Backyard Observatories Boom as Light Pollution Spreads

Amateur astronomers are investing in home observatories even as city light pollution pushes the best skies further out of reach.Compact robotic telescopes with built-in light filtering now let hobbyists capture usable images of nebulae and galaxies from suburban backyards that would have been impossible a decade ago. Astronomy clubs report growing membership among people who never expected to see much beyond the moon and planets from home. Meanwhile, dark-sky advocates continue pushing for stricter outdoor lighting ordinances to preserve what unobstructed views remain.