Always believed my patio was useless for astro shots until I built a raised platform. The difference is night and day.

3 comments

3 Comments

But isn't the main problem usually light pollution, not just height? My old place had a great high deck, but the streetlights and neighbor's security lights washed everything out. I've gotten cleaner shots from a dark field at ground level than any raised spot in the suburbs. Sometimes the platform just gets you a better view of the glow.

sandra_murphy1mo ago

Totally feel this lol. Had the same issue at my last apartment with a perfect roof access spot, but the grocery store parking lot lights two blocks away turned the whole sky orange. Made me drive 30 minutes out of town just to see basic stars, which is wild when you think about it. Your dark field story is exactly right, sometimes being lower but further from city glow is the only way. My neighbor's motion sensor light was the final straw for me, lighting up my balcony like a stage every time a cat walked by.

charlesm111mo ago

What made you finally move, @sandra_murphy?