Jump to content

Banner.jpg.b89429c566825f6ab32bcafbada449c9.jpg

Where are you all??

Gottzi

By Gottzi
in Topics

Recommended Posts

Sabri Zain

Sabri Zain

Posted
Posted

Okay, here's an idea.

Rampton has a recreation ground. It's a village of a few hundred people strung out along three roads with minimal street lighting. The rec is up the end of the most southern of these roads and is, in turn, 100yds from that road. There are a few houses to the north of the Rec, but there are also low trees that block their light, whilst to the south there is basically nothing. I live on the village green, in the middle of the village and suffer less LP than some of the sites I have scoped as potential dark sites, in this thread. Hell, I spent last week in Overstrand on the N. Norfolk coast with the Dob, and on the two clear nights I got, I didn't see anything I can't see from my back garden.

I'm not saying the rec is perfect, but it offers a low, east, west & southern horizon and with Parish Council permission, cars can be driven on to it. One of the council members is my next door neighbour and we regularly swap power tools, as she is restoring a 17th century house. If people were interested enough to come have a look (If weather Rubbish, we will repair to The Black Horse, listed by Camra for real ales) then I'll put in a request.

With it being so local, to me at least, I could provide facilities such as tea/coffee and bacon sarnies. It would be no bother to haul my tent's cooker/grill the few hundred yards at the same time as my scope.

Anybody interested in at least having a look?

Russell

Russel, I live just across from there in Longstanton and am keen to explore its potential since it's just a stone's throw away. But don't the floodlights from that useless Guided Bus Station nearby completely flood the skies around the area with sodium? My northern views are completely bathed by light from it and I suspect so would western views from Rampton.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
  • Replies 198
  • Created
  • Last Reply
  • 2 weeks later...
pragmatist

pragmatist

Posted
Posted

From Norfolk but have lived in Ipswich the last 10 years so turning Suffolk now i guess. Been into Astronomy for ages but never owned a telescope, Can you believe that? Soon to be changing all that though with my 1st purchase on the horizon.

Matty

Link to comment
Share on other sites
russ.will

russ.will

Posted
Posted

Russel, I live just across from there in Longstanton and am keen to explore its potential since it's just a stone's throw away. But don't the floodlights from that useless Guided Bus Station nearby completely flood the skies around the area with sodium? My northern views are completely bathed by light from it and I suspect so would western views from Rampton.

Russell,

I am interested in checking it out too.

Cheers,

Chris

Sorry chaps, I forgot to look in lately. Mind you, I can't remember a recent clear night that wasn't bathed in moonlight to make it worth checking the Rec.

Tonight is supposed to be clear, so I shall go up there with camera and tripod and take a 360deg sweep of the place. What's the recommended exposure for making night, realistically look like night?

Russell

Link to comment
Share on other sites
  • 2 weeks later...
Gottzi

Gottzi

Posted
  • Author
Posted

High all, back in action now after spending all this time looking after my wifen she has done so well. Gotta get the scope out and dusted down, can't wait 2 get started. How is life treating u all? X

Link to comment
Share on other sites
badgers

badgers

Posted
Posted

Welcome back Gottzi, clouds been keeping things quiet I'm afraid.

All this talk of Rampton sounds interesting, it's very easy for me to get to also, definitely be interested in checking out the Rec ground if some others were going to be about.

Anton

Link to comment
Share on other sites
russ.will

russ.will

Posted
Posted

Yes, sorry about that. I went up there on this year's dark night, to take some pictures and made a complete pigs ear of it. There hasn't been a night since, to correct the situation.

To be fair, I didn't have time to hang around and get fully dark adapted either, but even so the Cygnus Rift was easy naked eye. As for skyglow, well what there is seems to be low in the SE (Histon?) and to a lesser degree, the light from the Misguided bus station at Longstanton in the west. On a colder, drier night, I know the glow of Histon is minimal, as my garden is closer to it, so I assume the Longstanton would be reduced too.

What it does offer is a nice low horizon from the NE round to the NW and once you're looking up about 20deg above the horizon, it's pretty good. I'm not sure I'd hang a dark site badge on it, but there are none of those in or near Cambridgshire anyway. It's 2 miles from everything at the end of a village that has very few street lights, which is good as you can hope for, I suppose.

If anybody wants to come and have a look, Friday from mid-evening and Saturday throughout is looking likely to be clear, albeit with moon. I'm happy to meet up and go for a butchers.

Russell

Link to comment
Share on other sites
badgers

badgers

Posted
Posted

Rampton looks pretty good according to the LP map, it's light blue. The area I'm in in Cambridge is in the purple LP zone of death.

The north side of the town gets into the darker side of the map, i see an open meadow on the map 'primrose meadow' that could be very good.

My kit is undergoing an overhaul so It'll be a while before I've a mobile imaging setup again but I want a good site to go for the rosette and orion this year.

I'd be interested in popping up after work on Friday or Saturday and having a butcher's around.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
  • 4 weeks later...
Donkeiller

Donkeiller

Posted
Posted

Hi Russell,

Yes Girton is a bit of a challenge, well the sky to the south is anyway. I did spend some time looking for a local dark site, but never managed to find one. So how is Rampton to observe from?

Cheers,

Chris

You ought to try living in the centre of Cambridge (plus street light less than 10 ft from back garden)

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Donkeiller

Donkeiller

Posted
Posted

I am at the edge of the limes so its actually pretty good

I can see all ursa minor stars so i cant knock it, i dont have light polution for say but i lose dark adaption easy dur to local light from houees and cars

I go to the paxton pits with the st neots group and thats pretty good sky wise, not perfect but decent for the area

Sent from my A101IT using Tapatalk

I'm in Cambridge.

And wow! that's a big beast you have.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Donkeiller

Donkeiller

Posted
Posted

Cgarry NickW and Russ.Will - I'm cambridge myself :D. Kind of the other side of cambs, down the A10 towards royston, but my girlfriend lives near to cottenham so I'm there a fair bit too!

Perhaps when the skies get a bit darker you lot can show me how these telescope thingys work then eh? :p.

Ginger

Sounds one heck of lot darker than where I live.

I'll have a go at showing you the ropes (scopes) and you show me the skies.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
badgers

badgers

Posted
Posted

Next night that looks like it might guarantee clear skies (I tend to check Sat24.com), I'm planning on trying out the Rampton recreation ground.

Anyone else up for it ? This week looks pretty ropey, next weekend or next week might be better.

Anton

Link to comment
Share on other sites
  • 2 weeks later...
russ.will

russ.will

Posted
Posted

I've got a shed load on at the moment but, anybody fancy trying Rampton on Tuesday night? Sky Harbinger has it looking good and even if nobody wants to risk dragging their gear over, I'm happy to drag the 300 Dob up there.

Russell

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD using chubby fingers. Sorry.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
badgers

badgers

Posted
Posted

I have not been imaging for weeks last year was much better sigh.

Sorry to hear that QM :(

It's been pretty woeful lately. I managed two nights in the last fortnight and about 8 nights in the last two months.

It also seems to have a habit of being clear on nights where I've other things planned or am travelling.

A

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

Go to topic listing

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue. By using this site, you agree to our Terms of Use.