Neighbourhood Light pollution - what rights do we have ?

[Outbackmanyep]

If you're talking common sense then the UNE in Armidale is lacking it in the light pollution department! They are one of the biggest polluters near the Kirby Observatory (Armidale Observatory), the main culprits being the carpark lighting! We are working on that though!

[AstralTraveller (David)]

Originally Posted by Outbackmanyep

If you're talking common sense then the UNE in Armidale is lacking it in the light pollution department! They are one of the biggest polluters near the Kirby Observatory (Armidale Observatory), the main culprits being the carpark lighting! We are working on that though!

Uni of Wollongong is no better, though there is no observatory here. [Having an observatory in Wollongong would demonstrate a level of stupidity beyond the ken of mortal men.] Someone 'very high up' in the Uni admin has a liking for outdoor lights which are like spheres on poles with a globe in the middle. No light shield whatsoever. Simple geometry shows the the upper 50% of the light is wasted. Add to that the light which shines down at a shallow angle which probably isn't useful and the amount that hits the top of the mount and is bounced back up and I reckon 70% of the light is wasted. Of course light => electricity => coal => CO2. This is from a 'higher' institution which likes to flaunt it's green credentials, and has even won awards. Warnie has nothing on the spin they generate down here!

[paninaro]

The simplest answers are often the best.

[Kal (Andrew)]

There was a new house built down my street earlier this year, and the amount of lights on the outside of the house is absolutely rediculous. It is a two storey house, with a balcony area at the front on the second level, which has about 6 strong lights (already overkill), but the amazing thing to me is that he has installed down lights the entire way around the roof awning at about 1.5 metre seperation. Theres downlights at the front, and down the sides (I can't see the back of the house). WTH do you need to light up the side of your house for when there is nothing there?? All up I would guess that he has about 25 seperate external lights underneath the roof awning on the second level of the house!

[Alchemy (Clive)]

Originally Posted by Kal

There was a new house built down my street earlier this year, and the amount of lights on the outside of the house is absolutely rediculous. It is a two storey house, with a balcony area at the front on the second level, which has about 6 strong lights (already overkill), but the amazing thing to me is that he has installed down lights the entire way around the roof awning at about 1.5 metre seperation. Theres downlights at the front, and down the sides (I can't see the back of the house). WTH do you need to light up the side of your house for when there is nothing there?? All up I would guess that he has about 25 seperate external lights underneath the roof awning on the second level of the house!

sounds like you live in the same street as me ...... ooops sorry my next door neighbour has eight floodlights not six.

[glenc (Glen)]

There will be a flood of LED lights soon.
If it's done right it will be good for astronomy, if it is done badly we will suffer forever after.

"An Australian company has shone a light on technology that makes light emitting diodes drastically cheaper.
And in doing so brightens its prospects in a $US100 billion global market for illumination.
Semiconductor manufacturer BluGlass Ltd says it has developed a cheaper process that cuts the cost of making light emitting diodes, or LEDs, by almost half..."
http://news.smh.com.au/business/let-...0718-3hb4.html