How far to your dark site?

[Deadlake]

My backyard is around 20.67 SQM, to go to a dark site is around 45 minutes drive which gives me 21.3, anymore is hours away in 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 at relatives house however that’s proper dark at 21.8 SQM. Given the level of light pollution I count my self as quite lucky. 

Edited March 12, 2021 by Deadlake

[Saganite]

All my observing is done from my back garden under Bortle 4 sky , SQM 20.89.

My observing area with fixed pier is also completely screened off from any unwanted window light.

I don't unfortunately have a good Northern sky aspect, but the garden is South facing and East to West is mostly clear.

[davhei]

A 20 min drive with a 10” dob to 21 SQM site. 
 

My driveway is SQM 19.8 and ok for brighter objects but for DSOs going to the dark site makes a big difference.

[wookie1965]

If I was to go to Faulksy`s site probably take me between 1.5-2hrs, as I live in St.Helens my nearest would no doubt be in Wales somewhere but I haven't found a site I could regularly go to I am open to suggestions.

[Barry-W-Fenner]

About 4 Hours drive to m bortle 3 location in Devon but so worth it. Andromeda & the milky way both naked eye visible. A stunning site which makes me not want to come back to my bortle 6 skies 😞

[dannybgoode]

What will be my chosen site is about 40 mins drive.  I could find darker skies closer to home but this will be a private, gated field with parking right by where I will want to set up and it has pretty much unrestricted 360 views of the sky too so all in a decent spot...

[ollypenrice]

23 hours ago, DaveS said:

About 20 seconds, to walk out of my conservatory

Same here.

Olly

[Marvin Jenkins]

Olly! Terrible self advertising🤣 Too hard to resist when it is the truth. I think I have a great spot but yours is a few levels better at the minimum.

I am planning a trip to the Pyrenees in a few months to see how altitude and dark skies and being in a mountain range effect things. You are Alps?

Marv

[Paul M]

It's about 72 miles by road to our Luxury Cumbrian Villa. It used to be quite dark up there but the glaring sprawl of Penrith has taken it's toll.

According to the map it's only 1 unit of Bortleness less than my home sky, B5 vs B6. I was shocked, deeply shocked to find that my home sky was showing as a B6, a point less than I expected and my once dark site a B5, a point higher than I'd have guessed. 

Hardly worth the drive one might think. Well, there is a village pub too which is affected by the weather less frequently than is the sky  And, anyway, the real sky difference is huge! I've not seen the Milky Way from home for many years. Oop north I nearly trip over it!

[Andy ES]

Great to hear about all these different locations, I’m very envious!

Think I need to move home 😁

will lug my scope to Brecon soon where my brother lives.

[Gfamily]

A proper dark site for us is about 90 minutes away at Alwen Reservoir* in North Wales.

But we have a house next to Astrofarm France which has much more reliable clear skies (and pretty dark ones too), so it's where we are far more likely to be able to do astronomy. 

*Pro tip: phone ahead to one of the chippies in Corwen, and if you can get there before 8pm, you can pick up your tea en-route. 

Edited March 12, 2021 by Gfamily

[Beulah]

Let's just say I'm a kid that moved to the sweet shop...😁

[jetstream]

8 minutes ago, Beulah said:

Let's just say I'm a kid that moved to the sweet shop...😁

Me too!

[ollypenrice]

56 minutes ago, Marvin Jenkins said:

Olly! Terrible self advertising🤣 Too hard to resist when it is the truth. I think I have a great spot but yours is a few levels better at the minimum.

I am planning a trip to the Pyrenees in a few months to see how altitude and dark skies and being in a mountain range effect things. You are Alps?

Marv

  Alas, I have nothing to advertize, Marv!  Our gite is closed down for now and we really don't know when that will change.

Yes, we are in the south east. I did do some research on the astro situation in the south west before choosing our location but it is very clear that the SE has the best weather stats, and by no small margin. I have loved the Pyrenees since my first visit by motor bike in 1977 but, apart from Manchester, I don't think I have ever been anywhere so eternally beset by rain!! At least on the French side. As a cyclist I have toiled through murk, fog, drizzle and clag up the French side to be greeted by glorious Spanish sun on the other more times than I can remember. For all that, the Pryrenees are exquisite.

