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aceofspadeshq at gee mail.com CBD: cbd.aoshq at gee mail.com Buck: buck.throckmorton at protonmail.com joe mannix: mannix2024 at proton.me MisHum: petmorons at gee mail.com J.J. Sefton: sefton at cutjibnewsletter.com | Spaced Out Challenge: Comets, Comets, Comets, Comets![We Politely Request That All Off-Topic or Political Comments Be Directed to the Thread Directly Below This One, Which Will Serve Officially as the Current "Active Conversation" Thread for All Discussions Not Related To This Topic. -- Sincerely, the Fascist MGMT]Note: this is a very, very large edition of our astronomy post, with the intent to answer any and all questions you could possibly have on these elusive and exciting icy visitors. It starts with a general background on comets, then details on the four we are targeting, then where to look, then how to photograph them (and win fabulous prizes), followed by an abbreviated buyer's guide for those of you lacking equipment, washed-out sky observing tips, our traditional closing, and finally the full dark sky directory for those wishing to get out for a better look. The Guts of a CometComets are large chunks of ices and dust left over from the formation of the solar system that "fall in" from the distant Oort Cloud towards the sun. Their prime components are summed up well in this demonstration by Dr. Amy Manzier of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory: Visible to the naked eye now from an extremely dark spot, obvious in binoculars, and gorgeous in a telescope, Lovejoy has overtaken ISON as the current comet of interest among amateurs. It's discovery, the fourth by amateur Terry Lovejoy, was reported back in September on UniverseToday, and initial reports missed it's current brightness level by over a magnitude: The discovery of C/2013 R1 Lovejoy was announced on Sept. 9 after two nights of photographic observations by Lovejoy with an 8-inch (20 cm) Schmidt-Cassegrain reflector. When nabbed, the comet was a faint midge of about 14.5 magnitude crossing the border between Orion and Monoceros. Subsequent observations by other amateur astronomers peg it a bit brighter at 14.0 with a small, condensed coma...And as Stuart Atkinson noted on his website, Cumbrian Sky a great lineup should be in the northern hemisphere skies on November 9, 2013. From the left, Comet Encke will be magnitude 6, ISON should be at about magnitude 6 or 7; then Mars, followed by the new Comet Lovejoy, which will be still very faint at around magnitude 9, topped off by a bright Jupiter. The comets will not likely be of naked eye visibility, but this should be a great chance for astrophotographer to capture this lineup! Tony Flanders recently observed all four of these comets from a site in suburban Boston, and was most impressed with Lovejoy: Comet Lovejoy (C/2013 R1) is a real humdinger — almost as bright now as Comet ISON was forecast to be -- which is to say, about 10 times brighter than ISON actually is. This morning Lovejoy was in the same binocular field of view with M44, the Beehive Cluster — an incredible view. The comet is big, bright, and gorgeous, with a diffuse but fairly long tail. Moreover, Comet Lovejoy C/2013 R1 (not to be confused with other famous comets discovered by Terry Lovejoy) is very well placed in the predawn sky, high in the southeast near the Leo/Cancer border. If you prefer staying up late to getting up early, Lovejoy is reasonably high in the east by 1 a.m. at mid-northern latitudes. Naked-eye visible now in exurban and rural skies, can be seen with binoculars in any sky. Comet 2P/Encke, Old Faithful Comet 2P/Encke, first discovered in 1786 by Pierre Méchain and recognized as a periodic comet by Johann Franz Encke in 1819, holds the record for the shortest period of any known comet at just over three years. Comet Halley by comparison makes an appearance every 75-76 years. Encke never becomes spectacularly bright, but makes for a great binocular target, currently at magnitude 7. Universe Today explains why this years' apparition is so special: this year’s apparition of Comet Encke is especially favorable for northern hemisphere observers. This is due to its relatively high orbital inclination angle of 11.8 degrees and its passage through the morning skies from north of both the ecliptic and the celestial equator. Encke is about half an A.U. ahead of us in our orbit this month, crossing roughly perpendicular to our line of sight. As of this writing, it is the second-brightest comet visible. From Tony Flanders' observations: Comet 2P/Encke is painfully low at the onset of astronomical twilight, but also quite handsome. Its head is considerably smaller but brighter than ISON's, standing out well against the brightening sky. Visible in binoculars from exurban and rural areas, small telescope everywhere else Comet C/2013 X1 LINEAR explodes on the scene LINEAR was never expected to become anything spectacular, and it's very low proximity to the horizon will still make it a difficult one to tease out, but it underwent a spectacular explosion on October 22nd, jumping from magnitude 14 (too faint to see with an 8" telescope) to magnitude 8 (visible in binoculars) overnight. The British Astronomical Association has a great compilation of images that show the dramatic flare up that earned this wanderer a spot on this special edition of Spaced Out Challenge. Photographers, now is your time to catch it: the outburst will begin to subside and it will begin to fizzle. It is the most difficult comet to catch of the four, and a blunt Tony Flanders, in the aforementioned article, named it as the one to skip if you had limited observing time. Binocular object in all but very bright skies. Comet C/2012 S1 ISON: the Great Tease Let's go back to September 2012, when Sky and Telescope writer Kelly Beatty did his best to contain his excitement over it's initial discovery: It was first spotted as a faint, 18.8-magnitude object in images taken by Vitali Nevski (in Belarus) and Artyom Novichonok (in Russia) using a 16-inch (0.4-m) reflector that's part of the worldwide International Scientific