I'm sure we all have a problem when it comes to light pollution. Living a km away from the Mingara club (for those who don't know, one of the biggest on the Central Coast), I thought that the I could put up with the flood lights on the adjoining fields being on till 10pm. But wait there's more...
Yeah well I'm finally on holidays. Done the trip with the fam before Christmas and now at home to veg out and relax and finally get some observing over the next two weeks, if the clouds ever clear. Last night was the clearest night in I don't know how long. Dragged the scope out in the backyard and what do you know. The Mingara club has two giant search lights (like the one's that remind you an air attack in war time is on) scanning the skies and sweeping from the south up as far as the sword in Orion - that's about 2/3s of the visible heavens. Phoned the club this morning. They said it's part of their summer promotion and that they'll be on every night until the 14th of January.
Welcome to 2009 - for me it's starting out as the International Year of Light Pollution.
