OT: Need friendly advice

Hi,

I know this is off topic but if anyone has dealt with this before tell me how you handled it. My new backyard neighbors just moved in. The pictures below tell the whole story. The bottom picture shows my shadow on the side of my house as I took the picture. My backyard was really nice and dark until night before last! Now it's like daylight . If I can't fix this there will be $15K worth of stuff in Astromart soon .

Thanks,

Jose

Attached Image:

Jose
I had the same problem with my neighbor. This guy is totaly affraid of the dark. He installed this light that would illuminate a ball park. Communication is the key. Let him know what your doing. Show him some images. Most people will cooperate. My neighbor was nice enough to leave the light off on the weekends, when I do my imaging. If your neighbor isnt so sympathetic, youll have to try a more aggressive approach. Hang a canapy, plant some landscaping that will block the light and of coarse, if all else fails, find a nice rock and accidently break the light.
Good luck.

Possibly your neighbors will start turning the light off as they become comfortable with their new surroundings. But talk to them and hopefully they'll be cooperative.

If the talks fail, you still have options that won't land you in jail for vandalism.

You can build a portable "light shield" using some 8-10 foot lengths of PVC, some heavy black plastic sheeting and some grommets. I use one to block out stray car headlights and the one streetlight that I can't turn off with the laser pointer (the sensor faces away from the house). Best $10 I ever spent.

You might also consider planting some fast-growing landscape plants to block the light. Some species of hybrid willow trees will grow upwards of 12 feet per year. After a couple years, the tree should be large and dense enough to block out most of your neighbors lights. If your climate permits, you might also consider planting some bamboo. It's also fast-growing and makes an excellent wind/light break. Just make sure you install some sort of barrier to keep it from spreading.