Optical Network (ISON). "We could not be certain that it was a comet," Novichonok explains, "because the scale of our images is quite small [2 arcseconds per pixel], and the object was very compact." The next night they confirmed its cometary nature using the larger reflector at Majdanak Observatory in Uzbekistan, but by then other astronomers had done likewise. According to naming conventions established by the International Astronomical Union, that one day of uncertainty led to the comet being generically named "ISON" instead of "Nevski-Novichonok". Its formal designation is C/2012 S1. Naming uncertainties aside, we already know a lot about this object, thanks to two sets of prediscovery images dating to last December and January. The comet is inbound from the Oort Cloud and will pass very close to the Sun — just 725,000 miles (1.2 million km) from its white-hot photosphere — on November 28, 2013. Before then and thereafter (if it survives perihelion), Comet ISON could put on a spectacular show. In fact, the geometry could make C/2012 S1 a "dream comet," as one eager skywatcher has commented, because it will swing just 40 million miles (0.4 astronomical unit) from Earth a few weeks after perihelion, when it will be high in moonless, northern skies after sunset. Initial predictions by the IAU's Minor Planet Center suggest that Comet ISON could peak at magnitude –10 or brighter at perihelion (when it will be just 1° from the Sun), and that it could remain visible to the unaided eye from early November to the first weeks of 2014.And then, it failed to brighten as initially hoped. However, comets by their nature are extremely unpredictable, and S&T's senior editor Alan MacRobert felt compelled to set things straight on the known knowns, known unknowns, and unknown unknowns regarding the Great Tease of 2013: ISON...has indeed improved a lot in the last few weeks. I swept it up easily in my 7-inch Dob at 28X, and it was quite handsome at 120X, with a 3' head and a bright, starlike pseudonucleus. I didn't see any sign of a tail. I tried and failed to see it with my 10x30 binoculars; it might be possible in a darker sky [again, Flanders was observing from suburban Boston]... I think that ISON should be pretty easy to spot in a telescope now from a typical suburb, assuming you have a low eastern horizon. Binocular object from rural and dark skies, visible now in small telescopes from any sky, brightening to at least a binocular object from any sky by months' end. Up. More specifically, these comets will be best seen in the morning pre-dawn and twilight hours, as they dive closer towards the sun. Comet ISON will be at its most brilliant the day after Thanksgiving, but will be to close to the sun to see practically. Skyhound's ISON Chart Skyhound's X1 LINEAR Chart Skyhound's Lovejoy Chart Skyhound's 2/P Encke Chart I'll admit my knowledge with astronomy is limited to just the visual side, but that doesn't mean I can't forward you to the most extensive guide to photographing a comet you'll ever come across, courtesy the Waiting for ISON blog. So no excuses for you Walt. Get on it. Even if ISON proves a fizzler, if you've got a camera and want some green, there are multiple contests with fantastic prizes worth entering. Sky and Telescope offers an 8" Celestron EdgeHD as it's grand prize. UniverseToday & OPT offers an assortment of prizes, top of which is a fantastic all-in astrophotography bundle. Lastly, Discover Magazine and the National Science Foundation are offering cash prizes for top pics. The extensive Beginner's Buyers Guide has even more to offer, but I'll recap on a few potential buys for catching the comets. Binoculars There are several cheaper options on the original buyer's guide, but several readers have been wowed by these: $160. Excellent, excellent, excellent binoculars, especially for the price. From the feel to the surprising light weight to the high-performance optics, if you have the scratch, spend it. They easily out-perform binos selling for three times as much, but that's Pentax for ya.Telescopes The scopes listed in the original thread are all still great, but here's some new additions the list, and a price drop alert for ya. $199, shipping November 26th. While I haven't tested it yet, Orion's 90mm refractors have been decent peformers, and the alt az slow motion knobs and decent tripod will make for a fantastic grab-and-go. $80 shipped from Amazon The kid in the video tells it all: light, compact, easy to use, and powerful for a scope of such small size.
To update from my original gushing pitch on, hands down, my favorite telescope out there, it is now selling for just $330 shipped. Best bang for the buck, but remember: it's a big lady. CBD alerted me to a sale on Costco for the Celestron 130EQ telescope. Normally I'd say pass, but for $160 shipped, they also throw in a half-decent accessory kit, so not bad for a "department store" scope. Celestron's "Costco 102" is unfortunately no longer available (though you can find one if you're lucky on eBay from time to time), so this is the best I've seen advertised for such stores. Eyepieces and Fliters $130 shipped from Astronomics. There are a few "beginners kits" out there, but none have the bonus of a great "wide-field" eyepiece and at least two with great eye relief. Included eyepieces are 6mm, 9mm, and 40mm plossls, and one 15mm 68degree Superview. Four colored filters for aiding planetary observing, a moon filter, and a barlow lens round out the kit. The 6 and 9 mm have only 3mm of eye relief, but the rest of the kit more than makes up for this shortcoming. $130 from Amazon/AgenaAstro Cuts through some of the clutter and improves viewing of the coma and tail. Also comes in a 2". $170 shipped from Hayneedle Planetaries that rival eyepieces costing 5x as much, with a padded carry bag?. The Z series offers nearly an inch of eye relief, 55 degrees of apparent field of view, and have gotten rave reviews from the amateur community. As Flanders had indicated, getting away from bright lights is ideal, but not necessary for enjoying these visitors now through December. Blocking stray