I figure I'm not the only one who like to lay there & stair up, when I can't sleep. I found this the other day, thought I should share.
http://www.jshine.net/astronomy/dark_sky/
http://mcrol.trianglealumni.org/fsw.html
I know this wont help much out to the east. But it might get you to the point where you can at least see half of the visible stars. out here in the west there are still places to go & see them all.
Perhaps in the mad scramble for sexy light weightness I and everyone else has forgotten the most important function of gear – not that it must weight nothing, look good and be cheap, but that it must keep you alive and increases your survivability.
-Andy Kirkpatrick
I guess it is nice to to say that my place is located in the only spot on the eastern seaboard with a dark sky. Can actually see the milkway up here.
"In seed time learn, in harvest teach, in winter enjoy." -D'Signore's, Tide Mill Farm, Edmunds, Maine.
thanks for the great links , my best stargazing spots were glacier point in yosemite and muley point, utah
I don't get why it shows Iowa as having so much light pollution. We don't have a lot of population. When you are on about any back road, surrounded by corn fields, its DARK.
I'm heading up to the Roaring Plains Wilderness, in that big black hole in WV, 2 weeks from now. Hopefully the clouds will be few. Supposed to be a perfect early rising first quarter moon. Can't wait!!
That said, last September, I was out on Assateague Island, just south of Ocean City, and the stars were crazy bright. Even brighter than up in Dolly Sods Wilderness in WV just a few short weeks earlier. It was weird. I have no explanation for it. Both were clear nights, no haze.
PF
It's better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it.
Formerly known as Acercanto, my trail name is MacGuyver to some, and Pucker Factor to others.
It's not procrastinating, its proactively delaying the implementation of the energy-intensive phase of the project until the enthusiasm factor is at its maximum effectiveness. - Randy Glasbergen
Yea I was wondering about the accuracy of the map. When I saw the midwest lit up the way it is depicted I questioned it. But a neat source nonetheless.Originally Posted by Doody
"In seed time learn, in harvest teach, in winter enjoy." -D'Signore's, Tide Mill Farm, Edmunds, Maine.
I always figured that the difference in light levels for out east including states as far west as Iowa. was a combanation of altitude, terrain, population, types of lighting, so on... I've been to most every state this side of the Mississippi, with a few out on the other side. I would have to say that there is actually a difference even between the dark parts of kansas & that which can be found high up in the rockys.
As far as whether those sites are close to acurite or not. I was just basing the info from them as being good enough when comparing it to pics I've seen of the us from space.
But even out here in colorado there are only a couple places left that are truly free of light polution. My favorite of which is zirkel. up in the northern half of it the sky can actually look about like this even with the camp fire not quite out.
Last edited by Bitts; 07-24-2011 at 03:02.
Perhaps in the mad scramble for sexy light weightness I and everyone else has forgotten the most important function of gear – not that it must weight nothing, look good and be cheap, but that it must keep you alive and increases your survivability.
-Andy Kirkpatrick
as far as zirkel goes I would recomend
Starting at the rainbow lake trail head, 3-3.5 miles in to rainbow lake. to make camp for the first night. then follow the rainbow lake trail up past slide lake to the wyoming trail. continuing to the luna lake trail. making camp for the second night. on the third day follow the same route back to the trail head & car (allowing for an extra night At either slide lake or rainbow lakes would make it a lot easier)
Going up to lake Kathryn makes it a little darker.
http://www.mountainjaymedia.com/imag...th_cutouts.jpg
Last edited by Bitts; 07-24-2011 at 03:25.
Perhaps in the mad scramble for sexy light weightness I and everyone else has forgotten the most important function of gear – not that it must weight nothing, look good and be cheap, but that it must keep you alive and increases your survivability.
-Andy Kirkpatrick
I found it interesting that the boundary to the Adirondack Forest Preserve in NY is often referred to as "the blue line" and the image shows a large blue spot which almost outlines the adks, the grey portions in the middle of it are no surprise either.
I once had difficulty making out constellations due to the brightness of every other star. The entire sky was filled with stars usually not visible, I couldn't discern the major stars from the minor ones to "see" the constellations.
On my first trip to Lake Superior's north shore, years ago. I was sitting on the shore on a calm, clear night. There was no moon and the sky was incredible. It merged with the lake on the horizon so it was like floating in space. That is the exact moment I became interested in hiking and the outdoors in general.
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