Jump to content

where do you take your scope to gaze?

Guest

By Guest
in Getting Started General Help and Advice

Recommended Posts

Guest

Guest

Posted
Posted

i live very close to the centre of our town. within a mile of the centre. and while i do see some things im surrounded on all sides by all the neighborhoods and all the light that is produced. are there any recommended kinds of places to take your scope for the evening? im struggling to find the stars of the constellations in the night sky from my garden.

cheers

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Timebandit

Timebandit

Posted
Posted

Hi and welcome to SGL. Light pollution is such a problem in our modern world I am afraid. There is details on the web about UK dark site reserves , so it would be worth looking at this and see which dark site is closest to yourself and take a drive. As it really is worth the effort to go to a truly dark site.

Or the Dob Mob are going to Skye I understand this weekend if you fancy a drive and a great dark site experience. The only trouble they are taking big Dobs mostly 20" plus ,the smallest being of 18" diameter,so you may feel a bit inadequate? 

Link to comment
Share on other sites
LukeSkywatcher

LukeSkywatcher

Posted
Posted
2 minutes ago, Timebandit said:

Hi and welcome to SGL. Light pollution is such a problem in our modern world I am afraid. There is details on the web about UK dark site reserves , so it would be worth looking at this and see which dark site is closest to yourself and take a drive. As it really is worth the effort to go to a truly dark site.

Or the Dob Mob are going to Skye I understand this weekend if you fancy a drive and a great dark site experience. The only trouble they are taking big Dobs mostly 20" plus ,the smallest being of 18" diameter,so you may feel a bit inadequate? 

No wonder they refused my application to join when i said i have a 5" Dob (SW Heritage 130P).

LOL.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Guest

Guest

Posted
Posted

do you set up in car parks or things like that? a lot of fields near me that seem acceptable :) just dont want to accidently find the local [removed word] sites lol

Link to comment
Share on other sites
rockystar

rockystar

Posted
Posted

Your best bet is to probably head into the peak district, that's where I go.

Unfortunately, it isn't just astronomers that like dark, out of the way car parks. I've never seen or had any trouble, but I've mostly been with other people. I think that most of the people you see are after somewhere private, so will just turn around and head somewhere else. Others occasionally stop and are intrigued at what you're up to.

I was at the side of a fairly quite road one day, a car drove past, i saw them in the distance stop and turn around and then they stopped next to me. The bloke got and said he had forced his girlfriend to turn around so that he could come and have a look.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
ronin

ronin

Posted
Posted

One fair option I find are places like RSPB reserves, and similar places - nature reserves etc. They seem to work well as there are often roads to get in, or at least an acces track of some sort and then a fair chance of parking - not necessarily a tarmac carpark but an area half reasonable for a car and you to observe from. Also they tend to be darkish at least.

RSPB ones are esy, others less so as they exists under a variety of names

Reserves seems to be Parliment Oak, then Sherwood National Nature Reserve, both more or less up along the A4075.

There is Mansfield and Sutton Astro Soc: http://sherwood-observatory.org.uk

They have a public open night on Dec 10 if you can/want to get along and take a look at the setup. Cost appears to be £5 for adults, so be aware.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Guest

Guest

Posted
Posted
23 minutes ago, rockystar said:

Your best bet is to probably head into the peak district, that's where I go.

Unfortunately, it isn't just astronomers that like dark, out of the way car parks. I've never seen or had any trouble, but I've mostly been with other people. I think that most of the people you see are after somewhere private, so will just turn around and head somewhere else. Others occasionally stop and are intrigued at what you're up to.

I was at the side of a fairly quite road one day, a car drove past, i saw them in the distance stop and turn around and then they stopped next to me. The bloke got and said he had forced his girlfriend to turn around so that he could come and have a look.

ye these are the weirdos im trying to avoid :D

 

19 minutes ago, ronin said:

There is Mansfield and Sutton Astro Soc: http://sherwood-observatory.org.uk

They have a public open night on Dec 10 if you can/want to get along and take a look at the setup. Cost appears to be £5 for adults, so be aware.

ive got the evening off work to go to the open event. should be a nice look

cheers for the responses :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites
faulksy

faulksy

Posted
Posted
3 hours ago, Timebandit said:

Hi and welcome to SGL. Light pollution is such a problem in our modern world I am afraid. There is details on the web about UK dark site reserves , so it would be worth looking at this and see which dark site is closest to yourself and take a drive. As it really is worth the effort to go to a truly dark site.

Or the Dob Mob are going to Skye I understand this weekend if you fancy a drive and a great dark site experience. The only trouble they are taking big Dobs mostly 20" plus ,the smallest being of 18" diameter,so you may feel a bit inadequate? 

saturday to saturday simon, weather reports are amazing for the next 2 weeks as well, there will be some great reports up and pics :icon_biggrin:

good luck dakarr, let us know what you find but don't give to much information out , as you don't want thieves knowing

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Timebandit

Timebandit

Posted
Posted
7 minutes ago, faulksy said:

saturday to saturday simon, weather reports are amazing for the next 2 weeks as well, there will be some great reports up and pics :icon_biggrin:

good luck dakarr, let us know what you find but don't give to much information out , as you don't want thieves knowing

 

Your in Skye for 7 days Mike, woow?.  That is going to be one marathon session and if the weather report is correct and it stays clear for you , you lads are going to be going through those galaxies by the bucket loads, who needs to spend multi millions on a Hubble when you have a 20" Monster Dob?

Have fun Mike and really hope it stays clear for you, and don't forget  loads of pics for the SGL members    ?

Link to comment
Share on other sites
jooli_ash

jooli_ash

Posted
Posted

must be a really common dilemma this one; I'm really put off  by the thought of being stuck in the middle of nowhere and some undesirables hanging round.

I have been scouring various places on walks and google streetmap, but not found an ideal site likely to be undisturbed but accessible by car.  I've one possibility that I may try tonight for my first proper trip out with telescope, but it will involve a trek from the car over a stony path, so hoping I don't drop it!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

Go to topic listing

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue. By using this site, you agree to our Terms of Use.