Watauga Skies

Watauga Skies Location and Area Light Pollution Map

Light Pollution Map for Watauga, Texas, and Surrounding Area
(Click on image for full-size map)

Watauga is a small community northeast of Fort Worth, Texas. The name is from the Cherokee Indians who first settled Watauga, meaning "village of many springs." History and information for Watauga can be found Here.

Light pollution is high in the area, but a telescope and sensitive astronomy cameras capture pictures of many of the virtually infinite wonders in the heavens above. All pictures on this website are taken from Watauga unless otherwise noted.

Light Pollution Map Legend

Color	Bortle Scale approx	Description (Descriptions are approximate. Your sky may vary.)
	1	Gegenschein visible. Rising milkyway confuses some into thinking it's dawn. Limiting magnitude 7.6 to 8.0 with effort.
	2	Faint shadows cast by milkyway visible on white objects. Any clouds in the sky are visible only as dark holes or voids in the starry background. You can see your telescope and surroundings only vaguely, except where they project against the sky. Limiting magntiude 7.1 to 7.5.
	3	Low light domes (10 to 15 degrees) on horizon. Clouds may appear faintly illuminated near the horizon but are dark overhead. Your telescope is vaguely apparent at a distance of 20 or 30 feet.
	4	Fairly obvious light-pollution domes are apparent over population centers in several directions. The Milky Way well above the horizon is still impressive but lacks all but the most obvious structure. Modest to serious impact to deep sky observing and imaging. Limiting magnitude about 6.2 to 6.5.
	4.5	Washed out milkyway visible near horizon. Zodiacal light very rare. Light domes up to 45 degrees. Limiting magnitude about 5.9 to 6.2.
	5	Milkyway is washed out overhead and invisible at horizon. Fairly obvious light-pollution domes are apparent over population centers in several directions. Clouds are brighter than sky. Limiting magnitude about 5.6 to 5.9.
	6 or 7	Any indications of the Milky Way are apparent only overhead. Clouds are fairly to brightly lit. Sky is grey up to 35 degrees. Less than 100 stars visible over 30 degrees elevation. Limiting magntidue 5.0 to 5.5.
	8 or 9	The sky glows whitish gray or orangish, and you can read newspaper headlines without difficulty. Familliar constellations are missing stars. Fainter constellations are absent. Less than 20 stars visible over 30 degrees elevation in brigher areas. Limiting magntude from 3 to 4. Most people don't look up.