how concerned should i be about light pollution??

[EMART49]

For tuesdays meteor shower I am planning on going with some classmates out into the mountains to do star trails. I have done them a couple of times I am just not sure if I was far out enough, I could still see city light in the sky so I dont think I was far enough... How far away like in miles would you say one would need to be from citys to get a super dark sky?

heres a shot from the last time i went out..
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2766/4019061986_3b240f83ac_o.jpg

[kilodelta7]

might i suggest that you look at getting the plug-in for photoshop (if you have it) by noel carboni http://ncarboni.home.att.net/DigiPhoto.html the set of actions he has called "Astronomy Tools" is reasonably priced and produce great results.

good luck and happy meteor hunting ... you would like to get out of town at least 25-30 miles toward an area that has little or no light pollution.
the picture here at this www.noaanews.noaa.gov/stories/s2015.htm (http://www.noaanews.noaa.gov/stories/s2015.htm) link should give you a good idea which direction to head out toward. (the third image down on the page)


73'
kd7

[007]

what was the object crossing left to right moving from middle high on left to upper right ?? path crosses the bright blue star trail near top of image.??

[AxPhoto]

Looks like a plane trail, if I had to guess.

[EMART49]

ya planes suck! nothing you can do but watch them fly through your picture :( or check flight patterns before you go out. Kilodelta- thanks dude! I checked out that plugin, looks bomb, also that sight was helpful I so wish google earth showed night lights like that!!

[kilodelta7]

i think they do or at least my free one does... wait let me check ... sorry it lets me turn the sun off but doesn't turn the lights on... will keep checking ...
it looks like a small dot trail? could be an aircraft. could be a satellite as well stranger things have happened...

kd7