Light pollution map

[lajoswinkler]

This will come in handy to lots of people on this forum.

http://www.lightpollutionmap.info

It makes things such as searching for areas suitable for stargazing rather easy. There are even few years to choose from so you can see how things gradually get worse. Data for northern latitudes isn't very correct, but for most of the inhabited planet it's OK. The map is color-coded for the amount of radiance of visible light. Fishing boats can be seen, too.

Edited October 15, 2014 by lajoswinkler
link corrected

[sal_vager]

lajoswinkler, did you test that link? All I see is a URL squatting domain registration page.

[Sky_walker]

Map works fine, it's just KSP forum that links it incorrectly.

Here: http://www.lightpollutionmap.info/

My favourite is this one: http://www.avex-asso.org/dossiers/wordpress/?page_id=2754

[Kryten]

It's got two http://'s in it. Does KSPF add one automatically? I know some sites do; if it does it really shouldn't.

[sal_vager]

I'll fix that link, thanks for posting this though, especially for Europe, stuff like this really helps people interested in the starts

[Sky_walker]

No problem. I really like Avex’s map for both: features and the amount of details incorporated (you can click one of the maps to zoomable version). Plenty of people also praise google earth integration though personally I never was a big fan of the application.

Legend of what to expect in terms of observable stars, dedicated sodium map, beautiful details... really a great map.

[-Velocity-]

I use light pollution maps whenever I move into a new are to find the best places to take my telescope. However, some of these are rather old, and do not reflect recent lighting changes.

Case in point: about a month ago, I was driving through West Texas on I-10 and I-20. The area used to be very dark. However, since the last time I drove through the area (no more than 3 years prior), we've undergone a MASSIVE oil boom in the US, enabled by the new "fracking" technology. EVERYWHERE along the interstate, there were brilliantly lit tank farms and drilling operations- and I mean BRILLIANTLY lit. And they were lit from the bottom, too, so the lights were shining up into the sky or at angles. One particular tank farm was so brilliantly lit that, despite being a mile off the interstate (at least), its glare interfered with my ability to see the road. (No one was there, which begs the question why in the hell they have to light it up like they're playing a football game?!?!)

Another drilling operation had a "problem" with their lighting. Most of the places they were drilling/fracking/whatever were lit from all sides by brilliant, upward-directed floodlights; however this particular tower had lights only illuminating it from one side. I could see the shape of the drilling tower cast upward into the sky. It was not foggy or hazy out, the only air pollution was whatever the crap the oil wells are releasing into the air.

And then there were the places where the sky was glowing orange. That's where they are flaring/wasting the unwanted natural gas that also comes up with the oil.

It was unreal. A place that was pristine and dark just a few short years ago is now lit up like New York City. I stopped for the night in Odessa, TX, where I was told I was "lucky" to find a room at one of the 10 brand-new hotels that had just been built for housing all the oil workers.

There's a reason that gas in this country is going down. We're going through a nationwide oil boom enabled by fracking. That's a good thing overall, it helps our economy and helps to put more pressure on the countries that don't like us so much. But it's coming at a price- many dark areas are NOT dark anymore. If you live in an area where fracking is going on, you can't trust your light pollution maps anymore, not unless those maps are brand new.

[montyben101]

That lighting map is horrible to use... zoom is nasty

[AngelLestat]

the light pollution can be mitigated with appropriate luminaire and avoid over-ilumination. That is something that soon or later all countries needs to start to pay attention.

Be able to see the stars, save energy and avoid mess with ecosystems are some of the beneficts that needs to encourage us to choose carefully what luminaires we buy, also to push authorities to do the same.

[CG_Kerbin]

This is a awsome map thank you it's very interesting where did you find it