Dark sky sites in Hertfordshire area?

[digitaldave]

Does anyone know of any sites that could be classed as even 'slightly dark'? I live in Stevenage, and the light pollution is pretty bad. The astronomy club I've joined has a site on the edge of a nearby town, and although it's not really a 'dark sky' site, there aren't any lights shining directly on the site, so it's better than my garden. However, I'd love to find a site that's reasonably close (I'm thinking the area around north Herts, south Cambridgeshire and east Bedfordshire) and pretty dark. Anyone got any suggestions?

Thanks,

Dave.

[stefski]

Hi Dave,

I live in South Beds, to the west of Luton. I think we live too close to London for 'dark' sites. My eastern and south-eastern horizons are a nice orange. I have noticed that SW of me is noticeably darker. On a very good night in summer (?) I can just about make out the Milky Way around Cygnus. I belong to an astro club in Letchworth, their observatory sounds similar to your club's. Again it's not exactly a dark site....

Sorry I couldn't be any help....Better to save up and go on star parties like Kelling etc(other half permitting , of course! ).

Stef

[digitaldave]

Stef,

Thanks for the reply .

It sounds like we're in the same astronomy club, the LDAS? AFAIK, that's the only one around here, at least that I have found . Are you going along to the BBQ on Saturday by any chance?

I'll have to have a look at the state of the sky to get some estimate of the lowest mag I can see with the naked eye. I suspect it's similar to what you have. What I'd love to find is somewhere nearby where the sky is darker than those at the club's site. I'm not expecting 'middle of the desert' levels of dark, but it's be nice to get the glow down even just a little bit .

Dave.

[rigel1]

Hello chaps. Just came across your thread and thought I'd look at my maps of the area where you are for any suitable "dark skies". I see 2 places of interest for that area which would be 1) Brent Pelham on the B1038 out of Buntingford and 2) Slightly better would be any of the area around Thaxted. These :wave: would be you darkest skies for the area untill you went further afield to say Brockley Green/Hartes just south of Bury. I hope this info is of any benefit to you both. Good Luck.

[rigel1]

Sorry, thing :wave: was in the wrong place and should have been at the end.

:oops:

Rigel1

[digitaldave]

Thanks for the suggestions, I'll have to check them out... Once the skies clear up of course .

Dave.

[stefski]

Hi Dave,

Yeah, I'm a member of LDAS. Those sites sound interesting......However, weather forecast for the foreseeable future looks pretty bleak :crybaby:

Stef

[stefski]

BTW I can't make the BBQ as am going to see my parents down in Surrey this weekend!

Stef

P.S. Are you going to Kelling?

[digitaldave]

Are you going to Kelling?

It's unlikely that I'll be at Kelling - I'm starting a teacher training course on Monday, so I'm going to be very busy i the near future .

Dave.

[Capricorn]

Don't tell anyone:

Up the A1 to Baldock North.

Come off and turn Left to Stotfold.

About 200 yds along the A507 is an entry area to a field on the right hand side.

Not easy to see, try a daylight search first.

The entry area is flat set back and concreted, T shaped.

It is before the 2 laybays.

If you get to the laybys you have gone too far.

The site has good all round visability and the light polution is pretty low.

Good for meteor watching, I take a small Meade with all cables to run from the car.

[digitaldave]

Capricorn,

Thanks for that, I'll definitely check it out, what with it being so close . Now, if I could just get rid of the clouds...

Dave.

[Capricorn]

When there is a meteor shower due I often use it.

Visability is good, you can see fairly low down, Nothing to block the horizon to any extent, and for the area little light pollution.

Main "worry" is how to park the car. Sort of hidden behind bushes or on the short entry with or without side lights on.

The bushes don't block anything except light from passing cars.

Finding north is easy, the A1 goes that way. :laughing3:

Now remember don't tell LDAS. :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen:

[rigel1]

Ah, but turn right on the A507 to Buntingford and then left on the A10 you will be in skies about 1mag better. Pushing left even further out towards Saffron Walden should bring even better skies.

How do I know? I have the Phillip's Dark Skies Map which can be used to plot possible observing sites.

