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Why does nobody talk about how bad light pollution maps really are?
I was out near Denton last month trying to find a dark spot based on one of those online light pollution maps. The map showed a green zone but the sky was washed out orange from a new housing development they didn't update. I drove 45 minutes for nothing. Now I just check satellite images from the last 6 months instead of trusting those maps. Has anyone else had a map lead you to a bad spot like that?
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dakotacraig24d ago
Right there with you on the "dark green" spot turning into a Walmart parking lot. Ngl, I think those maps are just trolling us at this point. They probably haven't been updated since 2012, and the whole "sky quality" rating is just a random number generator. I drove out near Celina once for a "blue zone" and it was basically the surface of the sun from a new Amazon warehouse. Honestly, I'm starting to think the best strategy is just to drive until you can't see a gas station sign from 5 miles away.
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Totally agree with you @dakotacraig on the random number generator part, it feels like they just guess based on how far you are from a city. Satellite images are a good backup but even those can be six months old (looked at one last week that showed an empty field, drove out, and found a brand new H-E-B). Best method I've found is just scrolling Google Maps for the newest construction and warehouses near your spot before heading out.
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paulm9524d ago
Drove 45 minutes only to find a bright orange sky? Man, that is rough. I would have been pretty ticked off too. Those maps are definitely not as updated as they need to be. I've had the same thing happen near McKinney where a "dark green" spot turned out to be right next to a brand new Walmart parking lot. Checking satellite images is smart, but even those can be a few months old sometimes.
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