Nice to see...

[estwing]

...reports and people making the effort to visit dark skies.

Get out there folks, the rewards are worth it. Clear skies

[Beulah]

Hot flask, peace and quiet, warm car, no neighbours' light pollution, no light pollution shields needed or your own family turning the bathroom light going on and off, heat coming off houses, the neighbours' dog barking every time you breathe, choose how much horizon you want...what's there not to like?

Even if you have a pair of 10x50s...put your jacket on, take a torch and go for a quick sky safari by foot if you can...well worth it.

[DaveS]

Last week I was on holiday in Dorset, just south of Eveshot. Not dark by some people's standards, but a sight darker than Ruislip.

Was attemping to image the Witch's Broom but was stymied by dew and my own ineptitude. Oh, and realised I'd left my bins on my bedroom windowsill at home, d'oh!

Even so I had a great time under the stars just enjoying the milky way.

Was surprised at just how annoying the LED telltale lights on the laptop were, even though I had a red filter for the screen.

[John]

It is great to get under really dark skies but I only find it possible occasionally due to a range of circumstances. Nice when it happens though, especially in good company

 

[estwing]

I suppose the more that try it,get it when it comes together..I know how hard it is for some and not everyone needs dark sky to observe their targets.

Encouraging newbies is my aim.

Stop looking at that SGL banner and book that star party!

[Stu]

1 hour ago, estwing said:

Encouraging newbies is my aim

I do totally agree with you Calvin, but there is a risk of the message being dark skies or nothing, and that's not a way that I can continue observing. I'll take what I can get at home and nearby on a regular basis whilst getting somewhere dark on the few occasions I can.

[John]

Good point Stu

The most important thing is to get out and do some astronomy

 

[GavStar]

29 minutes ago, Stu said:

I do totally agree with you Calvin, but there is a risk of the message being dark skies or nothing, and that's not a way that I can continue observing. I'll take what I can get at home and nearby on a regular basis whilst getting somewhere dark on the few occasions I can.

Hmmm... I'm a bit in both camps. I've been observing for about 5 years now and until the last few months this was virtually all from pretty grim SW London skies. I started attending the local(ish) Astro club nights this year (very recommended) and through a good combo of circumstances I've recently been observing regularly at 21+ SQM sites. The difference on DSOs has been eye opening for me and moved me on from being a predominantly planetary (and M42) observer to observing something like a 100 new to me DSOs. The skies have really been opened up for me.

I think I have to some extent honed my observing skills, if not my knowledge of the constellations, in the poor skies. However, I do feel less inclined to get my scope out in London now since it doesn't seem as much fun. Having relatively easy access to some great skies is I guess a factor. I hope it hasn't made it dark skies or nothing for me.

[johnfosteruk]

I'm with Stu, take what I can get at home, get out to dark sites whenever possible. It's sadly not possible as much as I'd like but I'm not going to beat myself up over it.

[Stu]

17 minutes ago, GavStar said:

Hmmm... I'm a bit in both camps. I've been observing for about 5 years now and until the last few months this was virtually all from pretty grim SW London skies. I started attending the local(ish) Astro club nights this year (very recommended) and through a good combo of circumstances I've recently been observing regularly at 21+ SQM sites. The difference on DSOs has been eye opening for me and moved me on from being a predominantly planetary (and M42) observer to observing something like a 100 new to me DSOs. The skies have really been opened up for me.

I think I have to some extent honed my observing skills, if not my knowledge of the constellations, in the poor skies. However, I do feel less inclined to get my scope out in London now since it doesn't seem as much fun. Having relatively easy access to some great skies is I guess a factor. I hope it hasn't made it dark skies or nothing for me.

No disagreements from me Gavin. I know full well just how much difference dark skies make and am delighted that we have found a decent site within relatively easy reach. I just refuse to let my current circumstances cause me to give up the hobby and so I find other ways to continue to enjoy it.

I will never be a 'dark skies or nothing' observer, I enjoy my solar and planetary observing too much plus events like the near earth asteroid which passed by recently.

That said, let's get another dark site tripped planned in soon  

[Moonshane]

I'm about the same as Stu and John. My family, work and now Uni commitments mean that I am very time restricted in terms of getting away for a full night or weekend. That said, I can enjoy solar at lunchtime at work, can do some astronomy at home including all aspects to some degree (albeit I agree that neighbour lights are the worst LP)  and once or sometimes twice to a star party at a darker site. Luckily I also have the caravan and we do go to the Lakes where the skies are lovely when clear and all the awning lights go off. I generally take my 102mm frac then but still see some nice stuff.

[Stu]

Somewhere I have a 10" mirror set hidden away which I bought years ago. One day I will get around to building a Truss dob to take to dark sites with me  

[Mark at Beaufort]

Although my garden is reasonably dark I hope this year to visit a dark site towards Wales - not too far. A colleague from my Astro Society also has a 12" Dob and we will take it in turn to drive and take one OTA.

