Best location for stars with naked eye

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the visibility of celestial phenomena, particularly the Milky Way and auroras, from various locations with the naked eye. Participants share personal experiences and perceptions of dark sky locations and the effects of light pollution on visibility.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Conceptual clarification
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants express awe at the beauty of the aurora and the Milky Way, noting that the latter can appear as a bright river of light with dark patches at truly dark sites.
  • One participant shares their experience of seeing the Milky Way just outside Shreveport, indicating that even areas with moderate light pollution allow for some visibility of celestial features.
  • Another participant emphasizes that photographs of celestial events often capture more detail than what is visible to the naked eye, suggesting that the subjective experience differs from photographic representations.
  • A participant reminisces about the stunning dark skies in Australia and New Zealand, highlighting the difference in visibility compared to urban areas.
  • There is a correction regarding the nature of the images shared, with a participant pointing out that the photos do not represent what one would see without camera enhancements.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants generally agree that dark sky locations enhance visibility of celestial phenomena, but there is disagreement regarding the representation of these phenomena in photographs versus naked-eye observations.

Contextual Notes

Participants reference light pollution maps and personal experiences, indicating that visibility can vary significantly based on location and environmental conditions.

Who May Find This Useful

Individuals interested in astronomy, stargazing, or the effects of light pollution on celestial visibility may find this discussion relevant.

blarznik
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These places seem great. Do places like these actually appear this way with the naked eye?
 

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WOW, that Aurora is amazing. If I saw something like that, I'd think that I was on another planet, or perhaps in another universe.

I can't talk about the Aurora photo because I've never seen one before, but the Milky Way can definitely look as impressive as it does in the photo. The photo captures more stars than the human eye can see, but it doesn't capture the subjective splendour of the Milky Way. At a truly dark site, the Milky Way is a shining river of light, with obvious dark patches of dust. It's bright enough to cast soft shadows. When it's rising, it sometimes fools observers into thinking dawn arrived.
 
Yes. Even going 15-20 minutes outside of Shreveport I can actually see the milky way and the dark patches of dust clouds running through it. In the light pollution map that I have the area I go to is in the yellow to green area. It runs, from most light pollution to least, White, Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Black. In the yellow-green where i go, I can EASILY see the glow from the city still, so I'm sure that a very very dark area would be amazing to go to.
 
Drakkith said:
Yes. Even going 15-20 minutes outside of Shreveport I can actually see the milky way and the dark patches of dust clouds running through it. In the light pollution map that I have the area I go to is in the yellow to green area. It runs, from most light pollution to least, White, Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Black. In the yellow-green where i go, I can EASILY see the glow from the city still, so I'm sure that a very very dark area would be amazing to go to.


WOW Shreveport ... if its one in the lower USA ... dang been a while since I stormchased through that area :)

Dark skies ohhh yeah... the outback of Australia ! the skies are just stunning. Its an astronomer's dream. To coin an old phrase..." it feels like you just reach out and touch them"

Aurorae... love 'em unfortunately since moving to Australia 11 yrs ago I don't see them any more :(

From my old home in southern New Zealand, I saw and photo'ed many of them


a link to just a few pix I have on my www site...
http://www.sydneystormcity.com/aurora.htm

cheers
Dave
 
Neither of those pictures would be what you would see with the naked eye - both were taken with cameras and long (longer than what equals what your eye gets) exposure.
 

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