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Northern Lights (Light Pollution)
Northern Lights (Light Pollution)
awelsh


Photograph Information Photographer's Comments
Challenge: Pollution (Basic Editing)
Camera: Canon EOS-40D
Lens: Canon EF-S 10-22mm f/3.5-4.5 USM
Location: Rochester, NY, USA
Date: Mar 6, 2008
Aperture: f/5
ISO: 800
Shutter: 30 sec
Galleries: Sky, Astrophotography
Date Uploaded: Mar 7, 2008

 All of those lights at highway intersections, street lights, security lights and doorway entrance lights add up to our generation being disallowed from seeing the grandeur of the heavens without traveling to very remote locations.

Many simple fixes that cost a municipality a little more up front, but save money on energy costs in the lifetime of the bulb could be implemented but are not (This also means more electricity is consumed and wasted adding to CO2 pollution for the coal plants to power it). Downward shielding concentrates the light to only where it is useful, which also reduces the wattage needed. Studies have conclusively shown that security lights also do not reduce the crime rate, they merely make people feel safer (even though they are not).

The end result is from my suburban backyard, I cannot see the milky way galaxy we reside in except in the best of conditions and only when looking straight up. In my photo, the stars forming the "w" shape are part of the constellation Cassiopeia, which is along the spine of the milky way. The chimney of the house follows the rough path of the milky way in the sky, if you were able to see it. Many people today ignore the heavens and exciting celestial events because they simply cannot see them.

Visit darksky.org for more info.

Statistics
Place: 107 out of 127
Avg (all users): 4.7029
Avg (commenters): 5.8000
Avg (participants): 4.5306
Avg (non-participants): 4.7474
Views since voting: 1040
Views during voting: 342
Votes: 239
Comments: 5
Favorites: 0

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AuthorThread
 Comments Made During the Challenge
Canon EOS-650/T4i Rebel
Canon EF-S 15-85mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM
03/15/2008 10:25:22 AM
I like how the illuminated sky frames the house.. but I'm not sure I like keeping the foreground quite this dark.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Nikon D50
Nikon AF Nikkor 50mm f/1.8D
 03/13/2008 10:43:52 PM
This gets a 10 because I am so freakin tired of all the lights. Pardon my language.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Nikon D300
Tamron SP AF 17-50mm f/2.8 Di II LD Aspherical (IF) for Nikon
 03/13/2008 09:24:48 PM
this look like the opposite of pollution, a house in a remotish area...
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Panasonic Lumix DMC-LZ5
 03/13/2008 09:34:35 AM
Good shot i dont see pollution really
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Kodak Easyshare C180
Canon EF 50mm f1.2 L
 03/12/2008 04:44:23 PM
Great prespective and clarity.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Theme: Classic / Light / Dark
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