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My best shot of the Orion Nebula almost got ruined by a neighbor's porch light

I was out in my backyard in Phoenix last month, about two hours into a 30 minute exposure run on M42. Had everything dialed in, guiding was solid, and then my neighbor across the street came home. He flipped on his bright, uncovered porch light and it flooded my whole setup. I had a choice: pack it in for the night or try to salvage the data. I ran over, knocked on his door at 1 AM, and just asked if he could turn it off for a bit. He was cool about it, but by the time I got back, the subs were all washed out. I ended up having to toss that whole batch and start over from scratch, which cost me another hour of clear sky. Has anyone else had to deal with sudden light pollution mid-session, and what did you do?

2 comments

2 Comments

grant.kevin8d ago

Honestly, that's just part of the hobby. You have to expect some light issues and plan for it. Maybe try a light shield next time.

theabennett8d ago

Switched to a dimmer bulb and it solved my glare problem.