light will make teasing them out of the sky a lot easier, along with getting your eyes dark adapted. I've reposted a few relevant tips and tricks from the original Washed Out Sky post, and included a painfully easy one I plumb forgot: Wear an Observing Hood (or a towel) So easy, I completely forgot it. If building a cheap light shield is too much of a hassle, grab a large, dark towel, and simply don it while observing through your telescope. It may become clumsy navigating around your observing space, but whatever works. Observing hoods are sold online for about $35, if your pocket has any money left to burn after scrambling for optics. The full Beginner's Buyer's Guide can be found in the master index of all Spaced-Out Challenge threads here, but of course you can always inquire about binoculars, telescopes, and all the rest in the comments. As always, if you have astrophotography, product recommendations, or astronomy news you'd like to see on a future Spaced-Out Challenge, email me at theoneandonlyfinn (at) gmail.com. Until then, clear skies and keep looking up! Dark Sky Sites for All 50 States Regular reader and photographer Matthew Gowan was inspired by the original Perseid thread featuring this list, and decided to track down that dark sky spot in Central Florida I had mentioned, and this was the result. To save you the hassle of jumping to an older thread, here is the original directory: While nothing can beat an immaculate night sky, the experience of these flashing visitors streaking through the summer Milky Way can be enjoyed within a reasonable driving distance wherever you may be, weather permitting. Many states and towns have dedicated parks as "dark sky preserves" and are more than willing to accommodate the needs of local amateur astronomers. Locations marked in italics are among the darkest places in the nation. A few of these have been pulled from Phil Harrington's excellent resource observingsites.com along with the Jshine map, where additional details for access are necessary I've linked to these sites directly. Caution: contact info for most sites is listed, but with ANY rural site be cautious about potentially dangerous unknowns such as blind cliffs and drops. It is strongly recommended you visit a site before sundown to familiarize yourself with your site. Mobile: Little River State Forest 1 hr NE of Mobile Montgomery: Grady and environs 45 minutes from Montgomery Birmingham: Dirt parking lot/turnabout at Alabama 13 x 102 Vehicle traffic at minimum after sundown, 1 hr from Birmingham. Coffeeville Reservoir Darkest sky in the state, 2 hr N of Mobile. Go outside of your “town” and look up, so long as you aren't experiencing the Midnight Sun. Recommended (actively advertising for the Perseids): Eagle River Nature Center The Grand-Daddy of Dark Sky Destinations, the Milky Way lights up the summer sky everywhere but within the major metro areas (excluding Flagstaff- it's dark sky program means residents can walk to a nice sky). Phoenix: (DARK sky site with amenities)- Alamo Lake State Park 2.5 hr W of Phoenix Phoenix/SW Arizona: (DARK sky site go in groups due to desert)- The Antennae Observing Site 1.5 hr W of Phoenix Phoenix: (closer, brighter dark sky site)- roadtrip W to Wickenburg 1 hr NW Tucson: Kitt Peak National Observatory (Nightly Observing Program) Call ahead to enjoy a great evening, shuttle service available. Fantastic skies 90 minutes from Tucson. North: Grand Canyon-North Rim Not only the darkest skies in the state, but some of the darkest on earth. Northwest: Redding Recreation Area in Ozark Little Rock: Petit Jean State Park 1 hr drive NW Texarkana: Millwood Lake (North Side) Southeast: Scrubgrass Campground One of the darkest in the state, if not the darkest. Northern California, especially around Shasta, is an astronomer's paradise. The High Sierras and the Mojave offer spectacular views to visitors and residents alike. Northwestern: Hyampom Airport Northeastern: Baum Lake Bay Area North: Doran Regional Park 1.5 hr N of San Fransisco. Sacramento: TAC-SEC's Ice House Observation Plateau Sites additional driving directions here Bay Area South: Henry W Coe State Park 50 minutes from San Jose Fresno: Spring Cove in Sierra National Forest 1 hr drive from Fresno Carmel/Salinas/Monterrey: Pfeiffer Big State Beach at Big SurIncredible views of sea, sand and sky an hour south on Rte 1. Central Coast/San Luis Obispo: Lake San Antonio <1 hr from SLB. Bakersfield/Kern: Walker Pass Campground <1.5 hr East from Bakersfield. Very dark sky. High Sierras/Eastern: Grandview Campground Very, very dark skies near Bishop. Darkest sky in SoCal: Mesquite Spring Campground in Death Valley National Park most recent addition to the International Dark Sky Association's certified parks. Vandenberg AFB/Santa Maria/Santa Barbara: VAAS' Figueroa Mt Site 1 hr drive from SB/SM/VAFB Los Angeles/Ventura: Mount Pinos 1.5 hrs NW from downtown L.A. Haven for Angeleno amateur astronomers and astrophotographers. Orange County/Inland Empire: (Mountains)-Silverwood Lake Cedar Dam area.5-1hr from I.E. cities (Desert-North) Amboy Crater Town of Amboy with iconic Roy's Gas, cold water and snacks nearby. Bathrooms and fountains. Parking area is remote, about a half mile from Route 66 which itself is rather remote. This is the darkest point in California south of Death Valley. (Desert-South) Joshua Tree National Park Cottonwood Campground 1.5 hr E of Riverside San Diego: Anza-Borrego Desert SP and environs 1.5 hr from downtown SD. Community within park also a great dark sky spot. Outside of the Fort Collins-Pueblo string of cities, a five minute trip outside town gives you pristine skies. Denver: Caribou Ranch Open Space 1.5 hr W of downtown Denver Colorado Springs: Eleven Mile State Park 1 hr drive from Colorado Springs Comanche National Grassland Darkest site in Colorado, one of the darkest in North America. White Memorial Conservation Center, Litchfield, CT Darkest easy-access site in the state. Milky Way visible from here. <1 hr drive from Hartfort, Bridgeport, or New Haven. Trap Pond State Park near Laurel Yep, even Delaware has some darkness. W of I-75 and N of Rte 98 is almost entirely dark sky. Wilderness snaking through the lower middle around Lake Okeechobee. If your town is within these areas, huzzah. Panhandle: Falling Waters State Park <1.5 hr from Pensacola Tallahassee: Bald Point State Park- Sunrise Beach Access parking lot and point are unlocked after hours per park staff, park in specified area. Very dark skies less than an hour from Tallahassee. Jacksonville: Goldhead Branch State Park 1 hr drive time, reasonably dark skies. Gainesville/Ocela: Shired Island 2hr drive time, darkest skies in the state. Tampa Bay: Duette Preserve Parking Area closed at sundown, lots open 24/7. 