[AZ-Observing] Re: MAG Meeting Today
- From: Jeff <phxjeff@xxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: az-observing@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Tue, 19 Apr 2011 22:30:06 -0700
Hi Stan,
While I could not follow everything today at the meeting, I appreciate
your help.
Regarding my take on the light pollution. Today's discussion was
around signs. While I feel they contribute to the light pollution,
they are orders of magnitude below the gigawatt ballpark light that
seem to be in every block. Many time driving by those at night I see
noone or maybe a couple of kids. Who pays for that power? I have lived
in my location on the West side of Phoenix since 1977 and done
photometry since the early 1980's. I have watched the night sky
reading go up each year. When I first moved could see 5th magnitude
stars on a dark night in my backyard. Now under the best conditions I
strain to see 3rd magnitude stars. While I can do photometry and
spectroscopy, I am very limited and can only do bright star
photometry. Spectroscopy is a little better, but not much.
The light pollution in the Phoenix area is horrible. Our night skies
are a natural resource that is fading away. What is really need is
more efficient lighting, where what wants to be illuminated is and
what is not wanted is not.
Today's meeting was all about money. The cost of implementing rules.
What I think the sign people missed is they can make money and
business can save money and the skies can be dark. It will take some
clever thinking and innovation, but I think it can be done.
My 2.5 cents.
Jeff
Hopkins Phoenix Observatory
Counting Photons
Phoenix, Arizona USA
www.hposoft.com/Astro/astro.html
International Epsilon Aurigae Campaign
http://www.hposoft.com/Campaign09.html
On Apr 19, 2011, at 10:12 PM, stanlep@xxxxxxxxxxxxx wrote:
> I attended the MAG meeting today and was very disappointed at the
> turnout
> by members of local astronomy groups. I counted myself, Jeff Hopkins,
> Jennifer, and Steve. Just three individuals that I know from the local
> clubs. If anyone should have been absent it should have been me
> since I
> primarily reside in Dewey, about 90 miles north of Phoenix. There were
> representatives of Kitt Peak, IDA, I believe Lowell, and a good
> number of
> astronomy related individuals. I think it was Chris Lugenbuhl who
> was on
> the phone.
....
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