Lighting the garden

For me the point of solar is to avoid the pain of laying down cable, so if you decide to go part mains I really wouldn't bother with the expense of good quality solar. Much better go 12v mood lighting for more subtlety as Fran suggests. I have discreet low voltage lighting on the deck and it works well. I think the transformer only handles 100watts or something so its not a huge energy eater.

 

Well then, that is a good solution! You can run your 12v lights from a battery which you charge with a solar charger, and if necessary from the mains. Less wiring if not none, and avoids installation regulations.

 

Good call Liz, I would love some top notch solar panels on my roof, we get loads of sun at the back.

 

Argggghhh! More light pollution!!! Does anyone ever look at the moon or stars these days?

Um ... sorry ... it's just a thing of mine. I'm faced with a 40 mile round trip to get anything like a descent dark sky :D

 

I am really lucky as I have a lovely view of the night sky in my garden. We do have street lights which stay on all night [ ] but they are angled down and I can see the milky way etc beautifully!
I think the important thing about lighting is that it is angled correctly. Security lights are often at fault.

 

TAKE A TRIP to sri-lanka and you can see all the night sky you want especially by the sea. millions of stars in the sky and falling stars shooting across the night sky.

 

It would be nice for us all to be able to see our own night sky- just as spectacular! The Perseids will be around in a week or so.

 

Sri-Lanka sounds great but there's a small problem. My main interest is catching aurora. They are quite elusive to photgraph and it normally needs a really dark sky with no city glow on the horizon. My best spot is actually North of Perth and that can mean nearly 100 miles of driving on what can be treacherous roads in the depths of winter. One security light going off or a set of car headlights can ruin a good shot.

 

The guy across the back from me has a security light on his wall and it is always coming on so bright so i decided well i will have my own lights to take the glare of his away, works perfectly, As well as the fancy lights i have 4 spot-lights, I do have them angled down in my pots, and of course my climbers hide having to look at garages and houses opposite. just perfect

 

That is such a beautiful photograph- I hope you were pleased with it.
I have never seen the aurora and it is one of the few things I would think travelling worth while for.
Rosa, I expect your balcony looks really pretty at night, and I don't suppose you leave your lights on all night anyway!

 

Frogesque ... beautiful again! Makes my night sky look dismal but we shall be up on the deck on the 12th of August, listening to War of the Worlds and watching the shooting stars!

 

Liz i switch them off before i go to bed would be worried,electricity although they are low voltage ones. The best night time sky i enjoyed was on an island off thailand, watching all those twinkling stars, just so relaxing. Wish i was there

 

Thanks for the comments and I didn't really mean to hijack the thread.

This pic was taken the same night (9th. Nov. 04) and you can see how intrusive security floodlights lights can be. That farmhouse is over a mile away from where I'd parked.

I'm not saying don't use them, just be a bit sympathetic about how you position and angle them.

 

We all rarely experience true darkness with the amount of light pollution there is. Here the glow from the local town lights the sky all night - so its never truly dark. My little 12v garden lights are on a timer, and switch off at 11.00 - but I do love still having a garden after dark.

 

Agree completely frogesque, no plans to turn it into floodlights (honest BM!), but we already have a big streetlight lighting up the back of the garden, so not much chance of a decent night sky anyway! :(

I do agree that the night sky looks amazing where you have photographed it. My sister lives way up in the north of Scotland and is lucky to have some amazing night skies. We're lucky if we see the North Star round here! :(