1 hr drive time from Tampa/St Petersburg. Orlando: Lake George State Forest 1.5 hr drive time Naples and Miami: Kirby Storter Roadside Park 1 hr W of Miami, E of Naples on the 41. Key West: Spanish Harbor KeyThe Girl Scout Camp here is used for the Winter Star Party. If you can afford the trip: Dry Tortugas National Park. A challenge to get into, but one of the darkest sites on earth. Great skies in the north along the Smokies, the southern border with Florida is swampy but dark as well. Atlanta/Macon/Augusta/Athens: Ocatee Observing Field Within 1.5 hr drive from all of these cities. Valdosta: Stephen C Foster State Park <1.5 hr east of Valdosta, darkest in the state. Southwest/Columbus: Providence Canyon State Park (overlooks) <1 hr from Columbus STAY IN THE PARKING/OVERLOOK AREA. CANYON DROPS SUDDENLY. If you can't get atop Mauna Loa: Haleakala National Park next-darkest in the state, one of the darkest in the US. Another state with incredible skies throughout, there is a small region in it's SW corner, bordering Nevada, that is one of the darkest sites on earth: Duck Valley Indian Reservation Mountain View Reservoir Bortle Zone 1 Sky Chicagoland: Green River Conservation Area near Dixon <2 hrs West Central: Jim Edgar Panther Creek State Conservation Area Southern: Shawnee National Forest Darkest skies in the state. North: Potawatomi Wildlife Park First Dark-Sky Preserve in Indiana <1hr from South Bend, 1 hr from Ft Wayne Indianapolis/Central: Camp George Cullom in Frankfort <1 hr from downtown Indianapolis South:Patoka Lake & Environs <1.5 hr from Evansville, Bloomington Much of Iowa is blue/green zone outside of the towns and cities. Eastern: Buzzard Ridge Wildlife Area <1.5 hr from Cedar Rapids, Iowa City, Davenport Central/Des Moines: Springbrook State Park 1 hr from Des Moines Western: Thul Woodland 1 hr from Souix City Nine Eagles State Park Darkest site in Iowa Virtually anywhere 15 minutes outside of town (western three fourths of the state) Nearest Wichita: Cheney just 25 miles West. Topeka/KC: Hwy 99&Cyclone Very dark sky Plenty of rural locations, especially in the eastern third. Eastern: End of Chimney Top Road in Daniel Boone National Forest Western: Land Between the Lakes Recreation Area North: Caney Creek Lake State Park Central: Catahoula Lake in Catahoula NWR New Orleans: Delta NWR <1.5 hr from downtown West: Rockefeller State Wildlife Refuge and Game Preserve Northern half of the state is near-pristine. Acadia National Park Darkest easy-access site in the state. Baltimore Metro: Green Ridge State Forest near Flintstone, MD Darkest sky in the state. Southern/DC Metro: Point Lookout State Park Eastern Shore: Tuckahoe State Park near Denton Shady Pines Campground, near Savoy, MA Darkest sky in the state, <2hr drive time to Boston Marconi Beach <90 mins from Boston Detroit Metro: Lake Hudson State Recreation Area The First Dark Sky Preserve in Michigan. 90 minutes from Detroit, 1 hr from Ann Arbor North/Central: Lumberman's Monument National Forest Svc. Campground & Park Upper Peninsula: North Country Natl Scenic Trail- Hiawatha National Forest Darkest Site in Michigan Another state dominated by darkness with too many sites to list. Duluth: Savannah Portage State Park Twin Cities: Father Hennepin State Park 1.5 hr N of Minneapolis-St Paul NW: Old Mill State ParkVery dark, almost "disorienting". Voyaugers National Park Redefines the definition of dark. Incredible site, darkest in the state. Extensive forest makes for dark but obscured viewing in much of the state, but most fishing lakes and reservoirs throughout offer decent horizons and dark skies. Biloxi: De Soto National Forest Any open lot within the park, about an hour north. Jackson: Lake Lincoln State Park 1 hr S of Jackson Near Kansas City: Refer to the KANSAS listing for Topeka for a close point west, within MO closest site is Bunch Hollow Conservation Area Near St Louis Metro: Council Bluffs Recreation Area DARK site 2 hrs from STL Near St Louis: Cuivre River State Park 1 hr from downtown Most of Missouri in between the big cities is blessed with good skies once you get about five minutes away from bright lights. There is one place though which is pure magic. A very specific spot in the Ozark National Scenic Riverways Darkest sky in the state, one of the darkest along the Mississippi. Virtually anywhere UL Bend National Wildlife Refuge Darkest sky in the state Virtually anywhere 15 minutes outside of town (western two-thirds of the state) Nearest Omaha: Burchard Lake Dam Merritt Reservoir Darkest sky in the state Austin, NV Darkest site in the state. Las Vegas Metro: Glendale/BLM area Most parts north of the NH/MA line are in the green. Dixville Notch State Park Darkest site in the state North: Jenny Jump State Forest near Hope South: Belleplain State Forest (recreation fields) near Woodbine darkest site in the state Much of the state is extremely dark, but here are few notable spots. Northeast: Clayton Lake State Park Very dark sky. Santa Fe/Las Vegas: Fort Union National Monument Albequerque: San Lorenzo Canyon Alamagordo/South: Three Rivers Petroglyph Rec Site Southeast: Carlsbad Caverns Visitor Center Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument Among the darkest places on earth. Milky Way takes on a three dimensional appearance. Northern New York: Adirondacks, Darkest site in New York State is arguably Raquette Lake. Western New York: Long Point State Park near Bemus Point Long Island: Custer Institute in Southold Milky