Light pollution drowning out stars visibility

[Still Waters]

Light pollution in Britain is now so bad that the majority of the population can see just a third of the stars that should be visible in the night sky, a report claims.

More than half of people in Britain can only see 10 or fewer of the brightest stars which lie within the distinctive Orion constellation, named after the mythological Greek hunter.

Experts said that 30 or more of the hundreds of stars which lie between Orion's four bright corners, which represent the hunter's arms and legs, ought to be visible from Britain on a dark night.

But a new survey found that only two per cent of people could see this amount, while more than one in ten was able to see little more than the three stars which make up his easily recognisable belt.

Read more...

[JayMark]

Is that news? Light pollution drowning out stars visibility?

Just kidding. I know what it is as I've lived both in big cities and in the mountains (that's where I am right now).

Looking at a clear moonless sky in a light-free environment is always breathtaking for me. Nothing like looking at stars, planets and good ol' milky way. I really need to buy a telescope in the future.

I always feel like I've been out there already and that there is a whole bunch of other civilizations out there.

Peace.

[Pyridium]

Da Ja Vu, what a wonderful experience.

In the life span of any planet, there is only a small percentage of that time when life is possible if the planet exists within the goldie locks zone. Intelligent life needs between 250 million to 1 billion years to evolve. All planets capable of growing life will eventually die a natural death. The question is; how many civilations have already learned to survive planet to planet and solar system to solar system moves?

Our current universe is barely 14 billion years old, a very young infant. There are stars yet to be born that will support planets that will contain the stuff needed for life.

As far as light pollution, I think it is bad, very bad, lol.

[JayMark]

The question is; how many civilations have already learned to survive planet to planet and solar system to solar system moves?

Our current universe is barely 14 billion years old, a very young infant. There are stars yet to be born that will support planets that will contain the stuff needed for life.

I like this.

Inside of me I would beleive that there have been many, that there are many right now and that many more will be in the future.

Now another question would be; how many diffrent kind of living organisms (metabolisms) could there be? Could there be other lifeforms that have some sort of unknown metabolic functions that do not even exists on this planet? I mean, life that exist in conditions that would normally, from our point of view, seem impossible? Photosynthetic-like creatures/animals, hydrogen breathing entities etc.

The universe is awesomely mysterious.

Edited April 11, 2012 by JayMark

[Pyridium]

We talk about going from galaxy to galaxy by warping space. I see warping to another universe, the closest one is 100 billion light years away from us and will take 86 billion years for us to see the first light reaching us. If we have been visited by other beings, they could actually be trillions of years old, traveling from universe to universe. We just do not want to be too close when a new universe is created.

Science rocks;

[Jack_of_Blades]

Nothing annoys me like light pollution. Hell I live in a small, valley farming community and I get

angry when someone leaves a flood light on and obstructs a couple of the hundreds I can see

on an average night. I'd go crazy if I could only see around a dozen.

[jules99]

Nothing annoys me like light pollution. Hell I live in a small, valley farming community and I get

angry when someone leaves a flood light on and obstructs a couple of the hundreds I can see

on an average night. I'd go crazy if I could only see around a dozen.

Yeah;

I get some fairly good dark skies where I live..but tonight its the same old same old with the neighbours and security lights and the local bowling club having a night comp and using huge flood lights that all seem to be pointed at my house.....sigh

[Still Waters]

I live on a hill across from the city and there's always lights shining up from there, but it does depend how clear the sky is on any particular night. We also have street lights at both back and front of the house.