Spots with little light pollution (Dallas, Spring: 2009, house, schools)

[artik]

I was wondering if anyone knew any spots with very little light pollution? I want to go star gazing, but as you all know there's too much light coming from the city and it's hard to see more than 20 stars. Anyone know a good spot??

[Arcane]

Generally they say 100 miles out of the city is where you need to get. That's pretty far, but a couple alternatives I know of are...A recent trip to Granbury had a reasonably dark sky. I know they do star parties at a state park nearby. South of Waxahachie at the Scarborough Faire location was pretty dark when I went several years ago. I saw the Milky Way band there. One year I found a nice spot near Pandera Lake off 287 and watched one of the winter meteour showers. It was dark enough to watch 10+ a minute. This was probably 8-10 years ago. I used to go to Joe Pool area and watch planets, specifically the last time was when Mars and Earth were in perihelic opposition, 2003. But there's been some development so I'm not sure if it's dark anymore out there.

I hope some others can add to this.

[Cowboybootnut]

Good luck, I have three telescopes that have collected cob-webs and dust since I moved to the Dallas area 19 years ago. You can look at the Moon and planets, but for deep-sky objects you will have to travel about an hour.

There is a good local astronomy club that may help.

Texas Astronomical Society

[Metro Matt]

Any place you see black on the map

http://www.ehponline.org/members/2009/117-1/map.jpg

[DaveG99]

Originally Posted by Metro Matt

Any place you see black on the map

http://www.ehponline.org/members/2009/117-1/map.jpg

link doesnt work

[cdelena]

Years ago when I tried to be serious with astronomy we tried locations all around Dallas and was most sucessfull finding a spot within 4 hours drive down towards Goldthwaite, but you never know when some farmer (or Ft. Hood) is going to install a big new barnyard light and kill the night sky for miles.

Our best viewing in Texas was very far west although there were nights when a deserted road near Glen Rose worked OK.

[GayleTX]

You need to google Three Rivers Foundation - Astronomy.....it is a new astronomy center located in what the developers called 'the darkest place in the US' - on Pease River near Quanah and Crowell. Astronomers from all over the world (particularly Australia) are coming there to study - the owner, Dr. Fred Koch, has spent many millions there (Fred is from Quanah, lives part-time in Texas, part-time in Australia) on some of the highest caliber equipment in the world. The center invites people to come for seminars, is open for school children, is building a lodge, and already has a fantastic steak house (bring your Platinum Card) that is open by appointment. The scientists who come there to work currently stay at the Best Western in Quanah and a shuttle bus takes them out to the site. It is a remarkable place and has been featured in astronomy magazines.

“The campus’ centerpiece is a 15-inch refractor housed in a 28-foot dome with an adjacent classroom. Other facilities include a 40-by-60-foot roll-off-roof observatory with a 30-inch reflector, a smaller outbuilding with one-of-a-kind 22-inch binocular telescope, one 10-foot dome, two 15-foot domes, and the Star Field – an area with 12 light-shielded, electrified concrete observing pads.”

“Comanche Springs Astronomy Campus features free public star parties monthly on the Saturday nearest the New Moon. Visitors are always welcome to bring their own telescopes. The Three Rivers staff creates special, customized programs for schools and public groups. Daytime activities and week night programs require an appointment,” Reeves states to encourage the public to make the drive to visit.

And in conclusion adds, “Three Rivers’ teacher workshops have trained more than 300 teachers since their inception 4 years ago”, and “the StarStruck mobile astronomy-outreach unit…travels up to 200-miles from its base in Crowell to perform star parties and lectures…when schools or public groups request this service.”

Fred is doing lots of other interesting things in Quanah, too......he has bought nearly all of downtown, and is bringing in some musical acts and activities. Should be interesting for those of us who grew up there to see what changes will come about from his generosity.

[ETex2]

Star gazing is great in the Athens area where we have a second home. Of course, I think you'd have to have a death wish to live there full-time due to the meth addicts and crooked politicians that run everything on the good-ole boy system. But it's beautiful and most people are friendly - and relatively "light-pollution" free. It's about 80 miles to the southeast.

[Big G]

Not wanting to steer off-topic, but I'm glad someone confirmed my observations about Athens. I was in the DQ in Athens last year during a campout at the Boy Scout camp nearby. At least 6 to 8 of the customers (in different groups) were showing tell-tale signs of being meth-heads. It was a little unnerving.

[ETex2]

Originally Posted by Big G

Not wanting to steer off-topic, but I'm glad someone confirmed my observations about Athens. I was in the DQ in Athens last year during a campout at the Boy Scout camp nearby. At least 6 to 8 of the customers (in different groups) were showing tell-tale signs of being meth-heads. It was a little unnerving.

My ex-neighbors were among them (out in the country). But the biggest crooks by far sit on the local boards like the water authority, airport board, appraisal district, etc.. Strictly out to make money for their buddies and then pat each other on the back and joke about it at the country club on Saturday. Worse than any trailer trash you might encounter.

Back to the subject at hand - head southeast out of Dallas by at least an hour to see the least light pollution IMHO. Athens is GREAT for that.