Way is visible here, <2 hr drive from NYC Southern New York/Closest DARK site to New York City: Pepacton Reservoir <2.5 hr drive time from downtown Manhattan Western/Asheville: Wayah Bald Darkest point in the Smokies Northwestern: Doughton Park Eastern: Pettigrew State Park near Creswell Very Dark Skies Central/Charlotte/Winston-Salem/Raleigh/Greensboro: Roy J Maness Nature Preserve Within a 1.5 hr drive from all of these cities. Wilmington/Southern: Bladen Lakes State Forest 1 hr from Wilmington Outer Banks: National Seashore Cape Hatteras- Ocracoke Island Campsites One of the best dark sky sites in the United States. Eastern sky is immaculate. Virtually anywhere 10 minutes outside of town Little Missouri National Grasslands Darkest sky in the state NW/Toledo: Harrison Lake State Park <1 hr from Toledo Columbus: Woodbury Wildlife Area <1.5 hr east of downtown Cincinnati: Stonelick Lake State Park Less than 50 minutes from downtown, best site in SW Ohio. Cleveland: Dorset Wildlife Area Parking Lot <1 hr from downtown SE/Appalachia: Lamping Homestead Picnic Area, Wayne Natl Forest Darkest site in the state. Virtually anywhere 10 minutes outside of town west of Oklahoma City-Tulsa Nearest Oklahoma City/Tulsa: Robbers Cave State Park Closer spots lie between Holdenville and McAlister, but this is the closest dark campground area. Black Mesa State Park One of the darkest skies on earth. Words fail. Eastern Oregon, from Bend on, is some of the darkest sky on earth. Near Portland: L.L. Stub Stewart State Park <40 minutes from downtown. Southern/Central: Crater Lake National Park Incredible skies, to it's south east some of the darkest on earth. Cherry Springs State Park The darkest site in Pennsylvania, and one of the darkest in the Eastern United States. Second International Dark Sky Park named. Scranton: High Knob Overlook Pittsburgh Area: Ryerson Station State Park <1.5 hrs from downtown Philadelphia Area: Hawk Mountain Road, State Game Lands Area #106 <1.5 hr from downtown Philly Harrisburg/Gettysburg: Pine Grove Furnace State Park York/Lancaster/AmishMafiaVille: Susquehannock State Park Frosty Drew Obeservatory, Charlestown, RI Darkest site in Rhode Island, Milky Way is visible from here. <1 hr from Providence. Western: Bad Creek DamVery dark sky, access road provided by Duke Energy, <2 hr from Spartanburg Columbia and Charleston: Lone Star Ghost Town Not quite dead yet, but plenty of open spots for parking and observing. 1 hr from Columbia, 70 minutes from Charleston. Virtually anywhere 10 minutes outside of town Rabbit Creek Reservoir Darkest sky in the state Western/Memphis: Chickasaw State Park (around Lake Placid) 1.5 hr east of Memphis Nashville/Central: Water Valley Overlook on Natchez Trace Pkwy milepost 411.8, 1 hour from Nashville. Eastern/Chattanooga/Knoxville: Cherohala Skyway Turnoffs Darkest location in the state. West Texas has incredible sky, just ask any Texan. Even in the more "congested" parts of the state there are some great sites within a short drive. Big Bend National Park- Persimmon Gap Picnic Area Mind-blowingly dark. Amarillo: Rita Blanca National Grassland Very, very dark sky. 2 hr drive N to near OK border. Dallas/FtWorth/Austin: Hubbard City Lakes Houston: Lake Livingston (North End) San Antonio/Laredo/Corpus Christi: Big Alamo Tank Dark skies abound out here, but if you live in Provo/SLC you'll need more of a drive (about an hour) to get away from the lights. One immaculate site near the metro area can be found here. One of the darkest skies on earth can be found towards its southern border. National Bridges National Monument The first International Dark Sky Park, and for damn good reason. Incredible scenery topped only with near-perfect skies. Bryce Canyon National Park Darkest spot in Utah, one of the darkest on the continent. The middle of the state is best, as light pollution from Montreal begins to brighten the northern third. Branbury State Park Darkest in the state. Western: Whitetop Mountain Arguably the darkest site in Virginia. Spectacular views. Northern: Shenandoah National Park-Matthews Arm Campground drivetime 2hrs from downtown D.C. Metro Northern VA: Sky Meadows State Park <1 hr from Arlington. Central: Bear Creek Lake State Park Eastern/Delmarva: Savage Neck Dunes parking lot Very dark considering it is less than an hour from Norfolk. From Mt St Helens to the NE third, much of the state is an astronomer's paradise. Tacoma/Seattle: Lake Easton State Park 1 hr from Seattle, 1.5 Tacoma Spokane: Fishtrap Lake Parking Lot <30 minutes from downtown Spokane Palouse Falls Darkest site in the state. Charleston/West: Calhoun County Park Sky can rival Spruce Knob depending on weather. Spruce Knob and environs The darkest site east of the Mississippi River. Nearly all of SW and NW (particularly near Kickapoo) has excellent dark skies, the same for the regions bordering Michigan and the Iron Range. NE Wisconsin: Newport State Park (call ahead) Green Bay: Kroenke Lake SNA 1 hr from Green Bay Milwaukee Metro: Kettle Moraine State Forest (North) 45 mins from Milwaukee, Fon du Lac, Sheboygan Madison/Janesville: Magnolia Bluff Park The Darkest Site in Wisconsin, Chequamegon National Forest One of the few states where I can't really point out the "darkest" sky. Hwy 131 leaving Lander south is one of the darkest of the dark. Comments(Jump to bottom of comments)Posted by: kbdabear at November 10, 2013 06:06 PM (aTXUx) Posted by: Psychedelicat at November 10, 2013 06:09 PM (Vk2pI) Posted by: Psychedelicat at November 10, 2013 06:11 PM (Vk2pI) 4
I wish to observe that a Flanders and a Lovejoy are mentioned in CAC's post.
Posted by: Vendette at November 10, 2013 06:18 PM (MpP9p) 5
Hey CAC about 0400 in our area there's a very bright light in our NE sky. Looks like an airliner coming into ONT with its landing lights on but it's always in the same place. What (or who) is it???
Posted by: DAve at November 10, 2013 06:19 PM (b7yum) 6
Hey CAC about 0400 in our area there's a very bright light in our NE sky. Looks like an airliner coming into ONT with its landing lights on but it's always in the same place. What (or who) is it???
