2Likes
LinkBack URL
About LinkBacksHello everyone.
I live in Stamford, CT and for the past couple of days I've been looking for dark spots to do some viewing and photographing. I want to stay within a 1-hour's drive. It doesn't have to be Bortle 1 type skies, but just something better than what I have. I thought maybe a national or state park, but those are all closed at night. So I checked my local light pollution, and it looks like my only bet is to travel north.
Here's the problem though, without investing 2 hours (1 hour there, and 1 hour back), how can I make a reasonable assumption as to whether or not I am even allowed on the spot I'm looking? For example, I can find some dark-ish areas, but I don't know if that's someones property, or if that's a no trespassing area, etc.
What do you guys usually do? Are there some places in CT near me that you could recommend?
Welcome to the Astronomy Forums | Telescope Forums & Reviews | Astronomy Community.. Please login below or register now.
Results 1 to 9 of 9
- 08-18-2016, 01:24 PM #1
Main Sequence
Achievements:
- Join Date
- Feb 2010
- Location
- Long Island
- Posts
- 125
- Points
- 8,297
- Level
- 63
- Thanks
- 12
- Thanked 3x 2 Posts
Finding a good place to stargaze or photograph
- 08-18-2016, 02:31 PM #2
HYPER GIANT
Achievements:
- Join Date
- Aug 2013
- Location
- N 47.02.14, W 122.19.24 (South of Seattle, Souith East of Tacoma)
- Posts
- 1,554
- Points
- 11,549
- Level
- 74
- Thanks
- 398
- Thanked 392x 284 Posts
Re: Finding a good place to stargaze or photograph
Can you even FIND a bortle 1 sky in New England without driving to Maine or Canada?
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 signatures.
Celestron Advanced VX Edge8; Vestil CPRO-600 observer chair; Celestron 20X80 binoculars on a 1st surface mirror mount; Nikon 16X50 binoculars.
A little girl once asked as I showed her
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 signatures.
with my
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 signatures.
, "Are you a scientist?" No, it's just a hobby....
South of Seattle and south east of Tacoma
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 signatures.
- 08-18-2016, 03:07 PM #3
HYPER GIANT
Achievements:
- Join Date
- Aug 2013
- Location
- Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
- Posts
- 2,506
- Points
- 21,614
- Level
- 100
- Thanks
- 307
- Thanked 836x 688 Posts
Re: Finding a good place to stargaze or photograph
I use this link to find observing sites. Looks like some decent observing in MA, not so much CT.
Light pollution mapDavid aka Shelldrake
Equipment: Sky-Watcher 305mm
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 signatures.
(f/5), 120mm refractor (f/8.3), EQ6-R,
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 signatures.
, AZ3 mounts;
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 signatures.
StarBlast 4.5 TTD (f/4), ED80T-CF refractor (f/6); Celestron 102mm refractor (f/10.3), NexStar GT
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 signatures.
mount; Jason 313 60mm refractor (f/15.2, EQ1 mount); Celestron 10x50, 8x56, 15x70 binoculars; Eyepieces: SWA 32mm (2"); 32mm Plossl; 25mm, 18mm, 12mm, 9mm X-Cel LX; 6.7mm ES 82; 5mm X-Cel; Meade 8-24mm Zoom; Orion Shorty 2X
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 signatures.
, GSO 2.5X Barlow, Antares 3X Barlow; Cameras: ASI224MC, ASI183MC, Canon T3
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 signatures.
.
-
The Following User Says Thank You to Shelldrake For This Useful Post:
Jnielsen (08-18-2016)
- 08-18-2016, 03:09 PM #4
HYPER GIANT
Achievements:
- Join Date
- Dec 2015
- Location
- Connecticut USA
- Posts
- 6,000
- Points
- 34,259
- Level
- 100
- Thanks
- 1,407
- Thanked 2,216x 2,120 Posts
- Blog Entries
- 15
Re: Finding a good place to stargaze or photograph
Take a look at this thread
CT Observing
It has a link to Astronomy clubs in CT. Some of those folks may be able to help out with good dark sites. I can't, I rarely range from the back deck - and I can tell you, it is NOT a dark site!
BobLeveye and bladekeeper like this.Hardware: Celestron C6-N w/ Advanced GTmount, Baader MK iii CC,
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 signatures.
ST-80, Canon 60D (unmodded), Orion SSAG
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 signatures.
: BYE, PHD2, DSS, PhotoShop CC 2017, StarTools, Cartes du Ciel, AstroTortilla
visit my
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 signatures.
blog:
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 signatures.
href="http://clearoutside.com/forecast_image_small/41.70/-72.67/forecast.png" rel="lightbox[signatures]">
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 signatures.
- 08-18-2016, 03:10 PM #5
Bright Giants
Achievements:
- Join Date
- Sep 2015
- Location
- Rochester, NY
- Posts
- 536
- Points
- 3,294
- Level
- 37
- Thanks
- 88
- Thanked 128x 94 Posts
Re: Finding a good place to stargaze or photograph
The only way I know of verifying the viability of a location I identify using a light pollution map is to take a scouting trip. I'll identify several within an area of interest and then just bite the bullet and take a drive prior to going out with all my equipment. So I identify areas of interest using a light pollution map, check them out with Google Earth and then take a drive.
Originally Posted by SpaceFreak131 
~Joe~
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 signatures.
