structure and bulge in the Summer Milky Way. Winter Milky Way is also easy to observe. Zodiacal light is quite bright, especially in the fall.

Put simply, the night sky here is beautiful and full of stars. I don't know how you city folk can tolerate all those street lights and that orange skyglow.

 

[DubWolf 17,263]

2 hours ago, Phosphor said:

Ah, this topic certainly has my attention. 

One thing to keep in mind when using the Dark Site Finder LP map is the satellite data and computations are from 2006. A lot has changed since then. I recommend this map which uses satellite data from 2014 or so.

https://cires.colorado.edu/Artificial-light

With that said, my skies rate at Class 3 Rural Sky (Blue Zone on both maps). Zenith usually measures 21.6 mpsas with my sky quality meter. Clouds at night are as dark as charcoal briquettes, except along the southeast horizon. There's a low light dome about 12.5 degrees above the SE horizon. My meter measures 21.0 when pointed towards it. I can see the dark lane structure and bulge in the Summer Milky Way. Winter Milky Way is also easy to observe. Zodiacal light is quite bright, especially in the fall.

Put simply, the night sky here is beautiful and full of stars. I don't know how you city folk can tolerate all those street lights and that orange skyglow.

 

I'm jelly . Keep telling myself to go out West to view the stars but I can never commit to a date...

That new map would still have me in the red, but almost pretty close to pink. Can you see the andromedas or triangulum galaxies :P ?

[cuteycindyhoney 13,307]

I said seven THREE (Changed my vote. I went the wrong way!) My house in not far from the woods. Facing away from the streetlights, it's amazingly dark out there!

Edited August 23, 2020 by cuteycindyhoney

[Dreambiscuit 9,691]

Class 8 most of the time but it can border on Class 7 sometimes. I can see constellations but not with great detail and most of the fainter stars get washed out quite a bit. The sky is very orange from city light.

[TransitPony 238]

Class 9 from where I live. Every night, you can see the surrounding neighborhoods illuminate the clouds above if it's a grey night on the forecast. It's so bright here, the city and the surrounding areas can be seen from space. 

[Splashee 28,564]

I do have quite a lot of pollution here, I have noticed during the summer while looking for NEOWISE.

There is also the weird state of led street lamps. One of there selling point was less light pollution, but the sky had changed color, and made those areas difficult to look at during night time

[SparklingSquirrels 21,341]

I'm number eight, city sky.

[DixonTheAdversary 1,632]

I live in a class 7, just outside the bigger cities.

[Phosphor 11,529]

On 8/23/2020 at 1:24 AM, WWolf said:

Can you see the andromedas or triangulum galaxies ?

Yep. Andromeda galaxy is very easy to see directly. I can also see the Triangulum galaxy here, but it needs to be at a fairly high altitude.

The humidity often limits what you can see here in the southeast. Right now, sky transparency is horrible with a mucky haze below 20°. Fall and winter skies are much better.

Edited August 30, 2020 by Phosphor

[Megas 27,630]

5 or 6. Not bright like major cities, but it was a lot more impressive 15-20 years ago when it was a really small community, but now my town's been developing at an alarming rate and as a result the night sky is no where near as cool as it was back then

[Phosphor 11,529]

Besides the Gulf of Mexico, the closest class 1 sky for me would be Big Bend National Park in Texas. I'd like to go there once I settle in at my new place.

10 minutes ago, Megas said:

5 or 6. Not bright like major cities, but it was a lot more impressive 15-20 years ago when it was a really small community, but now my town's been developing at an alarming rate and as a result the night sky is no where near as cool as it was back then

Much brighter than that and the Milky Way will fade into the skyglow. 

[Ittoni 538]

Let me tell you something. I have never seen the milky way ever in my entire life. I have seen some constellations when I was younger but I cannot longer see them. At much I've counted 30 stars total in a good night. The only star that is always visible is either Venus or Jupiter, and the Orion belt. And depending on the zone the plains and mountains surrounding the area will look like they are on fire. Still not enough to read a book at night like the scale says tho, but one of my dreams is to see a good night sky. And maybe even see the milky way. 

This is how it looks like

Edited August 30, 2020 by Ittoni

[Yoshi89 5,293]

Class 6. That’s where living on Long Island gets you. I’d have to get off to see anything below 4.

[Splashee 28,564]

I have had some problems lately to see the sky, but it has now gotten darker because the sun goes down earlier. With less pollution from airplanes (because of COVID restrictions), and modern LED lights, it should have given me an easier view of the sky. But I am having problems still

[DubWolf 17,263]

5 hours ago, Splashee® said:

I have had some problems lately to see the sky, but it has now gotten darker because the sun goes down earlier. With less pollution from airplanes (because of COVID restrictions), and modern LED lights, it should have given me an easier view of the sky. But I am having problems still

Lots of factors outside of light pollution actually. Smog, haze, that sort of stuff. I was able to see a decent, clear sky the other day and I’m in a 7  . This was early morning. Venus was bright.

[Splashee 28,564]

Just now, WWolf said:

Lots of factors outside of light pollution actually. Smog, haze, that sort of stuff. I was able to see a decent, clear sky the other day and I’m in a 7  . This was early morning. Venus was bright.

I'm in a "2". It's so hard to see. Clouds everywhere!

[DubWolf 17,263]

Just now, Splashee® said:

I'm in a "2". It's so hard to see. Clouds everywhere!

I don’t see a 2 on the poll  ...

[Rainbow Cloud 17,976]

Think it's probably a 6 here, live towards the edge of a small town.

[DubWolf 17,263]

1 minute ago, Scar said:

I live roughly between a 3 and a 4. But it varies I would say.

Is the Milky Way pretty visible at night  ? Can you see Andromeda  ?

[DubWolf 17,263]

1 minute ago, Scar said:

You can see the Milky Way for sure if you stand in the dark for long enough. The Andromeda can be seen if you squint hard enough. I took a picture of the pleiades last night thrugh my telescope.

Hmmm, I guess with a better camera you'd be able to see more than just the few stars in this picture .

(oh this is a telescope)

[Denim&Venöm 18,977]

Technically a bright suburban sky, though my small town is right on the edge of being in the suburban zone. Didn't think it was that bad this far out into farm country, though I guess being surrounded by more mid sized towns might have something to do with it. 

[ZiggWheelsManning 10,313]

1, though I wouldn't know being a certain liquid treatment factory is in a random capital city that I'm a neighbor to  

[DubWolf 17,263]

Yeah I’m probably next to 1 living in an urban area (but not in literal downtown where it’s the brightest).

Last time I visited an “8” (was it a 7?) on the map the nearby lights made it feel like …. A 5? I should’ve moved away so I could better stargaze….