Posted by: DAve at November 10, 2013 06:19 PM (b7yum) Don't mind us… Posted by: The Grey Aliens at November 10, 2013 06:21 PM (Vk2pI) 7
6Phew... i was worried it was the GAY aliens
Posted by: DAve at November 10, 2013 06:23 PM (b7yum) 8
So, um, I could ask Santa for a nice comet filter...would it be worth it? Anyone with experience? I do like my OIII one...
Posted by: Juan de Hattatime at November 10, 2013 06:25 PM (p7LQY) 9
5 Id say Jupiter but its in the wrong spot.
Posted by: CAC at November 10, 2013 06:26 PM (rVQCR) 10
General directrion of Big Bear and close to the mountains
Posted by: DAve at November 10, 2013 06:30 PM (b7yum) Posted by: Very Wide GOCE Receiver at November 10, 2013 06:38 PM (IXrOn) 12
Maybe a ghetto bird, Dave. Nothing stellar is that bright in that part of the sky.
Posted by: CAC at November 10, 2013 06:40 PM (rVQCR) 13
13 twarn't moving tho- I'll look again and get back to you
Posted by: DAve at November 10, 2013 06:42 PM (b7yum) 14
"Comet ISON will be at its most brilliant the day after Thanksgiving, but will be too close to the sun to see practically."
---------------------- Damn. The "Great Tease," indeed. Posted by: Margarita DeVille at November 10, 2013 06:44 PM (dfYL9) 15
CAC, thanks for the state-by-state viewing spots.
Posted by: Vendette at November 10, 2013 06:49 PM (MpP9p) 16
So, do I talk about spacecraft here or on the open thread?
GOCE is still alive, at an altitude of only 120 km (75 miles). Posted by: rickl at November 10, 2013 06:49 PM (sdi6R) 17
Mmmmm. Dr. Amy...
Posted by: Homer at November 10, 2013 06:50 PM (ym8Ts) 18
CAC, thanks for the state-by-state viewing spots.
Posted by: Vendette at November 10, 2013 06:49 PM (MpP9p) Why does the state-by-state viewing spot link say that the nearest place to Vegas Metro is Glandale? Posted by: Psychedelicat's Lucky 7s at November 10, 2013 06:51 PM (Vk2pI) 19
Soyuz TMA-09M has separated from the ISS and is heading toward a 9:49 pm EST landing.
http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/nasatv/index.html#.UoAb4yjnvRs Posted by: rickl at November 10, 2013 06:52 PM (sdi6R) 20
CAC, thanks for the state-by-state viewing spots.
Posted by: Vendette at November 10, 2013 06:49 PM (MpP9p) Why does the state-by-state viewing spot link say that the nearest place to Vegas Metro is Glandale? Posted by: Psychedelicat's Lucky 7s at November 10, 2013 06:51 PM (Vk2pI) Sorry, just noticed that is was Glendale Nevad… though it was California's Glendale for a moment there… Posted by: Psychedelicat's Lucky 7s at November 10, 2013 06:53 PM (Vk2pI) 21
18 because that's the darkest spot within a 2hr drive from the Strip, unless you have another one. I'd live to add more places to the already enormous list.
Posted by: CAC at November 10, 2013 06:53 PM (rVQCR) 22
Is this the new comet thingy?
Posted by: Peaches at November 10, 2013 06:53 PM (8lmkt) 23
Sorry, just noticed that is was Glendale Nevad… though it was California's Glendale for a moment there…
Posted by: Psychedelicat's Lucky 7s at November 10, 2013 06:53 PM (Vk2pI) There's also a Glendale, AZ, which is in the Phoenix metropolitan area. Posted by: Vendette at November 10, 2013 06:55 PM (MpP9p) 24
22 Lovejoy is the new one, and it is beautiful.
Posted by: CAC at November 10, 2013 06:57 PM (rVQCR) 25
CAC- Wow! Mondo post, my man.
Posted by: Tom Cruise at November 10, 2013 06:59 PM (aDwsi) 26
Really nice post, CAC. Thanks.
It'll take me a hot minute to read it all, though. Maybe I can sit down out back with a drink after I feed the min-pin maniac and put a few groceries away. If you're saying I have a chance of seeing some coolness, I'll wait on burning leavez and sticks. I'm in Norfolk, but have an acre, and can get to a pretty dark spot in the back forty... Posted by: shredded chi at November 10, 2013 07:00 PM (3Eg8d) 27
OMG this is like a semester's worth of learning here, CAC!
I am really going to make an effort to pay closer attention to the night sky when we go up to our cabin in the Upper Peninsula. Your post says the Hiawatha National Forest is the darkest spot in MI. That's where we are and I can attest to the fact that the stars from there are full of overwhelming awe. My daughter is the star-gazer in the family. She will sit outside by the campsite all night long. Posted by: mama winger at November 10, 2013 07:01 PM (P6QsQ) 28
sheesh, chi, mini-pins are so crazy they make me look normal
Posted by: Peaches at November 10, 2013 07:02 PM (8lmkt) Posted by: Pern at November 10, 2013 07:13 PM (eSzwX) 30
28 sheesh, chi, mini-pins are so crazy they make me look normal
Yeah, was a Christamas gift to the better half from her mom last year. Within 2 months, he became "my dog." Just over a year old now. I can't be positive, but I think he might be "special," if you know what I mean. He would rather eat pine cones, carrot scraps, celery or ice than dog chow. And he answers to "poopyhead" As an aside, Dr. Amy looks like she may have pointy elbows - I don't know if I trust her. Posted by: shredded chi at November 10, 2013 07:13 PM (3Eg8d) 31
The last forecast for GOCE re-entry I heard was between 5:50 and 7:50 pm EST. We're already past the midpoint of that window, so it should be happening any minute now.
Posted by: rickl at November 10, 2013 07:13 PM (sdi6R) 32
He would rather eat pine cones, carrot scraps, celery or ice than dog chow. And he answers to "poopyhead"
that sounds like a mini-pin! Posted by: Peaches at November 10, 2013 07:14 PM (8lmkt) 33
The coming of a comet is supposed to be a harbinger of apocryphal events, at least that's what our medieval ancestors thought.
