An invitation to Taunton/Wellington area stargazers

[JamesF]

I've already offered to one of our number and have decided that there's no really good reason not to do so for others...

For those who do not have a dark site of their own and would like to travel to one but don't feel comfortable just setting up by the roadside or in a random car park on Exmoor.  I live pretty much in the middle of nowhere, a couple of miles north of Wiveliscombe, about as close to Exmoor as you could get without being on it and have a field adjoining my garden which is pretty much on top of a hill.  There are clear views of the horizon in every direction down to about five degrees.  On a good night there is a small amount of LP on the horizon from Taunton and WIveliscombe -- the worse the seeing, the worse it gets, basically.  I've never felt the need to use an LP filter unless I was imaging very close to the horizon.  On a reasonable night it's possible to see M31 with the naked eye and I can also make out the location of objects such as the Coathanger.  I've estimated NELM by starcounting in Ursa Minor to be 5,5 upwards.  Should something untoward happen, it's almost unheard of for someone (generally me) not to be at home.

On the negative side there's a cricket club in the next field that has motion-sensitive floodlights that could do with a bit of attention, though they're only really a minor irritation and only on the occasional nights that they have skittles on during the winter.  And we share the landscape with pheasant, badgers, hedgehogs, foxes, bats and sundry other creatures of the night, some as yet unidentified, all of which will attempt to scare the bejaysus out you until you get used to it.  There's no electricity (as yet, though I have some plans for an unspecified date in the non-immediate future) or anything like that.  It's a field.  It has all the facilities you'd expect a field to offer: fences and grass.

Should anyone feel safer using these facilities rather than exposing themselves (as it were) to the great unwashed in a public location, either on an occasional or regular basis, I would be happy to have you do so.  I'd just like to meet you first (and you should visit during daylight, or at least before dark so you know what you're letting yourself in for) and ask that you leave the place as you found it.

James

[JamesF]

As an idea of what it's like, here's the image of the field I use in Stellarium (the edges are approximately north).

James

[scarp15]

Very generous and a lovely idea James. To far for myself of course, yet for those who live within a reasonable journey and feel unsure about venturing out or do not meet with a club, this would provide reassurance and peace of mind combined with what looks like a great location. Venturing to car parks on your own is not for everyone as you will always feel a little vulnerable, but experiencing dark skies ought to be. 

[rob0971]

Fantastic offer James, of which I may take you up on in the future!