location reccomendations liverpool area?

[maclean]

Hi everyone,

So I live near Liverpool and although I have had a great few occasions viewing from the back garden, I would love to have somewhere up my sleeve I can pack up and shoot to in the car to have excellent light pollution/obstruction free viewing. I guess I would like somewhere that's gonna take less than an hour to get to. But I don't know a random field, or what? I guess I have some plans to maybe go camping in wales sometime in the future but what do you guys do when you want a pitch black sky? And can anyone recommend anything in the Liverpool area? I have seen that light pollution mAp thats floating around but short of going into rural Scotland and wales I guess the next best thing is getting as far away from lights as possible. But then you cant exactly set up right next to the road can you!

[laser_jock99]

You wouldn't have to go too far into North Wales to escape

http://www.avex-asso.org/dossiers/pl/uk/index.html

[HIP3802]

How far out are you prepared to go? Around Burscough on the A59 is a good dark area with plenty of fields etc. Liverpool Scouts used to have a centre out that way (I think it may still be there) and Martin Mere is in the area. It should also fit your requirements for light pollution, unobstructed views and within an hour of Liverpool. A word to the scouts and you may be able to use a carpark for viewing.

[maclean]

Laser jock thanks I will have a look at that tonight when I get home my phone can't view it.

Hip that sounds good! I have some family that stay in ormskirk quite close to burscough I believe. Only takes me half an hour to get there so if I can sort something out there, I might have my spot!

[HIP3802]

I'm from East Lancashire, but coming away from Martin Mere late last year I noticed how dark the skies were, and took my scope the next time I was down that way. I used a view point a good way from Burscough and got some good viewing in - but as I mentioned earlier there are other good spots nearer the town.

Martin

[StuW]

Maclean, you should join the Central Lancs Stargazers on Facebook (if you use it). We arrange meetups in dark areas around preston and south ribble. Hopefully we'll also have a Lancashire Social Group on here when the Admins get to it...

[Jiggy 67]

You might want to have a look at these . The Liverpool Astro Society hold regular events. They have use of the observatory at Pexhill near Widnes where they meet every Tuesday. Although not perfect dark skies, its not bad with a reasonable horizon due to height, you also have the advantage of other astronomers for advice....anyone can go alond and I'm sure a visit will reveal a number of secret sites around Liverpool/Cheshire/N.Wales and Lancs. I've been up on a Tuesday and they are very friendly

[David Galvin]

We meet every Wednesday evening from 19:00 till late and are always pleased to see visitors. The society does have a membership which we ask you to consider if you are going to attend on a regular basis. Generally three visits gives you the chance to see if we are what you want from astronomy and with a membership of over two hundred we must be doing something right :-)

Come and visit us and chat to like minded people and observe safely with a group.

Regards from Dave.

[Jiggy 67]

We meet every Wednesday evening from 19:00 till late and are always pleased to see visitors.

Oops, sorry, I knew it was Wednesday really

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[maclean]

Awesome map laser jock, that's so much better than the one I had found previously!

Hey David, regarding the Liverpool Astro society, just outa curiosity, what do you guys do in the (very likely lol) situation that its all clouded over and there's nothing to see. Do you still meet up or is it arranged before hand depending on the weather?

I guess I would be quite interested to see what some other people get up to. I'm gonna have a rumage round your website anyway and possibly pop along in the next few weeks. I stay in Widnes, so if you meet nearby then I might have found something much closer to home than I was expecting!

Hip just as an example I don't know if you can show on google street view or just a point on the map a spot you have been to? Just wanna get an idea of where you've setup before?

[David Galvin]

We are at Pex Hill every Wednesday evening regardless of the weather and we meet 52 weeks of the year.