Why does nobody talk about light pollution ruining deep space photos

I spent 6 months taking shots of the Orion Nebula from my backyard in Denver and wondered why they all looked washed out. A guy at the local astronomy club pointed out I was shooting right under a streetlight. Now I drive 45 minutes to a dark sky site and the difference is huge. Has anyone else had that moment where you realize your location is the problem?

2 comments

2 Comments

webb.stella3d ago

Have you ever tried shooting the moon from a place with a bunch of porch lights nearby? I swear it looks like someone threw a dirty sock over the lens until you get out of town. I had the same thing happen with my first real attempt at the Andromeda Galaxy, just could not figure out why the background was so milky and gray. Turns out my neighbor's security light was pointing right at my backyard scope setup, and I felt like such a goof for not noticing sooner. Driving that extra bit is a pain, but it really makes all the difference for those faint objects.

the_lee3d ago

Is it really that big of a deal though? I've taken moon pics from my driveway with street lights blasting and they came out fine. Maybe if you're trying to get some super detailed shot for a magazine or something, sure, go drive an hour. But for most people just trying to get a cool pic for their phone wallpaper or to show their friends, it feels like overkill. Andromeda though, that's a whole different beast, I get that. But the moon is literally the brightest thing in the night sky, a few porch lights aren't gonna ruin it unless you're pixel peeping at 400% zoom.