What are those strange lights in the sky???

[MorningGlory]

you have apparently never been to LA.

Actually, I have, several times. You can see stars at night (although they are not nearly as visible as they are outside of cities). My point is though that people watch t.v., surf the internet and go to movies. They know what stars are regardless of whether they can see only a few or a lot when they are out at night. I'm trying to imagine people lighting up the emergency switchboards because they saw some stars.....and I can't quite do it.

[Isaiah 6:8]

you have apparently never been to LA.

Actually, I have, several times. You can see stars at night (although they are not nearly as visible as they are outside of cities). My point is though that people watch t.v., surf the internet and go to movies. They know what stars are regardless of whether they can see only a few or a lot when they are out at night. I'm trying to imagine people lighting up the emergency switchboards because they saw some stars.....and I can't quite do it.

Not emergency, The Griffin Observatory.

[Fez]

Light pollution is a blight to our lives. Working in a big game reserve as i do, we are constantly on guard against it.

We design roads that direct headlights away from sensitive wilderness areas, our developments have strict policy about lighting, like down lighting on pathways between accommodation units, our camps are sighted so that peripheral light (when they are near park boundaries) is minimized.

On the beach areas lights are a total no go because hatching turtles head for the brightest light source (that of breaking waves), and any light on dunes behind them results in them scrambling inland where predation is much higher.

tour vehicles may not shine game viewing lights higher than a 180 degree arc above the vehicle. Parked vehicles must switch all lights off. etc....

The results are worth it....

[mizzdy]

Having grown up in So.Cal not only does the endless light pollution hamper the seeing of stars but the smog is also a barrior. I live in NV and anyone who has ever travelled across the west or other very large cities the lights can be seen for miles and miles and miles. When the MGM lit up the laser beam on the lion we could see it on the outskirts of Victorville. Even going over the hill to Pahrump does not get you away from light pollution. I wouldn't mind seeing Vegas dark just once! lol

I had heard a story from older cousins about the 'lights' over LA and some of its beaches back in the 40's into the 50's but those boys new what stars looked like having been in the Navy. Wonder if they were some of the same 'lights'.

[nebula]

Fez, I am drooling!

[nebula]

you have apparently never been to LA.

Actually, I have, several times. You can see stars at night (although they are not nearly as visible as they are outside of cities). My point is though that people watch t.v., surf the internet and go to movies. They know what stars are regardless of whether they can see only a few or a lot when they are out at night. I'm trying to imagine people lighting up the emergency switchboards because they saw some stars.....and I can't quite do it.

Actually, MG, only a few stars are what may be seen normally.

Lose all light and it is not just "some stars" but a whole lot of stars.

[nebula]

This reminds me of a story - true story - someone relayed on the astronomy board I used to be on.

He (a teacher) was walking through campus (sometime during the mid-day) and passed some students who were staring at the sky pointing at some mysterious object, trying to figure out what it was. Out of curiosity, he looked towards the direction they were pointing to see this strange object.

It was the moon.

Somehow, these students had never seen the moon during daylight hours before.

[other one]

That's a really nice picture Fez. Someone put some real effort into it....

[MorningGlory]

you have apparently never been to LA.

Actually, I have, several times. You can see stars at night (although they are not nearly as visible as they are outside of cities). My point is though that people watch t.v., surf the internet and go to movies. They know what stars are regardless of whether they can see only a few or a lot when they are out at night. I'm trying to imagine people lighting up the emergency switchboards because they saw some stars.....and I can't quite do it.

Not emergency, The Griffin Observatory.

Oh! I was at work when I read the OP and I missed that part! Well, that makes more sense. So how are the skies in Norway?

[MorningGlory]

This reminds me of a story - true story - someone relayed on the astronomy board I used to be on.

He (a teacher) was walking through campus (sometime during the mid-day) and passed some students who were staring at the sky pointing at some mysterious object, trying to figure out what it was. Out of curiosity, he looked towards the direction they were pointing to see this strange object.

It was the moon.

Somehow, these students had never seen the moon during daylight hours before.

I'm starting to believe that there are people who rarely go outdoors.......day or night.