Exploring the Universe from the Central Coast. The exhibit ran from 1 July through 24 September 2000 at the Pacific Grove Museum of Natural History. A critical factor in locating the MIRA observatory in Monterey County was the clear skies between San Francisco and Los Angeles. The light pollution in the Central Coast has increased dramatically in the last few years. A time exposure looking south from the Oliver Observing Station shows stars and the Milky Way streaked by the rotation of the Earth.
Stars are visible to the horizon.
Not everyone sees the skies clearly at night. Urban dwellers see only the brightest of objects, while residents of more rural areas see a sky dotted with galaxies, planets, and constellations of stars. The difference in viewing is due solely to the amount of light pollution present at night. Lack of understanding of the nature of light and how the eye functions creates this problem. The amount of light needed to clearly see an object is called luminance.