Enke is probably not from the Oort cloud (this time) as it's period is too short. The rest though...... Posted by: Severe Conservative riding Orca at November 10, 2013 07:20 PM (v6hyJ) 34
Hmm Karen Meech or Amy Manzier.. I just can't decide who I'd want to watch on videos...
Posted by: Chi-Town Jerry at November 10, 2013 07:21 PM (b/lt+) 35
Hey, CAC
you've probably already answered this one in previous posts, but what is your recommended app (for android) for novices? Better half has some kind of google maps "sky" or something that shows constellations, but I don't think much else. Posted by: shredded chi at November 10, 2013 07:38 PM (3Eg8d) 36
My daughter is the star-gazer in the family. She will sit outside by the campsite all night long.
Posted by: mama winger ............. Won't you freeze your patooty off camping in the yoop this time of year? Posted by: Chi-Town Jerry at November 10, 2013 07:52 PM (b/lt+) 37
Hellavapost
Posted by: eman at November 10, 2013 07:53 PM (n6NK7) 38
Still haven't heard any news about GOCE.
I'm also waiting for news about the Mars Orbital Mission, which should have made its fourth orbit-raising burn about four hours ago. Posted by: rickl at November 10, 2013 07:55 PM (sdi6R) 39
I believe Aliens have colonized the Oort Cloud and sometimes bring people there to visit and help them do the laundry
Posted by: eman at November 10, 2013 07:56 PM (n6NK7) 40
Somewhat space related - looks like the Eurotrash satellite has missed me, unless it stays up another half day or so, which looks unlikely given how fast it's coming down.
Posted by: Iowa Bob at November 10, 2013 07:57 PM (CNfUp) 41
#35
I like SkyWeek from Sky and Telescope, and StarMap. Posted by: CAC at November 10, 2013 07:59 PM (rVQCR) Posted by: Obama Voter at November 10, 2013 08:00 PM (0cMkb) 43
link to P Encke doesn't work for me?
Posted by: firsttimemoron at November 10, 2013 08:03 PM (xRBNr) 44
Comet cleans my kitchen sink really good!
Posted by: Obama Voter at November 10, 2013 08:00 PM (0cMkb) With apologies to CAC (and his lovely wife): Comet! It makes your hands turn green! Comet! It smells like kerosene! Comet! It makes you vomit! So buy some Comet and vomit today! Posted by: Vendette at November 10, 2013 08:04 PM (MpP9p) 45
SOOON!
Deer season is coming, I'm going to reclaim the refractor scope from the parents house (where it's been in storage.) Attempt to find the replacement angular mirror, and then take it out to deer camp which is just west of CAC's "magic spot" (so one light classification higher than "Darkness." 160 acres of nothingness, surrounded by 300 acres of conservation land. I'm not sure if I'll be up to see the comets, it depends on how the hunting goes. (If it goes well on day one or two, I may just stay up all night stargazing.) Posted by: tsrblke PhD(c) (No Really!) at November 10, 2013 08:12 PM (GaqMa) 46
Firsttimemoron try it now. Error in the http, its been fixed.
Posted by: CAC at November 10, 2013 08:13 PM (rVQCR) Posted by: eleven at November 10, 2013 08:17 PM (fsLdt) 48
FYI CAC, I may start tweeting you haphazardly if I can't figure out my scope's missing parts.
There's no money for a new scope, so I have to make do. Posted by: tsrblke PhD(c) (No Really!) at November 10, 2013 08:17 PM (GaqMa) Posted by: shredded chi at November 10, 2013 08:17 PM (p59v3) 50
I think if you discover 4 comets you are no longer an amateur. So you are saying I can go outside look E - SE right now with binocs and see ISON? Posted by: Guy Mohawk at November 10, 2013 08:20 PM (iGPSR) 51
awesome thanks.. going to see if i can spot any with my binocs tonight. also love the state by state info, just moved to phoenix recently and the kitt peak nightly program sounds awesome... looks like about a 3 hr drive but going to try to talk my wife into it
Posted by: firsttimemoron at November 10, 2013 08:26 PM (xRBNr) 52
Mind if I ask? I have a 4" reflector that needs the mirror aligned. Some visiting Einstein messed with the settings and I figure I could probably realign it with some help, so I wondered if any of you guys knows of someone in SW BC Canada that can either walk me through it or even fix it if it comes to that. It's an inexpensive reflector (Omcon 811EX?) but it is a gift from someone that expects to see it displayed prominently if you know what I mean... I won't mention any names but her initials are the mother of the Ministry of War and Finance, aka Mrs TrueNorthist. It has three nyloc nuts on studs that are connected to the mirror and it is way out of whack.
Can anyone help me out here? Posted by: TrueNorthist at November 10, 2013 08:35 PM (3Aixx) 53
FWIW, i also downloaded google sky maps. Kinda cool. As a novice, it looks like it will help (and maybe marry nicely with the SkyWeek app) - i can sit here in the house (or on an overcast night, outside), point the phone anywhere, and it'll show me what should be there.
Some reviews said it was off, but it's overcast here right now and i can see the moon. App showed it exactly where I see it through cloudcover. Posted by: shredded chi at November 10, 2013 08:37 PM (p59v3) Posted by: Guy Mohawk at November 10, 2013 08:47 PM (iGPSR) 55
Terrific post CAC. I recommend Skycalendar from Michigan State.
Posted by: zeera at November 10, 2013 08:50 PM (awL0T) 56
Another satellite tracker; http://tinyurl.com/3b8mxj
Posted by: zeera at November 10, 2013 08:57 PM (6JlRh) 57
this post was longer than an ace movie review.....damn cac........
Posted by: phoenixgirl @phxazgrl at November 10, 2013 08:59 PM (8JJ6O) Posted by: Mindy at November 10, 2013 08:59 PM (lCBX+) 59
52 buy a laser collimater and follow the directions to the letter. Unfortunately I'm not familiar with Omcon, but collimating reflectors follows the same routine for almost any of them.
