I can barely see the north star from my place and it's been years since I have been able to see the milky way. Every damn house in the county must have two up to four security lights except for me and I have one, thanks to my wife. If left up to me I would have exactly none. I grew up way out in the sticks and I ain't afraid of the dark. I used to enjoy sitting out on the patio on summer nights just letting the world go by. Now I have houses on three sides of me and two pretty close to me have put in extremely bright lights that shine right at my house all night long and pretty much ruined my sitting in the dark and enjoying myself. There really isn't any reason for my wife to think she needs a security light as the neighbors furnish enough for everyone around. Security lights just enable the thieves to see what they are stealing a little better.
I would have to drive west and drop off the caprock and even then I might not get away from the manmade light. Carlsbad is to the southwest, Roswell to the northwest, and ever compressor station, water station, and other oilfield installations, and there are a lot, have bright lights that burn 24 hours a day and no one is at them at night. Does not make sense to me but that is the way it is.
I have a small Meade scope that tracks whatever you set it to track. It just stays in it's case except when I use it like a spotting scope.