Does Anyone Know Of A Decent 'Dark Sky'/Obersving Location Near Goring-On-Thames (South Ox)

[Sharpe]

As title really guys, just got my first telescope yesterday and am looking for places that will be good to use it - I live in a flat and the garden area is not ideal for observing.

Would be good to hear from any local astronomers/clubs too

[onesmallstep]

Hi and welcome to SGL

The link is for the Federation of Astronomical Societies. Search for local clubs under region / county.

http://fedastro.org.uk/fas/members/

HTH!

[Grommie]

Hi there...You can't be too far from Chipping Norton where the Chipping Norton Amateur Astronomy Group are based.....http://www.cnaag.com/

As you can see on their home page there is a link to The Rollright Stones...http://www.rollrightstones.co.uk/

This site was used on one of the Stargazing Live programmes (I think...May have been a different programme) because it is so dark and far away from pollution.

HTH

Steve

[Sharpe]

Hey Grommie - sadly CN is like 40-45 miles north of me so pretty much out of my range

Also, many thanks to onesmallstep, I have used this website and the club near me is the Reading Astronomy Group who never seem to pick up their email and dont get in touch

- Would be good to hear from other local astronomers or even people in the Reading Astronomy Group!

[Ouroboros]

I believe Newbury have quite an active astronomical society. Abingdon do too. Reading is probably your closest though.

As for observing locations, can you get up onto the downs west of Goring where the Ridgeway path comes through? I seem to recall toucan drive up there and park.

I've done some observing on the ridgeway path just south of the Hendreds, not far from you. You still get quite a bit of light on the horizon from Newbury, Reading, Didcot, Wantage and Oxford but it' better than the view from any of these towns anyway. Gets you above the mist of the Thames valley anyway.

On the Ridgeway I measured sky darkness with a sky quality meter as 20.21 mags per square arc second or about 5.5 naked eye limiting magnitude. About half to one magnitude better than the towns.

[Sharpe]

I believe Newbury have quite an active astronomical society. Abingdon do too. Reading is probably your closest though.

As for observing locations, can you get up onto the downs west of Goring where the Ridgeway path comes through? I seem to recall toucan drive up there and park.

I've done some observing on the ridgeway path just south of the Hendreds, not far from you. You still get quite a bit of light on the horizon from Newbury, Reading, Didcot, Wantage and Oxford but it' better than the view from any of these towns anyway. Gets you above the mist of the Thames valley anyway.

On the Ridgeway I measured sky darkness with a sky quality meter as 20.21 mags per square arc second or about 5.5 naked eye limiting magnitude. About half to one magnitude better than the towns.

Ouroboros - thanks so much for this information - very good of you

[onesmallstep]

Hey Grommie - sadly CN is like 40-45 miles north of me so pretty much out of my range

Also, many thanks to onesmallstep, I have used this website and the club near me is the Reading Astronomy Group who never seem to pick up their email and dont get in touch

- Would be good to hear from other local astronomers or even people in the Reading Astronomy Group!

Hi

Glad I could help. Hope RAG gets back to you.