Magic Matt
Enlightened
Light Pollution
Hang on, don't shoot me down yet. Yes I'm an astronomer, and yes I hate light pollution, but I think most people don't know what it is...
Light pollution is not anyone who has a bright light or a street light when you're trying to look at the sky.
We define light pollution as light that is anywhere that we don't want it to be... you can think of it as wasted light. So, if you were trying to light up the path in front of you, and a signpost 200m away, then the light going off to the sides and up into the sky is wasted, and therefore light pollution. If you're trying to light the street, then the light going up into the sky is light pollution. If you are trying to light up the sky, then it's not really light pollution... although it would be annoying if you're doing that in an area of the sky that I'm trying to photograph feint objects in.
The problem
I will be walking around with my flashlights and I will get close to the observatory, and I don't really want to add to the light pollution.
I now have, as of this morning, a standard issue Fenix TK40! I'm so happy!
...but I need to shade the floody light so it doesn't go up into the air from a normal hand-held position, and annoy anyone in a dome once I get close to the observatory.
The solution
My solution... I think I'll make a simple clip-on shade. I could make it out of card to begin with, then maybe try and make the final design from plastic or similar. I'm thinking perhaps cannibalise an old lens hood from a camera lens.
However, shading the light would then be blocking it. Would it be possible to redirect that light - perhaps reflect it into a more useful position? Could it be focussed and 'thrown'?
I'd appreciate any ideas.
Hang on, don't shoot me down yet. Yes I'm an astronomer, and yes I hate light pollution, but I think most people don't know what it is...
Light pollution is not anyone who has a bright light or a street light when you're trying to look at the sky.
We define light pollution as light that is anywhere that we don't want it to be... you can think of it as wasted light. So, if you were trying to light up the path in front of you, and a signpost 200m away, then the light going off to the sides and up into the sky is wasted, and therefore light pollution. If you're trying to light the street, then the light going up into the sky is light pollution. If you are trying to light up the sky, then it's not really light pollution... although it would be annoying if you're doing that in an area of the sky that I'm trying to photograph feint objects in.
The problem
I will be walking around with my flashlights and I will get close to the observatory, and I don't really want to add to the light pollution.
I now have, as of this morning, a standard issue Fenix TK40! I'm so happy!
...but I need to shade the floody light so it doesn't go up into the air from a normal hand-held position, and annoy anyone in a dome once I get close to the observatory.
The solution
My solution... I think I'll make a simple clip-on shade. I could make it out of card to begin with, then maybe try and make the final design from plastic or similar. I'm thinking perhaps cannibalise an old lens hood from a camera lens.
However, shading the light would then be blocking it. Would it be possible to redirect that light - perhaps reflect it into a more useful position? Could it be focussed and 'thrown'?
I'd appreciate any ideas.