My Orion Nebula shot got ruined by a neighbor's floodlight

I was set up in my backyard in Tucson last month, aiming for a 3 hour stack of M42. Around midnight, my neighbor turned on a new motion light that flooded my whole yard with bright white light. The last 45 minutes of data were completely washed out. I had to scrap those frames and work with just over 2 hours of exposure. Some folks say you should always talk to neighbors first, others say just pack up and find a darker spot. What's your move when local light pollution wrecks a session?

3 comments

3 Comments

the_reese3mo ago

Some folks say talk to neighbors first" is the only real long term fix.

lilyfisher3mo ago

But what if they're the problem neighbors?

jordanr892mo ago

Been there. Document everything and call the landlord or HOA first.