How far from towns should I be looking?

[mylatestwhim]

I'm on my second marriage to astronomy. The first time was a passion filled whirlwind with a big dob which the British weather and unwieldy scope soured.

I've now bought an 8" nexstar so will be easier to use.

I'm looking for a 'go to' spot for sessions near where I live in Nantwich now so I can make the most of it when I'm at home.

I'm looking for a well elevated spot with a bit of a wind break and parking. Also I don't want to be questioned so it needs to be public.

My question is how far away from towns should I be looking to get decent viewing away from light pollution?

Will 5 miles from a town offer good views or should I be looking 10 miles plus? I'm not near any cities but my back yard is a joke as it's got neighbours and street lights shining down on it and only the brighter stars can be seen.

I'm looking areas towards north wales but far away from built up areas

Thanks in advance ..

[Maystar]

Will wait for a reply to this too   Live on the outskirts of Coventry.  

[mylatestwhim]

Will wait for a reply to this too   Live on the outskirts of Coventry.

I'm glad it wasn't a stupid question..

[NGC 1502]

I don't think there is a fixed answer to this.   Maybe the flexible answer is "as far as possible".

But although every extra mile from towns may give better skies, it also increase travel time, so less chance of it still being clear when you arrive.

It's a trade off I suppose, better sky versus convenience.

I live in Southend Essex.  5 miles gets me a noticeably better sky, and it's only 20 mins. My club's dark site is 10 miles as the crow flies, and is a significant improvement again, but to get there it's an hours drive due to a river being in the way.   Like I said, it's a trade off.

Please don't think that a public viewing site will stop people asking questions, and lonely places are used for all sorts of things............and car headlights are a problem.  If you can get permission to use a private area, that can help a lot.  An observing buddy helps too with security or vehicle probs.

Please don't give up viewing from a town. Brighter objects like the moon, planets and double stars, can be well seen through light pollution, brighter deep sky can be done. Not saying a dark site is not better, but a lot can be seen from town.

Regards, Ed.

[scarp15]

A good starting point would be to become involved with any local clubs in your area, as members will have knowledge of and club meets at suitable locations. I think it also depends a little on how confident you feel you are at independently using a car park, for example at a country park, by yourself. It can be a little surprising to  discover that you may not be entirely the only visitor, One car park I used, a couple of guys turned up who were innocently ecologists, at other times it can be youths in fast cars etc etc. If you hit on the right spot though, it can be well  worth the travel involved.

[mylatestwhim]

I don't think there is a fixed answer to this.   Maybe the flexible answer is "as far as possible".

But although every extra mile from towns may give better skies, it also increase travel time, so less chance of it still being clear when you arrive.

It's a trade off I suppose, better sky versus convenience.

I live in Southend Essex.  5 miles gets me a noticeably better sky, and it's only 20 mins. My club's dark site is 10 miles as the crow flies, and is a significant improvement again, but to get there it's an hours drive due to a river being in the way.   Like I said, it's a trade off.

Please don't think that a public viewing site will stop people asking questions, and lonely places are used for all sorts of things............and car headlights are a problem.  If you can get permission to use a private area, that can help a lot.  An observing buddy helps too with security or vehicle probs.

Please don't give up viewing from a town. Brighter objects like the moon, planets and double stars, can be well seen through light pollution, brighter deep sky can be done. Not saying a dark site is not better, but a lot can be seen from town.

Regards, Ed.

Really, this perfectly answers my question.

I suppose the back yard on interesting nights then maybe a couple of out of town favourite spots for viewing specific objects as time permits.

Horses for courses

Thanks for the great answer

[mylatestwhim]

A good starting point would be to become involved with any local clubs in your area, as members will have knowledge of and club meets at suitable locations. I think it also depends a little on how confident you feel you are at independently using a car park, for example at a country park, by yourself. It can be a little surprising to discover that you may not be entirely the only visitor, One car park I used, a couple of guys turned up who were innocently ecologists, at other times it can be youths in fast cars etc etc. If you hit on the right spot though, it can be well worth the travel involved.

Thanks, I'm on committee of a large local fishing club with some public waters and I know the type of thing you mean. I'm certainly not shy of boy racers and midnight smokers. Headlight flashers I'm not too sure about though :-/

[ronin]

Tend to agree with Ed, there is no specific answer. I use 2 places, the first is a bit odd I suppose. Under a mile from a small town and about 150 meters from a junction on the A1 that is lit up. However it is very convenient, 2 miles from house so close and the viewing is pretty good, actually better then would be expected.

The other is about 6-8 miles due South of Cambridge, the town to the South of it is hidden by some high ground so all I see is a distant glow from Cambridge, but it is minimal. Horizons are close to flat.

The big problem is finding somewhere that is suitable.

Would suggest ignoring distance to some extent and first just locate somewhere that is not obviously bad.

[mylatestwhim]

Tend to agree with Ed, there is no specific answer. I use 2 places, the first is a bit odd I suppose. Under a mile from a small town and about 150 meters from a junction on the A1 that is lit up. However it is very convenient, 2 miles from house so close and the viewing is pretty good, actually better then would be expected.

