Is there any going back, after your first Dark Sky experience?

[Stu Skywatcher]

TBH the light domes of these little towns pales into insignificance when compared to the effect Greater London is still having on the skies around these sites.

Londons influence on sky conditions is massive.

Ranmore is about the same distance from London as Albury so light pollution will be the same. Bignor hill is much further away so sky conditions are somewhat better.

It has been said for truly dark skies you need to be over 100miles from any major city with a population over a million, London has eight times that population number so getting far away is the best policy.

Although Bignor isn't 100 miles from London it is far enough away that it's effect on the sky is considerably less than sites like Ranmore and Albury.

Take a trip down there with your bins you won't be disappointed.

Maybe catch up down there at some point.

Regards Steve

eeeek , 100 miles . That's just not fair ....

Will keep an eye on the Surrey Observers thread and hopefully catch up with you at Bignor sometime Steve, or possibly at Ranmore. I had to chuckle to myself last night - I was reading one of the Ewell Asto Soc newsletters. The chap writing it mentioned that they had met a chap at Ranmore with a 16" Dob, I thought 'I know who that might be....'

[Alastair Rae]

I'm camping in Wadi Rum, Jordan next month. I suspect the dark skies will be totally wasted on a newbie like me. But I'll have an 65mm ED spotting scope, 8x42 bins and a Pocket Star Atlas so I'll try my best. Then I'll get back to inner London and have to wait ages for another chance. Can't have it all.

[hemihaggis]

well jump on the plane to barra ..........

[Stu Skywatcher]

I'm camping in Wadi Rum, Jordan next month. I suspect the dark skies will be totally wasted on a newbie like me. But I'll have an 65mm ED spotting scope, 8x42 bins and a Pocket Star Atlas so I'll try my best. Then I'll get back to inner London and have to wait ages for another chance. Can't have it all.

wow, you should get some really great dark skies there. Not quite sure what you mean by 'wasted on a newbie'..... I think the opposite will be true, as I said at the beginning of this tread - I was absolutely blown away by what I saw at Albury. I almost drilled a hole in the grass with my constant spinning around looking skyward saying wooooooow. So it could be argued that as a newbie you'll get more out of it in terms of the wow factor than someone who’s had plenty of dark sky experience. My advice to you is 'fill yer boots'! Go nocturnal and try and get as much as you can from it....

You have my deepest sympathy tho, when you get back to Islington

Please make sure you give us a report back on your experience, would be great to hear about it. Have a great trip......

[Pappy Nick]

I'm lucky enough to have a caravan permanently sited on the edge of Exmoor, and I can vouch for the quality of the skies. But this year will be the first time that I'll be taking a 'scope way with me for my weekend escapes from Bristol. I can't wait !!!

[tollytastic1]

The first time I really appreciated a truly dark sky was after moving to a very small village in France. At the time I had only a vague interest in astronomy but after seeing the night sky shining down with what seemed to be an impossible number of stars (hadn't seen the milky way for years) my interest was stirred - more so than even the Dr Cox effect:). I only use 20x80 binos at the moment (Saving hard for an EQ6 for my C11) and find star hopping quite difficult due to there being so much in the field of view, a very nice problem to have!!:D

We moved to France for a number of reasons (French wife sick of uk cloudy weather) but the night sky has been the unexpected bonus.

Although the skies are great we don't have such easy access to good astro shops etc so you rarely get everything !!

Paul