Ever have one of those nights...

[Crater101]

Last night I was out with my Redcat51, a modded Canon 60D, and an iOptron CEM26 mount, sorting out some issues with the mount (see the thread in Beginners Talk for more details on that).

The area where I like to set up is an old artificial turf cricket pitch, about a two or three minute drive from home. Nice open area, dark skies, not too many houses nearby, and the pitch itself is level and oriented north-south, which helps with setup. Generally never have any issues.

Last night, well, there's a property about 1.5k's away. Their dogs started barking, so they turned on all of their outside lights, including some porch lights that wouldn't have been out of place in a lighthouse! :rolleyes: Right in line where I wanted to try and image.

I selected another target, and was just starting to take an image or two, when someone from one of the other houses walked across to see what was going on, lighting me and the mount up with a torch the whole way. He was most apologetic when I showed the setup, and left.

Third time lucky? No. Just starting to take an image or two and a dog appears out of nowhere, accompanied by his owner - who lit me up with a big torch, saying "Gudday mate; what'r y' up to?"

Sigh... :mad:

[The_bluester]

That is one reason I am happy to be lucky enough to image from home. And the trees have finally recovered enough after the bushfire (9 years ago!) to keep the property 1500M or so away from illuminating me with the insanely bright floodlights they leave switched on 24/7.

[Crater101]

I wish that were the case. I can do a little from home, but the property which adjoins me at the back - the south side - has a row of old gums along the fenceline. Lucky to see anything other than black tree silhouettes to the south!

[leon]

Actually yes Warren, although it was some time ago when i was imaging.

I was in my back yard and the rig was purring away beautifully and probably about in the middle of a run of about 12 x 6 minute subs.

Anyway the neighbor started singing out to the cat a number of times and obviously the Cat didn't come home so they both came out of the house and whilst calling out and shinning torches everywhere the wife climes up on a box of sorts and shines this enormous bright torch straight down the Scope :eyepop:
I was actually in the observatory doing something and she didn't see me so I stayed quiet so she would quickly go away, but she called out to Jim and said, "hey Jim come and have a look at this" and there they were leaning over the fence with two bright torches checking out the set-up.:lol:

Ah well they did admire the rig and I suppose i only lost one sub out of it, but your kind of evenings are relatively common I might add.:shrug:

Leon :thumbsup:

[Crater101]

Thanks mate. That doesn't make them any less frustrating I suppose. Cheers!

[dikman]

It seems these days that it's not enough for people to simply have outside lights, they have to have enough lights for a stadium and they must be aimed to cause the maximum amount of annoyance to neighbours!:mad2:

The days of people thinking if what they're doing affects anyone else are rapidly disappearing.

[pmrid]

I certainly empathise with this thread. It is unfortunate that we have become accustomed to living defensively. Big lights are a large part of that of course - along with security cameras, big dogs and all the rest of the parephenalia of home security. I don't see that changing any time soon.

I've experienced 2 break-ins and several "encounters" with would-be thieves. So my home is one of those MCG-like places I'm afraid. And that's why I pine for the days when going bush with a rig was relatively easy.

[strongmanmike]

That's a funny story, annoying I am sure but still funny, thanks for sharing :thumbsup:

Mike

[Crater101]

Yep. I've been to that spot on a number of occasions and never been bothered, but half the town turned up the other night. And now it's cloudy!!!

[Leo.G]

My neighbour put a line of trees/shrubs right beside the fence line which are now 30 feet high after 2 odd years. They shadow the entire yard and I can't even get clothes dry on the clothesline through winter. The trees are north west from me and block just about EVERYTHING I want to point my telescope and camera at. I've been informed by the council the trees are illegal and she will either have to prune them to x height or remove them but I have to go down in person and make a complaint.


Add to that the new LED street light which lights my back yard up like a football stadium at night and I keep wondering why I don't just swap all of my gear for a decent motorbike I can ride when it's wet or overcast and the only time I have to worry about trees is when one pops up in front of me in the middle of the road.


For some reason every person in the neighbourhood turns their security and porch lights on from Friday to Sunday nights.

[Crater101]

I hear you, and I understand. Quite apart from everyone leaving outside lights on all night, the local watering hole has put in a brand new black print on white illuminated sign which lights up my front yard and half the street. Add that to the local all driving through the adjoining roads with several large driving lights on the front of their 4WD's, and I can understand the urge to take up some other hobby! :confused2:

[Leo.G]

Numerous times in the past when I've taken a telescope out at night I've had neighbours turning their rear porch lights on to see what's going on. I've always been polite and asked if they'd mind extinguishing the light but I'm fast getting less polite and less tolerance as I age. My ex brother in law (and friend from high school) says I'm not becoming a grumpy old man it's more that at 63 I've seen and heard all of the BS before and am intolerant of the BS.


As for 4wd with driving lights, it used to be illegal to turn them on in residential areas, even high beam was frowned upon but now it seems anything goes and Luna Park lighting coming down the street straight into your premises is perfectly legal.

[Constant]

Leo, a big yes to all that you raised. Ignorance is the disease of this millennia