Hello from North Bristol

[Dark Vader]

I did have some doubts about the existence of a dark site in a city 😀

[cletrac1922]

Hi Andy

Welcome from Land Down Under

You travel the universe in this forum

John

[upahill]

Welcome from across the bridge, im roughly 45 mins from bristol and Bortle 4, not a dark site but better than a city as sheilded from city/town lights on all sides, Blaenavon & brecons have darkish skies too so they can be found fairly close.

Depends how dark you want - im hoping to visit Scotland next year and see a Bortle 2 sky for comparison

SGL Star Party is in Hereford and a pretty good sky - might be worth considering a few nights camping and bring your new scope

 

 

[robbymain]

On 04/08/2019 at 18:48, Dark Vader said:

I would like to look up from a dark site. I've been limited to back garden viewing, from the bottom end of Little Stoke. I've chosen the binocular route for now to learn my way around the sky. 

I did see a website just after I started that said Troopers Hill over in St George was a dark site but I've just not had the time to check it out.

Binocular or telescope, I hear a good dark sky is the ultimate upgrade 😃

I will keep looking for candidate sites - my next idea was somewhere with good horizons off a quiet road in the Mendips? Further from me than Westonbirt area but better for Southern and Western skies...

Happy to meet up and talk binoculars and beyond if you like - Little Stoke is practically walking distance from me!

All the best,

Rob

[CraigT82]

Mendips is the good bet... not great if you're in North Bristol but still should only be approx 30 min drive.

There is a spot called Velvet Bottom which is great.  Approx 21.5 on the SQM with good views all round and parking out of the way.  

Wells and Mendip astro club have a 18" fullerscope Newt in a dome at the Charterhouse centre nearby, never seen it in use though.

 

[robbymain]

@CraigT82 Oh wow This looks ideal Thanks for sharing it!!!!

[John]

That scope was operated by the "Stars over Somerset" group. Here is their website:

http://www.starsoversomerset.com/

I'm not sure that it is currently still in use though.

Bristol Astro Society have 12 inch and 18 inch scopes at their observatory S of Bristol. The 12 is newly installed and is linked to some impressive technology.

[FileraBe]

Hi and welcome!