: Zhumell Z10
Eyepieces: Tele Vue Plossl 40, 25, 11 | Zhumell 30, 9 | ES 68 Series 16 | ES 82 Series 18, 11 & 8.8 | Meade UWA 5.5
Barlows: Televue 2x
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 signatures.
1.25 inch
Finders: 8x50 RACI, Telrad
- 08-18-2016, 03:19 PM #6
HYPER GIANT
Achievements:
- Join Date
- Jan 2013
- Location
- Newport Oregon
- Posts
- 8,985
- Points
- 65,726
- Level
- 100
- Thanks
- 2,117
- Thanked 2,557x 2,243 Posts
Re: Finding a good place to stargaze or photograph
Bob has a great Idea. That would be the best thing to do. If not pack the car and go exploring. That's part of the adventure. I do it when doing landscape photography. If you think it's private property best to seek out and ask permission. Some folks are more than accommodating
My eyes
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 signatures.
1984 Meade 2120 10" SCT- 1998 U.S.A. made Celestron C8 SCT -StellarVue SV80ED Doublet- 1960's Homemade 6" F5.6 Newt - Astro Tech AT8IN Imaging Newt- Vintage 1961 H.O.C. made ATCO 80mm/1200mm refractor w/ original vintage eyepieces - 20x70
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 signatures.
Little Giant II binoculars w/ original 1997
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 signatures.
SkyMount Parallelogram-Zhumell, Orion, Astro Tech 9x50 finderscopes - Orion Atlas AZ/EQ-G
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 signatures.
Skyguider Pro Unmodded Canon 5DMKiii - Modded Canon 700D/ T5i- ZWO ASI178MC
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 signatures.
- Meade DSI II Mono CCD APT-DSS-PHD-CDC-PS-LR
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 signatures.
- 08-18-2016, 04:19 PM #7
Super Moderator
Achievements:
Awards:
- Join Date
- Jan 2016
- Location
- Live: Slovakia Work: Canada
- Posts
- 17,439
- Points
- 74,993
- Level
- 100
- Thanks
- 3,063
- Thanked 5,483x 4,621 Posts
- Blog Entries
- 4
Re: Finding a good place to stargaze or photograph
If you have a state or national park close by that would be good for viewing have a talk with the staff there. They may be able to help you or even suggest some other locations.
Refractors: Antares 105 f/15, Bresser 102XL f/13.2, Celestron 102 f/6.5, 2-150 f/8, Stellarvue NHNG 80 f/6.9, TAL 100RS f/10, TS 102 f/11, Vixen SD115s f/7.7
Mounts: Manfrotto 028B/ 055PRO, Celestron SLT, Celestron CG-5/ Argo Navis, Stellarvue M2C, Vixen SXP Binoculars: Celestron Eyepieces: A-Z
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 signatures.
The weakest link in the optical chain is the large nut located directly behind the
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 signatures.
/ camera. - Gabrielle
Ya gotta keep this Apo/
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 signatures.
thing in some balance of perspective. Apos are awesome, but long focus Achros aren't that far behind them - Siriusandthepup (CN)
Refractors kick arse precisely because they don't hide behind excuses. That is, they have no obstructions to hide behind.
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 signatures.
- 08-19-2016, 01:39 AM #8
Main Sequence
Achievements:
- Join Date
- Feb 2010
- Location
- Long Island
- Posts
- 125
- Points
- 8,297
- Level
- 63
- Thanks
- 12
- Thanked 3x 2 Posts
Re: Finding a good place to stargaze or photograph
Thanks for your help everyone, these are all good suggestions! +1
- 08-19-2016, 01:52 AM #9
Bright Giants
Achievements:
- Join Date
- Sep 2015
- Location
- Rochester, NY
- Posts
- 536
- Points
- 3,294
- Level
- 37
- Thanks
- 88
- Thanked 128x 94 Posts
Re: Finding a good place to stargaze or photograph
You probably saw it mentioned in the other thread in this sub-forum (Finding a Good Viewing Site in a New Place): Cemeteries. I use one just outside of town near my summer camp.
Before doing so I did drop by the local State Trooper barracks and let them know what I'd be doing there in the event I was noticed.~Joe~
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 signatures.
: Zhumell Z10
Eyepieces: Tele Vue Plossl 40, 25, 11 | Zhumell 30, 9 | ES 68 Series 16 | ES 82 Series 18, 11 & 8.8 | Meade UWA 5.5
Barlows: Televue 2x
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 signatures.
1.25 inch
Finders: 8x50 RACI, Telrad
Reply With QuoteSimilar Threads
-
Finding a Good Viewing Site in a New Place
By Glenilacqua in forum General Stargazing ForumReplies: 18Last Post: 10-08-2016, 07:10 PM -
Where is the best place to stargaze/observe in North Yorkshire?
By tallulah031 in forum Astronomy Beginners ForumReplies: 4Last Post: 06-28-2013, 10:01 AM -
Finding a good viewing place
By zeppelin in forum Astronomy Beginners ForumReplies: 8Last Post: 02-18-2013, 07:03 PM -
My First Good Photograph of The Milkyway! (=^0^=)
By MrRapala91 in forum Astrophotography ForumReplies: 16Last Post: 12-15-2012, 09:47 PM -
Picking a place to stargaze.
By JimND in forum General Astronomy ForumReplies: 6Last Post: 01-02-2011, 07:40 PM