Olly

[Captain Scarlet]

32 minutes ago, Gfamily said:

*Pro tip: phone ahead ... and if you can get there before 8pm, you can pick up your tea en-route. 

Is one not allowed to drink tea after 8pm? 😉

[Les Ewan]

I'm very lucky only about 15 metres from my back door.😎

Having said that even that short journey is  not without hazard three weeks ago tonight I tripped and fell returning after a observing session and bruised my ribs and done in my kneecap😡.

The force of the fall winded me and I spent almost a full minute rolling about the ground at half two in the morning!

I don't bounce so well in my old age and the ribs still give me gyp.

[Mick H]

About 30 miles from me to Breck Farm campsite which adjoins Kelling Heath North Norfolk, or Wiveton Downs, its a dedicated Dark Sky Site, 360° views which is about 7 miles further.

[Gfamily]

46 minutes ago, ollypenrice said:

  Alas, I have nothing to advertize, Marv!  Our gite is closed down for now and we really don't know when that will change.

Yes, we are in the south east. I did do some research on the astro situation in the south west before choosing our location but it is very clear that the SE has the best weather stats, and by no small margin. I have loved the Pyrenees since my first visit by motor bike in 1977 but, apart from Manchester, I don't think I have ever been anywhere so eternally beset by rain!! At least on the French side. As a cyclist I have toiled through murk, fog, drizzle and clag up the French side to be greeted by glorious Spanish sun on the other more times than I can remember. For all that, the Pryrenees are exquisite.

Olly

The Solar Furnace at Odeillo (Pyrénées-Orientales) is supposed to be located there in part because of the high annual sunshine, so it can't be all bad. 

Here's hoping for an unlock as soon as it is safe to do so...

[John]

I'm very impressed at the efforts that folks will go to to get decent skies

 

[Marki]

Me to, plus in awe of the commitment and planning that all requires!

I have a small patch of gravel outside my kitchen door, and my views are severely limited by trees effectively pointing me east over central York. I'm on edge of the bortle 7 zone. I don't really know anywhere to go thats better though - not keen to just drop into a carpark or layby out of the city on my own.

Still, its better than where I used to live in Sheffield, right opposite a park and ride and tram stop.

I'm convinced the night sky here in York is lighter than it was when I first moved here 8 years ago though.

 

 

[BCN_Sean]

2 hours ago, ollypenrice said:

I don't think I have ever been anywhere so eternally beset by rain!! At least on the French side

Not a lot different on the other side of them, some folk from back home (North Derbyshire/Peak District) think I'm pulling their leg when I tell them that we get more rain, snow and cold than they do especially as they think Spain is a warm holiday country.

[Astro Waves]

Luckily I'm already in Bortle 4/3 site so I'm always under the stars any time I can do but as for the closest dark site I'm not 100% on that so should probably look it up. Its definitly nice being able to go to a friends house down the road where there are about 6 houses in a couple mile radius.

[jacko61]

We're in a bortle 4 area and it's about a 30 yard walk from the house up to my observatory.

Graeme

[theropod]

About 30 meters from my front door. We live far out in the forest in the Ozark mountains of Arkansas, USA. The nearest town is about 17.7 kilometers away, and it’s a tiny little burg. A sizable hill stands between us too. On those special nights it’s very dark here. Some nights starlight alone illuminates things well enough to walk around.

Edited March 12, 2021 by theropod
Corrected distance

[mcrowle]

I live on the edge of large village In Cornwall and have Bortle 4 skies at home, so I'm relatively lucky. However the streetlights stay on all night, and various houselights are an issue unless I wait until everyone else is in bed.

I don't drive, but I often take portable equipment to a beach 25 minutes walk away. It's only slighter darker there to be honest, but the horizons are less obstructed and south is over the sea - so it's ideal for Milky Way views in the Summer  .

Regards, Mike.