SHANGHAI, CHINA: The bright lights of the big city have proved too much for Shanghai's observatory, which will move its astronomy work away from the metropolis's blinding light pollution, state press reported Tuesday (January 22nd).

The glare from the metropolis of nearly 17 million people has "greatly affected our observation and we must find a more appropriate base," Tao Jun, director of the Optical Astronomy Laboratory of Shanghai Observatory, told the Shanghai Morning Post.

He said China's second-largest optical telescope had been unable to conduct world-class astronomical observations in recent years due to the glare.

Light pollution in Shanghai is nearly 30 times levels advised by the International Astronomical Union, according to the newspaper.

The observatory has signed an agreement with neighbouring Zhejiang province to establish China's first "night sky protected area" in the rural area of Tianhuangping and will soon move its equipment there, the report said.

"The pollution is even more serious now. Even though we have updated the equipment, the observation is still not satisfactory," he said.

The new location is at an altitude of nearly 1,000 metres and local authorities have promised restrictions on lighting in the area.