Light show on the dash....

[gomarlins3]

.. I was driving down the freeway this evening (yes, we have those in Idaho) and I noticed that each time I drove under a street light that the two little blue lines under the fuel gauge and above the "instant fuel mileage" meter would change to a red and white sparkle show. Kinda cool and funny to watch. I had never noticed this before so maybe the lights were a just the right angle or something.

Anyone else notice this before?

[Scotty001]

I don't really have an answer for that. But looking at the news - was an interesting article on what we can't see due to light pollution..









To me at least - Amazing.. Look above the dash I guess...

Edit: Makes me remember being at sea as a kid, sitting on the fantail and watching the milkyway go by -- the only place I have ever seen it like displayed in the pics..
and side note: Whaaaat.. They have roads in Idaho?? But bet you get these views.....

[MattB]

It's a sad thing that we miss so much beauty because of light pollution, but in fairness I'm fairly certain those pictures are all long exposures and feature details not naturally perceptible to the human eye. Like I said, though, I don't mean to argue that light pollution is a huge obstacle for stargazers. Most of the world's serious observatories must now be placed in remote areas like the Mauna Kea observatory in Hawaii to avoid it.

On the flip side, we're at an age where science is constantly pushing the envelope of how well we can observe the universe around us thanks to technology.

[atteSmythe]

Originally Posted by gomarlins3

.. I was driving down the freeway this evening (yes, we have those in Idaho) and I noticed that each time I drove under a street light that the two little blue lines under the fuel gauge and above the "instant fuel mileage" meter would change to a red and white sparkle show. Kinda cool and funny to watch. I had never noticed this before so maybe the lights were a just the right angle or something.

Anyone else notice this before?

Yes! The first and only time, just last night. It only happened once, but was bright enough to catch my eye - the street light must have hit something just right to sparkle like that.

[VTEC Mini]

Originally Posted by gomarlins3

.. I was driving down the freeway this evening (yes, we have those in Idaho) and I noticed that each time I drove under a street light that the two little blue lines under the fuel gauge and above the "instant fuel mileage" meter would change to a red and white sparkle show. Kinda cool and funny to watch. I had never noticed this before so maybe the lights were a just the right angle or something.

Anyone else notice this before?

The 60's weren't good to you where they?

[JoannaCRZ]

I've always wanted to see that in real life. To bad Chicago has to much lights so i cant see ****t

[VTEC Mini]

Originally Posted by JoannaCRZ

I've always wanted to see that in real life. To bad Chicago has to much lights so i cant see ****t

Where I live the air is so dirty you can't even see the stars on most nights!

[SuiteMike]

I would visit Minnesota when younger we go out to the lakes and you can see the Northern Lights...simply amazing!!!! than back in California...Im no astronomer if we wanted to see the stars we would drive out to the desert (quite often too) and spend the night there or bring telescopes...It is so beautiful and always captivates me...as for the lightshow on the dash, never seen it, but ill keep a closer on it...I really want to see it lol....doesnt sparkle like a Twilight vampire, does it? I dont want to think we own vampire eco conscious cars.

[JoannaCRZ]

Originally Posted by SuiteMike

I would visit Minnesota when younger we go out to the lakes and you can see the Northern Lights...simply amazing!!!! than back in California...Im no astronomer if we wanted to see the stars we would drive out to the desert (quite often too) and spend the night there or bring telescopes...It is so beautiful and always captivates me...as for the lightshow on the dash, never seen it, but ill keep a closer on it...I really want to see it lol....doesnt sparkle like a Twilight vampire, does it? I dont want to think we own vampire eco conscious cars.

Yea well im moving to minnesota then just to see the sites

[wicked1]

Originally Posted by Scotty001

I don't really have an answer for that. But looking at the news - was an interesting article on what we can't see due to light pollution..

Those are long exposures for sure.. One you can see the sun set, and then rise again on the other side.
And the last one is what they call "light painting".

Like, the bright rocks in front are "painted" w. a flashlight to look as they do. (I went through a long exposure phase when I was obsessed w/ getting shots like that)

But that doesn't change the point you're making.. If you try that in a city you'll just see orange light everywhere from the streetlights.