Weird light

[Hedge Witch]

I remember a night as a child when there was a glow like you describe (there where no street lights were I lived).

It was either Boxing Night or New Year's Eve and it was the year M&S brought out lamb and prawn cocktail crisps flavoured crisps (well it was so long ago that all I remember is the bags were pale green and pink colour - two bags, two flavours. Not on the same bag you understand). But I digress.

There was heavy snow that night and along with the orange glow, a really nice atmosphere.

At the time I was more impressed by the crisps than the glow.

Happy days.

[John]

I had another surprise when I went to bed last night. Having turned out the lights in the living room I normally walk into total blackness in my bedroom (so dark I normally have to feel my way to my Bedside lamp). Not this time. The bedroom was bright enough to see everywhere, even with the curtains closed.

John

[Billy Wobble Dagger]

Originally Posted by John

We are probably all suffering these snowy conditions, I know we are here in Coventry. Possibly not as bad as a lot of people around the country but I'm not sure you have what is happening here.

Since it got dark the reflection of the city lights have been bouncing of the very low cloud cover and creating an orange glow. The gardens are lit up with an orange hue and I can see everything in the garden right up to, and beyond the far fence. I can even see the hanging feeders moving around in the wind and they are in excess of 60 feet away.

It really is beautiful with the snow glistening in this light. It is almost as if it is daylight but in darkness if you get my meeting.

Is any one else experiencing this.

John

I mentioned yesterday in the thread "snow and thunderstorms" how the light turned a grey / orange just before it all started. Very strange and eerie.

BWD

[Gill Catton]

yes we had the bright orange glow over here too probably the lights of swindon bounced around endlessly between the snow and the clouds!

Earlier this month the ere was the bright low morning sun and a thick dark greay blanket of cloud above which very much concentrated the horizontal passage of the light it was amazing so bright and so dark all at the same time. The trees were wet so shone in monocrome it was beautiful. I was unfortunately driving to work at the time and couldn't stop to take photographs

[sunnydale]

My 16yr old daughter and I went out for a walk last night.....at 10pm! It was really quite light outside and we even walked through the park - something we would never do on a dark night.

It was snowing heavily but we could see everything nearly as well as we can in the day time.

The best bit was having a mad snowball fight - which lasted 'til about 11pm!
The roads were deserted of traffic coz of the snow, so we had the town just about to ourselves! It was great!

[tameblackbirds]

Originally Posted by John

We are probably all suffering these snowy conditions, I know we are here in Coventry. Possibly not as bad as a lot of people around the country but I'm not sure you have what is happening here.

Since it got dark the reflection of the city lights have been bouncing of the very low cloud cover and creating an orange glow. The gardens are lit up with an orange hue and I can see everything in the garden right up to, and beyond the far fence. I can even see the hanging feeders moving around in the wind and they are in excess of 60 feet away.

It really is beautiful with the snow glistening in this light. It is almost as if it is daylight but in darkness if you get my meeting.

Is any one else experiencing this.

John

our backgarden was exactly like this last night. We have no street lights at the back of our house but do at the front. can never see up the garden always pitch black dark so can see stars well considering we are in a town. But light effect last night was lovely

[nytecam]

Originally Posted by John

It really is beautiful with the snow glistening in this light. It is almost as if it is daylight but in darkness if you get my meeting.
Is any one else experiencing this. John

As longtime amateur astronomer I find it vile and proof, if ever needed, of the gross inefficiency of sodium street lighting allowed to escape into the sky EVEN when there's NO snow to backscatter it as currently

Without snow the sky it may may appear black to most folk but is bright orange in brief camera exposures of the nightsky. Lamps are reputed selected IN DAYLIGHT by committees to look 'good' without regard for efficient shielding to avoid light going upwards where it serves no useful purpose and is a gross waste of energy . Sorry for hijacking your enjoyment.