It's a good map and well worth the £5.99 or so. Recommended.

Rigel1

[Capricorn]

Just been buying chicken poo at Royston.

Recalled another option, (only marginally related). :withstupid:

Off the A505 just outside Baldock is a road leading to something posted as Radio Station - no idea what it is.

Since the new A505 section has been built the access to this place is new and reasonable. There is a gate somewhere along the access road but I have never seen it closed. (famous last words).

Think you could park up in front of the gate and set up there.

There may be a bit of the old access road you could use.

The 505 has no lights and there are none along the access road.

Access is via the Royston->Baldock side, so means passing it and doing a U-turn.

By the way the area I previously mentioned has a big white sign in front of it pointing to Radwell Caravan/Camping Ground, the area/entrance is about 3 ft behind the sign. Easily missed.

[rigel1]

Seems like you know the area quite well Capricorn, buying all this chicken poo.

Don't know why I bother sometimes.

:laughing2:

[digitaldave]

...something posted as Radio Station - no idea what it is...

I know exactly what it is, I used to work there . Perhaps I should see if I can get in contact with some old colleagues up there, I reckon the view from the top of the hill would be pretty good. Can't believe I didn't think of that earlier!

[Capricorn]

Buntingford to Royston is the main A10, lots of cars and traffic and I know of nothing along there to park up at well off road so I suspect that you are in a layby. Also the A10 has lights along it at places.

When there is an accident on the 507 the police send us up the A10 at Buntingford and let us find our own routes through the small roads that criss-cross the area and these have nothing to safely park in.

When the 120 is blocked I have to use the 1039, 1039 to get across, although the skies will be darker they are small country lanes and I know of no-where to park up safely. I personally would prefer to be alive after looking at the skies.

The place I mentioned may not be the darkest but is reasonable and as I said has a flat concrete area. I suspect that 4-5 cars could park there and people could set up equipment.

The other reason I like it: Buntingford is 12 miles, Saffron Waldon 25, the one I know is 1.5 miles and a very easy drive.

When I bought my Meade I did a lot of looking round this area, N Herts, for places that I could easily and safely use it.

[Capricorn]

You used to work at the Radio Station?!? :mrgreen:

And this accessable, dark site didn't register as a good, nay very good option to go to? :crybaby:

If there is a reasonable place to park there I would suspect that it is excellent.

I never bothered simply because of the gate and until a while ago pulling off the A505 there wasn't as simple/safe as it is now.

[Starflyer]

Another LDAS member here we'll have to get together at the next meeting or observing session.

The LDAS observing site is a bit darker than my back garden which is around 3 miles further south. The Milkyway is just about visible from home on a good night, but was easily visible from Letchworth on the two occasions I've been at the observing site.

I've heard a few people say that Ashwell is quite dark, but haven't been out there myself at night. If you take the first turning for Ashwell off the A505 heading from Baldock towards Royston, you'll come to a large concrete hard standing (with an old tanker on it) on the right hand side of the road. It's a very small road and the traffic should be minimal after 9 or 10pm.

You could try asking Dale Holt, he's the dark skies officer for LDAS, you can find his email address on the LDAS site under the commitee link.

Mods; maybe this thread would be better suited to the Local Meetings board?

Cheers,

Ian

[Capricorn]

Although I live in Letchworth, could walk to LDAS I am not a member.

Went once, was looked at as if I had fell out the north end of a south bound camel :laughing3:

Only spoken to once, exact phase was: Your'e not a member are you! That will be £3:50 then.

As said I received a few strange looks through the evening, when the meeting ended people went for coffee I was still ignored I managed to be at a talk for about 3 hours and never spoke to anyone. So I departed.

Had the impression that a slime monster from another planet may have had a better reception.

So I have my own bits and do my own thing.

[Froeng]

Hi All,

 

i am new to this site and just picked up this thread about observing sites in Hertfordshire. I have been to the place near Ashwell as mentioned by Ian above, although not at night yet. Was wondering if anybody is actually using the concreted area to set up their equipment? Any experience with this particular place? It would be quite easy to reach for me (30mins) and seems to have excellent potential...

 

cheers

Frank