What,s the best sky you have observed under?

[rory]

I am yet to experience a truly dark sky I think, best I've managed is a few miles out of town but even then the difference was night and day.

thats a question ive wanted to ask, how far do you need to travel to see a difference ? say from a average town, would a ten minute drive away into the greenbelt really be worth it ,or do you need to be a good distance from l/p .?

[bish]

Best I've observed under probably Isle of Skye. Egypt was good but I only had my bins. Biggest regret is not having my bins when camping up in the mountains of the Atacama Desert in Chile.

[assasincz]

So far, at the airfield where I regularly observe, I can see, on a moonless night, a distinct patch of milky way right above my head going through 1/2 of the sky with light pollution from cities to the north and to the south.

Hopefully, my newly discovered site will promise better skies, according to LP map of CZ.

[Reggie]

thats a question ive wanted to ask, how far do you need to travel to see a difference ? say from a average town, would a ten minute drive away into the greenbelt really be worth it ,or do you need to be a good distance from l/p .?

I think it really depends on where your light pollution is coming from compared to where you are going.

For instance, the town in question is at the bottom of a hill, so anywhere over the brow of the hill was instantly better. Being above the light sources is probably where you're going to see a difference without having to go too far, I also found that middle of the town LP could be quite acceptable as long as you're not getting the light directly shone at you and as long as you pick reasonable targets.

In the middle of town I still found it acceptable but only after buying a decent hutech IDAS filter. My town LP at the time was horrendous, I stood there and counted over 150 street lights + 2 big trading estates lit up at night that could be seen from my observing position, I soon gave up worrying about getting my eyes dark adjusted

There is of course a simple way to find out if a place is suitable, go there when it's dark and look, doesn't matter if it's cloudy or not, you may find that you need a few different sites depending on your targets, always trying to keep the LP behind your scope away from the target.

[rory]

I think it really depends on where your light pollution is coming from compared to where you are going.

For instance, the town in question is at the bottom of a hill, so anywhere over the brow of the hill was instantly better. Being above the light sources is probably where you're going to see a difference without having to go too far, I also found that middle of the town LP could be quite acceptable as long as you're not getting the light directly shone at you and as long as you pick reasonable targets.

In the middle of town I still found it acceptable but only after buying a decent hutech IDAS filter. My town LP at the time was horrendous, I stood there and counted over 150 street lights + 2 big trading estates lit up at night that could be seen from my observing position, I soon gave up worrying about getting my eyes dark adjusted

There is of course a simple way to find out if a place is suitable, go there when it's dark and look, doesn't matter if it's cloudy or not, you may find that you need a few different sites depending on your targets, always trying to keep the LP behind your scope away from the target.

mmm,interesting,thanks. i shall try a few areas within 15 minute drive from town over the coming weeks (clouds permiiting) as long as i travel south . birmingham looms 15 miles north

[old_eyes]

I have to say that the best skies I have ever seen were at Les Granges; Olly's place in Haute Provence.

Second best on a dive boat on the outer Barrier Reef in Australia - far away from the coast. However by the time the lights on the boat were switched off, I had usually drunk too much beer for accurate observation!

old_eyes

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

I have to say that the best skies I have ever seen were at Les Granges; Olly's place in Haute Provence.

Second best on a dive boat on the outer Barrier Reef in Australia - far away from the coast. However by the time the lights on the boat were switched off, I had usually drunk too much beer for accurate observation!

old_eyes

Les Granges is a great place (in more ways than one ), but there was quite a bit of moonlight interfering when I visited. I must visit it again when the moon is absent.