The other is about 6-8 miles due South of Cambridge, the town to the South of it is hidden by some high ground so all I see is a distant glow from Cambridge, but it is minimal. Horizons are close to flat.

The big problem is finding somewhere that is suitable.

Would suggest ignoring distance to some extent and first just locate somewhere that is not obviously bad.

Thanks I've been using gmaps for some Ida's of convenient spots. Pck up the new scope tomorrow so hoping for a clear weekend... Hoping.. :-/

[Qualia]

My question is how far away from towns should I be looking to get decent viewing away from light pollution?

I live in a city in Spain. A reasonably large city. Something like the population of Bristol contained within an area about 4km in diameter. Surrounding the city are desert/scrub lands, mountains and tiny little villages. I've found that anything less than 10km and I'm doing just as well from the ease of a city roof top. About 20km away and you can really start digging deep into DSOs, you can see the Milky Way but its kind of washed out. 60km away, smack bang in the middle of the scrub lands and you've got a near perfect black site. There's even an old but still in some use astro-observatory near by.

There isn't - touch wood - a problem with boy racer types, thugs, louts etc here in Spain. It's a country which doesn't really have a 'lads culture' and most folk would think it quite odd to head out of the city in the dark to some lost field to observe stars, especially in the freezing cold of winter. As such, - touching wood again - I've never had a problem with a single soul. However, to get to this peace of mind state, I've found my best course of action is to simply set up off the beaten track - quite literally. No car parks, no public walk ways, parks or what have you, but to walk with my gear across scrub lands, broken up tractor trails, until I come to a spot that I'm happy with.

But be warned of these night time adventures...

There are some pretty nasty six or eight legged insect type things that really put the heebie-jeebies into me. I've had large flying beetle type monstrosities scurry over my primary mirror. I've been bitten silly by spiders and had qreat quantities of blood sucked from my veins by summer's mozies. Nowadays, if I'm out in that kind of terrain - especially in the summer - I spray myself with repellent, tuck my socks into my trousers, wear boots and glooves and a rimmed hat.

But the worst scare I've had was out one night just sitting peacefully with a mellow Messier object when suddenly a flock of storks took flight and shot across the eyepiece's field of view. Scared me silly

[Charic]

My nearest dark site is 5 miles away, and 5 miles equidistant from all light sources. I feel if you can see the light, it can see you. That said. I had phenomenal views of Andromeda M31 from this site, with my standard SW 25mm EP and can't wait to go back and try with my new 32mm panaview. I have ambitions of a darker site, but I'm talking  of an easy 2 hour drive round trip, here in Scotland, but I'll be well over 10 Miles from any light source and with  distant hill screening all around, should just be perfect?

[Kirscovitch]

I live in a small town of about 9,000 people. My parents live in the country about 9 miles out of town. They live on a dead end road but they do have some neighbors so there is some light from windows and garage lights but it is pretty dark.

There is a huge difference in what you can see with the naked eye out there. It almost confuses me as a I can see much dimmer stars than I can from my house and I really have to look for certain constellations as they don't look the same. (Does that make sense?) 

Anyway I'm sure 5 miles would help quite a bit and the further the better. 

[ccfcbob]

Will wait for a reply to this too   Live on the outskirts of Coventry.  

Also live outskirts of Coventry.

I am fortunate as local council turn off lights at midnight, 1am Fridays/Saturdays so if I'm not to tired can get some decent viewing without traveling.

Still get a glow from Nuneaton & Birmingham but anyone who knows the midlands we could travel 40 odd miles without getting what could be described a good viewing so its not practical.

[PorkyB]

The further you can get out, the better.  But don't worry if you can't get out too far, any improvement is worthwhile.  A shaded garden in the city is better than being under the street lights and a dark spot 5 or 10 miles out of town is better still.

My regular out-of-town spot is 10 miles from Birmingham city centre and it is so much better than being in town, but there is still a very orange glow in all of my images.  The highlight light of the year for me is the SGL star party at Hereford, which is nice and dark, and PSP at Buxton, which is nearly as good.

[mylatestwhim]

Thanks all for taking the time to give advice and share your experience. I'm building up a picture of possible top locations around me. Excited :-D

[Charic]

.......I`m also contemplating a beach type wind break to offer insulation from direct street/security lighting, and possibly the wind. I'm probably viewing at an angle of greater than 50° so almost straight up. Another tip is the blanket or some sort of hood. I think the telescope can cope with some LP or even fit a filter, but its the eyes that need protecting from the stray lights.

A Refractor poking through a hole  in the top a tent would be just ideal, A Reflector  and a Head poking out would look silly? Lol

[Phil-lost!]

If you head out towards wrexham from nantwich there is a right turn just past the bickerton poacher that leads up to the top of the peckforton hills, onto the sandstone trail. Not been up there with my scope but popped up for a look after a meal last week and it looked promising, lots of space to set up.

[Phil-lost!]

oh, and the bickerton poacher does good food and a good pint if it clouds over!

[NGC 1502]

oh, and the bickerton poacher does good food and a good pint if it clouds over!

Always good to have a "plan B"

But will she believe it wasn't "plan A" all along 

Cheers, Ed.