[BVARC] Stargazing

Thu Apr 28 00:09:04 CDT 2022

Thanks to everyone who offered their suggestions. This was really educational. I believe we will head for Hallettsville, though I am not sure where exactly I should be once I get there.

I remember seeing the Milky Way in Barbados when I was about 10. It was like a ring sun running east to west over the equator. Even with no moon it was bright enough to light up the beach enough to see where you were going.

Thanks,

Mark
N5PRD

> On Apr 27, 2022, at 17:03, Rick Hiller via BVARC <bvarc at bvarc.org> wrote:
> 
> Good info on the dark areas, thanks!
> 
> Name 3 famous Mickey's --- Mickey Rooney, Mickey Mantle and Mickey Way. (National Lampoon Radio Hour)
> 
> Last time I saw the Milky Way was 8000 feet up in the Andies in Peru.  A whole lot of other stars too.  I stopped counting at 254,362 stars and went to bed.
> 
> Rick -- W5RH
> 
> 
> 
> On Wed, Apr 27, 2022 at 2:17 PM Westley Clavey via BVARC <bvarc at bvarc.org <mailto:bvarc at bvarc.org>> wrote:
> I was the assistant instructor in a night sky and Milky Way photography course and workshop for 10 years.  Ron's recommendations are all quite good, and I can add a few other places to the list.
> 
> Most of our courses were taught in Big Bend, but we also did Death Valley, Grand Tetons, Palo Duro Canyon, Big Bend Ranch State Park, Ft. McKavett.  We also did some "on site testing" to see if we could offer some single night courses near Houston, which included, Sea Rim Park & Halletsville.  We also shot at the National Seashore down at Padre Island.
> 
> Seeing the Milky Way is one thing - - photographing it is another.  Let me know if you want any photography pointers...  
> 
> Depending on the month, you will have to look for it in the early, pre-dawn mornings or late after astronomical twilight (usually 2-3 hours after actual sunset).  If you see it at night (in the fall) it will be vertical, perpendicular to the horizon, and if it is a dark enough place, like the Big Bend area, you will be able to see it arch all the way across the sky from horizon to horizon.  If you see it in the morning (in the spring), then it will be horizontal, parallel to the horizon.  Seeing it also depends on more than just the darkness of the sky where you are standing.  Light pollution form population center, drilling operations, etc. can light up the atmosphere enough that it will wash-out your chances of seeing it, even if they are 50-100 miles away.  That was actually one of the disappointments of Death Valley - - encroachment of light pollution from California to the southwest.  The Milky Way will always be somewhere from the SE to the SW sky, depending on the season.  So when you are picking a place to try, think about what is beyond specifically where you will be.    
> 
> Late April is probably your last chance to see it until September.  In the time in between, it is still there - - it's just up during the daylight rather than the dark.
> 
> On 4/27/22 10:38 AM, Ron Bosch via BVARC wrote:
>> BTW the best night sky in the CONUS is either Steens Mountain Wilderness (South Steens Camp) in Oregon, or Tin Mountain Primitive camp in Death Valley.  The best night sky I ever seen in my life was from the deck of a sub at midnight around 63N 4W, although the night sky at 0N 0W wasn’t too shabby either.
>> 
>>  
>> 
>> Ron KE4DRF
>> 
>>  
>> 
>> Sent from Mail <https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=550986> for Windows
>> 
>>  
>> 
>> From: Jonathan Guthrie, KA8KPN via BVARC <mailto:bvarc at bvarc.org>
>> Sent: Wednesday, April 27, 2022 10:11 AM
>> To: mark janzer via BVARC <mailto:bvarc at bvarc.org>
>> Cc: Jonathan Guthrie, KA8KPN <mailto:ka8kpn at ka8kpn.org>
>> Subject: Re: [BVARC] Stargazing
>> 
>>  
>> 
>> Not nearly as dark.
>> 
>> https://www.darkskymap.com/nightSkyBrightness <https://www.darkskymap.com/nightSkyBrightness>
>> On the other hand, it might be dark enough.  If it is a lot closer (for me, Hallettsville is a lot closer than Galveston) then I would suggest checking it out and seeing if it's dark enough.  Try to go in the dark of the moon, or at least when the moon is crescent not gibbous or full.   I mostly wanted to share the night sky brightness map.  I'm pretty confident that you can see the milky way from the green areas.
>> 
>> On 4/27/2022 7:34 AM, mark janzer via BVARC wrote:
>> 
>> A spot much closer, and maybe as dark would be:
>> 
>>  
>> 
>> Beach Access Point #16
>> 
>> 4245 13 Mile Rd
>> 
>> Galveston, TX 77554
>> 
>>  
>> 
>> 73
>> 
>> Mark
>> 
>> K5MGJ
>> 
>>  
>> 
>>  
>> 
>> On Wednesday, April 27, 2022, 01:45:48 AM CDT, Mark Brantana via BVARC <bvarc at bvarc.org> <mailto:bvarc at bvarc.org> wrote: 
>> 
>>  
>> 
>>  
>> 
>> My wife and I would like to do a day trip to look at the Milky Way. One website suggested Hallettsville or Sargent Beach. I would be grateful for any suggestions. The next new moon 🌚 will be this Saturday.
>> 
>> Mark
>> 
>> N5PRD
>> 
>>  
>> 
>> Sent from my iPhone
>> 
>>  
>> 
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> 
> -- 
> Wes Clavey
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> -- 
> Rick Hiller  
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