Greetings from the Netherlands

[Garbz]

Well 3 months in and my move has so far gone well. Unfortunately I can't see much of the night sky. Not in winter anyway as it's cloudy as all heck. And in Winter sunsets at like 10pm and rises at 5amish so that's not going to help either.

But I thought I'd check in today to talk about light pollution.

The picture below is the horizon and THAT IS NOT SUNSET. First time I saw it I thought it was a huge fire on the horizon. Turns out they are greenhouses in a town about 45km away lighting up the clouds. :eyepop:

Maybe I need to buy a Lunt so I can at least stare into the sky during summer :rofl:

Anyway hope things are going well back in Oz.

[lazjen]

Might be the only option... That's a lot of light pollution.

[Garbz]

Indeed. We actually had our first truly clear night on new years eve. The only constellation I recognise up here is Orion (and he's standing up right here, not doing cartwheels across the sky). I did manage to make out all the stars in Orion and I could only just make out his sword, but no chance of seeing any nebulosity.

I wonder if I would make anything out using a scope.

[astroron]

I was over in the UK couple of months ago, and even through light pollution was able to see quite a few things along the milky way with 10x60 binoculars.
If you have a scope and a UHC filter,or even without you will be able to see many deep sky objects with a telescope.
Maybe a little bit harder to find without a mechanical aid ie go too etc.
Light pollution is the same here in Auss as in Europe for many observers.
I am lucky that I live in a dark sky. :D
Enjoy your stay in Holland :)
Cheers:thumbsup:

[Garbz]

Unfortunately the Netherlands is a world on it's own. Lack of mountains and lots and lots of greenhouses for farming. I lived in Brisbane and had bad light pollution, but if I drove 30min I was in a reasonably dark sky, and with 2 hours driving I get to a wonderful pitch black.

Where I live at the moment, 30min just puts in in Greenhouse central. 2 hours puts me just on the other side of Utrecht, Breda, 's-Hertogenbosch, somewhere between the The Hauge and Leiden (which are so close together I don't think you'd notice you change cities) or on the outskirts of Amsterdam. Too many cities too close together :(

London is worse than where I live, but it doesn't take much to get away from it's glow.

That said I think my best bet for a darkish sky is in Germany on the way to Bremen, but even that doesn't compare to what's available in Brisbane just on the other side of the range.

A UHC filter I think may be a must for me in the future. Shame it screws with the colours.

[RickS]

You haven't missed much imaging time in SE Qld, Chris. The weather has been awful. Maybe we'll get a decent winter :question:

Cheers,
Rick.

[JB80]

It reminds me of Belgium, you pretty much need to leave the country to get good skies.
Deep south Wallonia may be not too bad though.

Anyway I took up solar viewing and not looked back but even that is thwarted by the constant grey skies.

[Garbz]

Funny that, Antwerp is only an hour drive :)