To mittigate the effects of ever increasing light pollution, backyard astronomers sometimes house their telescopes in small observing domes, (seen around the 4:00 o'clock position in the pictue above) . Acting like a lens-hood, these domes sheild their optics from glaring artifical lights.

However, unwanted light sources can still find their way into long time-exposures.The Sydney-Melbourne air corridor is one of the worlds most congested. To provide an orderly traffic flow, air traffic control issue STAR's (Standard Instrument Arrivals) to arriving aircraft, with the Sydney Rivet 9 arrival being typical for arriving Melbourne traffic .Their navigation lights paint bright dots, lines and swirls in the night sky.

From a higher altitude, an Iridium satellite casts down a glint of sunlight from its solar panels. A nearly full moon, seen rising to the right of frame, is reflecting even more sunlight.  

Higher again are real stars, extremely distant Suns. Their path through the night sky forming graceful arcs around the south celestial pole.

The sunrise to the south?            No....just a neighbour's floodlight !!