[mapstar]

2 hours ago, Stu said:

Somewhere I have a 10" mirror set hidden away which I bought years ago. One day I will get around to building a Truss dob to take to dark sites with me  

You might as well sell it me Stu as you'll never get round to building one and it'll definitely get to a dark sky if I build one round it 

[swamp thing]

I also like to see and encourage newcomers to the hobby to get out to dark places.

The more people we encourage out there the better. 
Getting amateur astronomy into the publics eye can only be good for the hobby. We aren't going to do that sat alone in our back yards........  

Have fun out there 

[Beulah]

And stay safe!! Watch out for dobbers!!

[faulksy]

totaly agree, new comers should be encouraged to visit dark skies, not only will they see all the sign posts in the night sky to help them find there chosen target but it will teach them the importance of light pollution, so they can pass this on to there loved ones. but most importantly have fun and be safe

[Stu]

56 minutes ago, mapstar said:

You might as well sell it me Stu as you'll never get round to building one and it'll definitely get to a dark sky if I build one round it 

Thanks for the encouragement Damian

[Stu]

Interestingly, the most successful outreach events I've attended have been under very average skies. People get the bug there, looking at the moon, planets and the brighter DSOs then can choose how they want to get involved in the hobby.

There seems to be a perception amongst dob mobbers that I'm somehow anti encouraging newcomers to visit dark skies. I'm absolutely not, I just refuse to accept it as the only way of enjoying the hobby.

[tich]

I love going to dark sites whether it be for observing or imaging, not that I do anywhere near enough due to other commitments & setting up at home is a real bind due to me living upstairs & lugging everything downstairs setting up only to be had by the cloud, yup done that a few times now too.
However all is not lost as I've been doing some outreach these past couple of years mainly solar admittedly but it does give the public something to look at & when you hear the gasps & wows it kinda makes you feel good too.
As it were clear yesterday I set up & did a spot of solar, as I haven't set up in the garden for months, next doors granddaughter thought it were fascinating so she had a look in one of the scopes. Afterwards I just gave her some solar specs afterwards & she were well happy.
If I can do a little bit to get folk into astronomy then I'm happy with that.

[GavStar]

17 minutes ago, Stu said:

Interestingly, the most successful outreach events I've attended have been under very average skies. People get the bug there, looking at the moon, planets and the brighter DSOs then can choose how they want to get involved in the hobby.

There seems to be a perception amongst dob mobbers that I'm somehow anti encouraging newcomers to visit dark skies. I'm absolutely not, I just refuse to accept it as the only way of enjoying the hobby.

Stu, yes for newcomers the typical dark sites (e.g. The one we went to recently) arent that inviting as they are often not that accessible imo. I would have thought outreach events need to make it easy for members of the public to attend. 

Recently I went to an Astro club meet at a dark site for the first time. There were several long time regulars there and one younger chap who was attending for the first time and thinking of buying a first scope. There were lots of nice club scopes sitting in the observatory but since the skies were not as good as usual, the regulars didn't set them up. I was keen to do some viewing, so I set up my 4 inch frac outside the observatory. The young chap and I had a nice 30 mins or so looking at several good DSOs and I hope he enjoyed it. Certainly he was keen to actsully look through a scope rather than just have a chat!

However, as I've done more observing I've really come to appreciate the dark sites I've visited so for me it's just a personal development for me in the hobby and taking it to a new stage. Also the planets not being great for the next few years isn't helping with surburban viewing. 

In the end I'm sure I'll continue observing in whatever situation I can (like Stu) since I've got the bug!

[mapstar]

1 hour ago, Stu said:

Thanks for the encouragement Damian

A gentle nudge to spur you on Stu. Looking forward to your build thread 

[DaveS]

I'm still making retirement plans to move to a darker area of Dorset, west of the A37. OK, I know that no areas of Dorset are truly dark, too many towns around the perifery for that, plus I've seen a proliferation of LED street lights. Nevertheless there's a greater chance of seeing a clear sky, and I have family down there.

[swamp thing]

1 hour ago, Stu said:

Interestingly, the most successful outreach events I've attended have been under very average skies. People get the bug there, looking at the moon, planets and the brighter DSOs then can choose how they want to get involved in the hobby.

There seems to be a perception amongst dob mobbers that I'm somehow anti encouraging newcomers to visit dark skies. I'm absolutely not, I just refuse to accept it as the only way of enjoying the hobby.

 

I'm fully aware you do your best to encourage your society out to darker skies mate  I agree it's not easy and a compromise is sometimes the best one can hope for.
No one said It's the only way to enjoy the hobby. All that I say is if one is interested in the visual observation of galaxies and nebulae a dark sky will greatly improve ones views and therefore probably greaten ones enjoyment. We are trying to get people to maximise their fun not tell them they aren't having any....  

 

[Stu]

57 minutes ago, swamp thing said:

We are trying to get people to maximise their fun not tell them they aren't having any....

Cheers mate. Sometimes the comments come over very much in that way unfortunately.