My Newness and My Situation...

[MyNighttimeJacket]

Hello! I signed up here a couple days ago but neglected to post a hello because I wanted to post about a night where I saw two strange lights. Unfortunately it was never posted, probably blocked by a mod or something, which is a bummer because I worked hard to make it detailed so people can tell me what it is i might have seen.

Anyway, I might try to post it again but its one of those things where you work so hard to lose it and then suddenly you dont feel like doing it all over again haha :/

Well here it is; a bunch of personal information nobody really needs to know. Get ready!

My name is Nick and I'm a freshman high schooler. I live around mid-michigan in real heavily light polluted skies. Even worse, I'm almost exclusively interested in deep-sky viewing. Even worse even further, I have a small 90mm mak cass tele.

AAANNNDDD on top of all that, I am flat out obsessed with astronomy all together and I find myself ALWAYs getting distracted from everyday life trying to find a dark sky site and a great telescope to last a long long time (AHEM orion xt10).

That is my plan; I've settled on a few options for a medium (large for me ) aperture telescope. All i need is to find a dark sky, because I'm living in a red Bortle level suburb

BTW if anyone has a way to find / knows a dark sky in michigan thats public and open all night thatd be great

[skinnyonce]

Hi Nick welcome to the shop, I have seen some weird stuff also and cant sem to get an answer as to what it really was..
consider some setting circles for your dob as it will give you a way to follow coordinates for objects in that red zone, google darkskyfinder and see what is near you as far as parks/areas etc etc...
Dark Sky Finder

[IDMTChris]

Welcome to the forum

[hapkido1996]

Welcome, MyNighttimeJacket! I can't help with finding dark skies in MI, but I hope you get that sorted out soon.

[AstroSmitty]

Welcome Nick,

Try to get in touch with a local Astro club. They probably have a place picked out that they have permission to be in all night. Our club works out of a county park outside of the city and we have permission to be there after it closes at dusk. Good luck and clear skies.

[jvellucci]

Welcome to the forum. I would suggest getting a Dobsonian telescope. It is the best aperature for the money. Then just find a decent dark sky location. Good luck and clear skies.

[Talitha]

BTW if anyone has a way to find / knows a dark sky in michigan thats public and open all night thatd be great

Hi Nick, welcome to the forum. I live in WI and don't know of any dark sky sites in MI, but maybe you'd be interested in attending the Great Lakes Star Gaze star party coming up (mid-September) in Gladwin.

[GrandPrixChris]

Welcome to the forum Nick! I have been somewhat happy with my deck but have not found a good public spot yet. There should be plenty around me but I have been too lazy in looking for one. I would like to so that I could regularly meet with some people and just hangout and view. Where are you close to?

[MyNighttimeJacket]

Hi Nick, welcome to the forum. I live in WI and don't know of any dark sky sites in MI, but maybe you'd be interested in attending the Great Lakes Star Gaze star party coming up (mid-September) in Gladwin.

Yeah I heard about that and I'm currently looking into it

[GrandPrixChris]

Hi Nick, welcome to the forum. I live in WI and don't know of any dark sky sites in MI, but maybe you'd be interested in attending the Great Lakes Star Gaze star party coming up (mid-September) in Gladwin.

The astronomer from the Longway Planetarium goes to the GLSG about every year. I have yet to go. There is also a dark sky park in Emmet County that is fairly new and I've yet to go there as well.
Great Lakes Star Gaze - Michigan Star Party