Into the heart of darkness - Reading?

[skir]

Yes understand why some folks are not keen on observing alone in public, I have never had any trouble myself although at the SS site there is a car park gated and usually there are one or two others around. At the other place I use it is a country park CP and I have only ever met dog walkers. Truth is no one is really going out to remote places to mug astronomers!

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Where are these sites you go to?

[JG777]

At Stratfield it is an angling venue and the club gave me permission to use a telescope there (you do need to be a member or a club official to be there but I and am both and can take non members there) they actually have quite a few venues so I am looking at some of them a bit more when I get the time. There is another possibility near to Riseley where there is use of a car park as well. The other site which is public is nearer to Bracknell, more of a dark site than dark sky but it is out of the way and safe. Probably best not to post exact locations here!

[EBXL5]

I work an odd shift pattern so I'm not about too often but would greatly appreciate the chance to meet up with other astronomy interested folks.

With the weather the way it is at the moment I guess setting dates is a bit pointless. Could you PM me if you now of anyone meeting up in the Reading area?

[Mez7000]

Eeek the light pollution map certainly makes you realise how bad it is in the UK. I always thought observing from my garden was ok until I came back from a holiday in Kielder and started complaining about the orange glow in the sky but then decided it had always been there and that I'd been spoiled by the pitch black of Kielder!

Living north of Leicester I can travel 5-10 miles into the countryside and find a reasonable dark site, but there are many areas out in the countryside around me where if you face towards Leicester, the pollution kills any attempts at viewing, its pretty bad!

[JG777]

Any kind of viewing LP or not would be something thanks to continuous cloud base

[Dunkster]

It has been so bad this winter I can't believe it, and before we know it, it'll be perpetual twilight

[JG777]

Hello Dunk, dunno if you have seen the other threads and the email, 21st April is a meet up hope you can make it!

[JamesF]

I used to live near the racecourse in Greenham, during the protest years. Strange times.

James

[AndyWB]

Hello Dunk, dunno if you have seen the other threads and the email, 21st April is a meet up hope you can make it!

Sorry, just catching up on various threads - is that a particular club, or an open thing? (I'm enjoying astronomy, but it'd be nice to have people to share it with)

I'm not so much worried about being mugged - it's more the "something in the bushes howling" factor. I had a vixen howl when I was outside my flat the other week - it sounded like someone being brutally murdered. I did nearly have to go in and change.

That said, I was observing from a hill near Tilehurst tonight, and the car park I used did seem worryingly busy.

If anyone fancies meeting up, feel free to PM. Or maybe we need a mailing list for locals?

[Dunkster]

LOL car-parking or whatever they call it these days not necessary. Beer drinking though is optional

[JG777]

Sorry, just catching up on various threads - is that a particular club, or an open thing? (I'm enjoying astronomy, but it'd be nice to have people to share it with)

I'm not so much worried about being mugged - it's more the "something in the bushes howling" factor. I had a vixen howl when I was outside my flat the other week - it sounded like someone being brutally murdered. I did nearly have to go in and change.

That said, I was observing from a hill near Tilehurst tonight, and the car park I used did seem worryingly busy.

If anyone fancies meeting up, feel free to PM. Or maybe we need a mailing list for locals?

Andy, this is a meet up of the Bracknell astronomers, Sunday 21st April 1700 at the Weather Vane pub Bracknell, feel free to join us, there are 6 attending at the moment you are most welcome.

[JG777]

LOL car-parking or whatever they call it these days not necessary. Beer drinking though is optional

Beer drinking, I thought that was mandatory

[Dunkster]

Beer drinking, I thought that was mandatory

As a cider drinker, I'll stick with optional