Spruce Knob W. VA

Kevin, the spruce would be a long haul for you...have you considered
going north into upper N.H or even Maine...probably be a shorter trip.
Clear Skies,
Tom W.
PS...sorry you missed the BFSP cut-off; I think that is absolutely crazy
limiting it to 300 this year...I feel there was no need to do that as
there is enough room to support double what we had last
year....something's phony (strange) this year, and I don't know
what....? Notice the 'chair' resigned, and a 'committee' is now in
charge....I suppose next year we go to a lottery system????




Kevin Daly wrote:
I recall people talking about Spruce Knob as an excellent observing spot. As I
missed the registration for this year's BFSP I'm looking for somewhere with
nice dark skies about the same distance from my home in CT.
Does anyone know if there will be folks there and directions?

TIA


Kevin Daly
Mattatuck Astronomical Society
http://hometown.aol.com/kdaly10475/index.html

I live in NH, and once you get north of Concord or go either west towards
Vermont or East towards eastern NH there are plenty of dark skies. I think
the trip would be alot shorter from Ct than the trip to WV.
My two cents.
If you want you can email the NH astronomical society(www.NHastro.com) for
directions to really dark places.
Chip

Hi Kevin,

You should get in touch with the folks at Arunah Hill, Peru MA. Excellent
site with very dark skies and not all that far for you. Their big summer
to-do is "Arunah Hill Days" (August 29 - September 1) but they`re usually
there on weekends too and will let members go up there during the week as
long as they know who and when.

http://www.arunah.org/

Dan McShane

"Kevin Daly" wrote in message
...
I recall people talking about Spruce Knob as an excellent observing spot.
As I
missed the registration for this year's BFSP I'm looking for somewhere
with
nice dark skies about the same distance from my home in CT.
Does anyone know if there will be folks there and directions?

TIA


Kevin Daly
Mattatuck Astronomical Society
http://hometown.aol.com/kdaly10475/index.html


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OK, you folks are starting to talk me into a shorter drive. I'll check into
the other locations. As it will just be my daughter and I, i'm hoping there
will be other observers around as well. I'd be a little nervous camping out in
an unknown locale by ourselves. FWIW, I'd be bringing my 10" f/7 newt along
with a smaller scope for her (her choice of 4" Mak, 4.5" Newt or 60mm
refractor).


Kevin Daly
Mattatuck Astronomical Society
http://hometown.aol.com/kdaly10475/index.html

I live about three hours from Spruce Knob. A group of folks from the local
club I belong to went down last weekend. The site was described as darker
than Cherry Springs and a lot darker than the Laurel Highlands Star Cruise
site. There are people there observing almost every weekend. Elevation is
good too. It is an enormous haul from where you live though.

Vern


"Kevin Daly" wrote in message
...
I recall people talking about Spruce Knob as an excellent observing spot.
As I
missed the registration for this year's BFSP I'm looking for somewhere
with
nice dark skies about the same distance from my home in CT.
Does anyone know if there will be folks there and directions?

TIA


Kevin Daly
Mattatuck Astronomical Society
http://hometown.aol.com/kdaly10475/index.html

I recall people talking about Spruce Knob as an excellent observing spot. As I
missed the registration for this year's BFSP I'm looking for somewhere with
nice dark skies about the same distance from my home in CT.
Does anyone know if there will be folks there and directions?

Hi Kevin,

There is some info about Spruce Knob for observing he

http://www.novac.com/spruce/index.htm

I've driven there once from Philadelphia, and looking at a map, I
can't imagine that you could make it in the same amount of time to
drive from, say, Hartford to Spruce Knob as it would to the BFSP...
It took me 6 hours from Philly. You get slowed down once you get into
the mountains of West Virginia, it's not a straight line run.

As far as dark sky sites, take a look at:

http://www.astropix.com/HTML/H_OTHER/SATPOL1.HTM

There is a very dark area just off the top center of the map north
west of Albany that you might want to look at, it's about as dark as
it gets. It looks like it is in the middle of the Adirondak park, and
it is closer to Conneticutt than the BFSP.

Jerry

the spruce would be a long haul for you...have you considered
going north into upper N.H or even Maine..

Driving time-wise, it's about the same. It takes me about 8 hours to get to
CSSP, and Spruce Knob would be about the same.
I agree that 300 seems like a low number, but I'm not trying to organize it.
They reported that there was only 270 last year but it sure seemed like a lot
more to me. I envisioned it growing into one of the major Star Parties but I
guess they want to limit its growth. It is a shame because I've forgone the
local CT Star Party in favor of the BFSP for the last 3 years. I've thoroughly
enjoyed them and both my 11 yr. old daughter and I are very disappointed that
we won't be going again this year. I'll be sure to register much earlier next
year though.


Kevin Daly
Mattatuck Astronomical Society
http://hometown.aol.com/kdaly10475/index.html

ospam (Kevin Daly) wrote in message ...

the spruce would be a long haul for you...have you considered
going north into upper N.H or even Maine..

Driving time-wise, it's about the same. It takes me about 8 hours to get to
CSSP, and Spruce Knob would be about the same.

That can't be right! You live near Hartford, right? From Hartford
up I91 to White River Junction can't be much more than 2 hours, and
most of northern N.H. is within 2 hours of White River Junction.
Most of northern Vermont is just as dark, by the way -- very close
to pristine. In MA, Cummington (Arunah Hill) is pretty dark, but
the light dome of Northampton/Springfield/etc. is quite visible.

- Tony Flanders

That can't be right! You live near Hartford, right?

Actually, near New Haven, but I think you misunderstood what I meant. The
drive time between CSSP and Spruce Knob would be about the same, not the drive
time to NH. NH is much closer.


Kevin Daly
Mattatuck Astronomical Society
http://hometown.aol.com/kdaly10475/index.html