Factors Affecting Visibility

Light Pollution

Light pollution refers to excessive or misdirected artificial light produced by human activity.
This phenomenon obscures the darkness of the night sky, making it difficult to observe celestial objects, particularly those that are faint or distant.
Light pollution can be reduced by using outdoor lighting that is directed downwards instead of upwards or sideways, thus restricting the spread of light.

Atmospheric conditions greatly affect the visibility of celestial objects.
Weather factors like cloud cover, dust, and fog scatter light and can prevent observation of celestial bodies.
Even clear skies can impact visibility if atmospheric turbulence is present. This turbulence makes stars appear to twinkle – a phenomenon known as stellar scintillation.
Humidity and temperature also play a role in visibility. High humidity and temperature can cause air to become hazy and scatter more light.

Visibility of celestial objects is influenced by the observer’s geographical location.
The further away the observer is from city lights and pollution, the darker the sky and the easier it is to observe celestial objects.
The altitude of the observing location also affects visibility. Higher altitudes have thinner atmosphere, which means there is less air and other particles to scatter light.

The phase of the moon can impact visibility of celestial objects. During a full moon, the bright moonlight can wash out faint stars and other celestial bodies.
Likewise, the time of year and the time of night when observing takes place affect which celestial objects are visible.
For example, some constellations and planets are only visible during certain seasons, or at certain times of night.

Solar activity, including solar flares and the solar cycle, can impact the visibility of certain celestial phenomena like auroras.
During a solar maximum, which is when the Sun is most active, auroras are more frequent and visible at lower latitudes than during a solar minimum.