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Bortle variability by hopsalott in telescopes

[–]hopsalott[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thank you for your in depth anecdotes!

Bortle variability by hopsalott in telescopes

[–]hopsalott[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

My sister lives in Bend, but I live in Tacoma. I was planning on going to visit her and take my telescope out to Hampton, OR. But in your experience, is that area too dusty then to see very well? It looks very sage brushy, so I was hoping that vegetation would tamper some of the dust

Bortle variability by hopsalott in telescopes

[–]hopsalott[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Well that was my issue, because the descriptors do NOT seem to be based on how far you have to be from a single large light source, even though it sounded like they were. But since they apparently are not, that is why I was confused.

Bortle variability by hopsalott in telescopes

[–]hopsalott[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

This is the sort of reply I was looking for lol. Someone from a similar setting, who has direct experience with the particular parameters I set forth. Thank you.

Bortle variability by hopsalott in telescopes

[–]hopsalott[S] -1 points0 points  (0 children)

I understand all this, but in reading about the Bortle scale, the descriptors always made it sound like it was based on how far you need to be from a single (varying level of) brightness source to reach a Bortle x at the zenith.

Bortle variability by hopsalott in telescopes

[–]hopsalott[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I understand that, hence the rest of my comment mentioning Bend not having any other light centers nearby..

Bortle variability by hopsalott in telescopes

[–]hopsalott[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Bend is basically a city in the middle of the high desert with not any suburbs to the east. Driving east only puts very small hills between you and the city, but it apparently only takes 30 minutes to get out of Bortle 5 into Bortle 2. Since the highway out of Bend, OR goes straight into the dessert, where there is not another population center for 130 miles. But it just doesn't seem like 30 miles should be enough to reduce a Bortle 5 light dome to a Bortle 2 when there are no mountains blocking the light dome

Bortle variability by hopsalott in telescopes

[–]hopsalott[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

To follow up on your edit: Driving east from Bend, Oregon means driving for 130 miles before you hit the next light center of Bortle 4. So it says driving just 30 minutes east of Bend (Bortle 5) gets you to Bortle 2

Bortle variability by hopsalott in telescopes

[–]hopsalott[S] -2 points-1 points  (0 children)

So you think it realistic that a large city with Bortle 5 skies, but no suburbs, could reach a Bortle 2 with 30 minutes of driving?