From Blowing up Sodium, to removing it from the sky!

Los Angeles looks kind of pretty from up on Mount Wilson, with the lights sparkling a mile or so below. However it puts all but the greater stars to pale. Now there really is no substitute for a dark, still, clear observing site, but if you can't get to one of those, a light pollution reduction filter is a good option. Y'see sodium lights run on the emission of an change in the electronic states of sodium, with the practical upshot being that the light is essentially monochromatic (a single wavelength). Now that gives some hope for the astronomer in that if you can get a narrow band filter, you can get rid of most of the light pollution while still getting most the light from the stars. That's the contrast that I show in this video. Also, for good measure, what the sky is like from a dark observing site up in the Sierra Nevada.

This video is available under a attribution, share alike license (attribution Thunderf00t).

The time lapse of LA was done with a 10mms lens on a canon60d. 3s exposures, 3 seconds between them. ISO 500 I think.

The whole sky time lapse (with the milky way going from horizon to horizon) was done with a canon 40d and a 4mm lens. ISO1000, 60 second exposures with 5 seconds between them.

The music is available under a creative commons, attribution, share alike license at:
http://www.jamendo.com/en/download/track/253678/?output=contentonly
Track 4.5 billion years by Windpearl

Category:

Education

Tags:

• Los
• angeles
• mount
• Wilson
• light
• pollution
• reduction
• horrible
• ugly
• orange
• glow
• removed
• sodium
• lights
• amazing
• time
• lapse
• from
• dark
• sky
• site
• milkyway
• stars
• night
• astronomy
• planets
• sun
• set
• sunset
• moon
• fun
• enjoyable
• pretty
• nice
• starry
• velvet
• black

[TheSpartan2910]

Hey Thunderf00t.

Are you lost on that mountain or something?

You've been there for the last three videos.....

[Equalswin]

God damn, I just realized, Thunderf00t would be like.. my best friend.

[ctraver]

You are making me want to upgrade to a DSLR.

[GAKtion64]

we should all go on a camping trip with thunder foot.

.....Arr

[Gumardee]

@abarbar06 Then we can talk about science all day.

[reaperfosouls]

Just curious, what were those red dots on the second time lapse?

[Butzopower]

Thunderf00t, you give me hope in humanity.

[abarbar06]

@Equalswin yaaah! i totally wana hang with tunderf00t!

[WAZZA1235]

I can see my house from here

[tabernumse]

how cool is this? :O

[mylkTV]

looks like the intro from blade runner

[Ramiel77]

Dude! You were in Pasadena?! Why the hell didn't you tell me? I would have gone and hang out with you! I hike to Mt Wilon all the time!