Posted by: CAC at November 10, 2013 09:01 PM (rVQCR) 60
50- no, but at 5am you can start hunting them down.
Posted by: CAC at November 10, 2013 09:01 PM (rVQCR) 61
Just sent my husband to this post because he enjoys stargazing.
Posted by: Mindy at November 10, 2013 09:02 PM (lCBX+) 62
Hello, Mr. Mindy!
Posted by: Vendette at November 10, 2013 09:04 PM (MpP9p) 63
Thanks for these posts CAC. I like Astronomy in theory. In practice I'm too much of a cold wussy so I never have anything to contribute to a post but I still enjoy reading and seeing the cool pics.
Posted by: PaleRider at November 10, 2013 09:08 PM (ql12X) 64
Vendette, he says hi back.
Posted by: Mindy at November 10, 2013 09:09 PM (lCBX+) 65
Vendette, he says hi back.
Posted by: Mindy at November 10, 2013 09:09 PM (lCBX+) Hello, Mindy! (Just because) Posted by: Vendette at November 10, 2013 09:14 PM (MpP9p) 66
56 Another satellite tracker; http://tinyurl.com/3b8mxj
Posted by: zeera at November 10, 2013 08:57 PM (6JlRh) Used this side to find out what was zipping by on certain days. It was very bright and very fast. Of course it was the ISS. Easy to see on certain mornings, usually between 5-6am Posted by: Ma Bell at November 10, 2013 09:18 PM (RLdcX) 67
Soyuz is getting ready for re-entry.
http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/nasatv/index.html#.UoA8DSjnvRs Posted by: rickl at November 10, 2013 09:19 PM (sdi6R) Posted by: Mindy at November 10, 2013 09:19 PM (lCBX+) 69
Oh and that falling satellite seems to be hopping up and down
Posted by: Ma Bell at November 10, 2013 09:19 PM (RLdcX) 70
So, do you have any astronomy equipment?
Posted by: Mindy at November 10, 2013 09:19 PM (lCBX+) I don't, but my dad does. Posted by: Vendette at November 10, 2013 09:23 PM (MpP9p) Posted by: rickl at November 10, 2013 09:25 PM (sdi6R) 72
I haven't heard anything more about GOCE.
Posted by: rickl at November 10, 2013 09:25 PM (sdi6R) It's somewhere over Antarctica bouncing up and down Posted by: Ma Bell at November 10, 2013 09:27 PM (RLdcX) 73
It should have re-entered by now. Maybe the satellite tracker isn't getting enough information to display it properly.
Soyuz is also re-entering. At least they know where it is. Posted by: rickl at November 10, 2013 09:33 PM (sdi6R) Posted by: Guy Mohawk at November 10, 2013 09:36 PM (iGPSR) 75
GOCE is down.
http://tinyurl.com/kzk9xp8 Posted by: Guy Mohawk at November 10, 2013 09:36 PM (iGPSR) yeah they lost it's track over Antarctica Posted by: Ma Bell at November 10, 2013 09:39 PM (RLdcX) 76
Sigh. I really, really want to observe a comet. All the time I was scoping there were SFA. When something actually showed up in recent years, it was cloudy, raining or I was working at night, or something. The bloody things have never played ball. Now the northern hemisphere ppl get a whole bunch at once. Bastards.
Posted by: otho at November 10, 2013 09:39 PM (9gNQd) 77
"By the time you read this, the spacecraft's amazing flight will, most likely, have come to an end," spokesman Daniel Scuka wrote in an update posted around 6:45 p.m. on the agency's website.
Yeah, I saw that. I haven't heard anything since then, though. Soyuz's parachutes have deployed. Posted by: rickl at November 10, 2013 09:40 PM (sdi6R) Posted by: rickl at November 10, 2013 09:41 PM (sdi6R) 79
76
Now the northern hemisphere ppl get a whole bunch at once. Bastards. Posted by: otho at November 10, 2013 09:39 PM (9gNQd) Trouble is, they're all up in the predawn hours. Posted by: rickl at November 10, 2013 09:43 PM (sdi6R) 80
Trouble is, they're all up in the predawn hours.
Posted by: rickl at November 10, 2013 09:43 PM I'd haul my ass out of bed to see a decent comet by naked eye. With a scope even better. You're supposed to able to see something of one at least, down south, but you've got to be out in the flat desert or something. Halley's was a bust. Couldn't see shit in the city. Posted by: otho at November 10, 2013 09:48 PM (9gNQd) 81
Touchdown!
Posted by: rickl at November 10, 2013 09:49 PM (sdi6R) 82
The recovery crew is opening the hatch now.
Posted by: rickl at November 10, 2013 09:59 PM (sdi6R) 83
A beuatiful morning in Kazakhstan, but below freezing. The astronauts are being placed in chairs and wrapped in blankets.
And the Olympic torch is out! Posted by: rickl at November 10, 2013 10:04 PM (sdi6R) 84
The ESA reports that GOCE re-entered the atmosphere around 01:00 CET, which is about 7:00 pm EST.
http://tinyurl.com/jvqbz7k Posted by: rickl at November 10, 2013 10:10 PM (sdi6R) 85
205AM PST- confirmed Comet Lovejoy is naked eye object from rural skies, appears starlike, but obviously a comet in 8x42 binoculars, gorgeous in a telescope
Posted by: CAC at November 11, 2013 05:47 AM (rVQCR) 86
#59
I was hoping for a method that gets around using a laser, but it looks like that is not a viable option if I want the thing to actually work effectively. The primary mirror does not have an alignment circle and is very, very dirty so I think a complete tear down is warranted. It's a very simple Newtonian design which makes the job a bit less intimidating. Thanks CAC. Posted by: TrueNorthist at November 11, 2013 10:12 AM (3Aixx) Processing 0.02, elapsed 0.0209 seconds. |
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