Any Austin, Texas Amateur Astronomers here?

Hi,

My question is regarding Mansfield Dam as
I keep getting conflicting information.

Some say the dam was closed to foot traffic after 9/11 and never reopened.
Some say if you go on the right night (which night would that be?)
or have a telescope with you "they" will let you on the dam.

Can anyone here update me on this?

I am looking for a relatively dark location, not to far away from where I
live.
I have tried 2 fields here in Round Rock. One I was asked to leave by the
police
(what on earth can be harmful about a girl with a telescope?) and one was a
rewrite
of the "attack of the killer fire ants". Texans will understand how painful
that trip was.

Thanks,

jojo

Have you tried the local astronomy club yet? I'm sure they know some good
(and safe) dark sky sites.

http://www.austinastro.org/



"jojo" wrote in message
y.com...
Hi,

My question is regarding Mansfield Dam as
I keep getting conflicting information.

Some say the dam was closed to foot traffic after 9/11 and never reopened.
Some say if you go on the right night (which night would that be?)
or have a telescope with you "they" will let you on the dam.

Can anyone here update me on this?

I am looking for a relatively dark location, not to far away from where I
live.
I have tried 2 fields here in Round Rock. One I was asked to leave by the
police
(what on earth can be harmful about a girl with a telescope?) and one was
a
rewrite
of the "attack of the killer fire ants". Texans will understand how
painful
that trip was.

Thanks,

jojo

The dam is always closed, and "they" will never let you on it.

However, that is irrelevant, because the viewing takes place in an scenic
overlook area adjacent to the dam. It consists of a large (~800' diam.),
paved circular drive overlooking the down-stream face of the dam.

The scenic overlook area is open 24/7, the dam security people are used to
astronomers setting up there, and they're friendly. As urban/suburban
viewing sites go, it's probably one of the safer ones due to their presence.
The site has an almost perfectly unobstucted horizon. The down sides are
suburban-intensity light pollution from Austin's light dome (milky way
visible but dim), and occasional lights from non-astronomers driving through
the overlook. Most Friday nights you will find a fairly large crowd there,
with a dozen or so scopes set up.

Jim

"jojo" wrote in message
y.com...
Hi,

My question is regarding Mansfield Dam as
I keep getting conflicting information.

Some say the dam was closed to foot traffic after 9/11 and never reopened.
Some say if you go on the right night (which night would that be?)
or have a telescope with you "they" will let you on the dam.

Can anyone here update me on this?

I am looking for a relatively dark location, not to far away from where I
live.
I have tried 2 fields here in Round Rock. One I was asked to leave by the
police
(what on earth can be harmful about a girl with a telescope?) and one was
a
rewrite
of the "attack of the killer fire ants". Texans will understand how
painful
that trip was.

Thanks,

jojo

LCRA, which owns and operates Mansfield Damn, closed the dam to both
foot and vehicle traffic when the new section of FM620 was built below
the dam. Because I "know people" I've been on the dam - it is quite
dizzymaking and nothing I care to repeat.

LCRA maintains a park on the south side of the dam, which is open to
both foot and vehicle traffic. Take your scope and have a good time
but don't be surprised if a Sherrif's deputy mosies by to see what
you're up to.

On Tue, 23 Sep 2003 12:54:48 GMT, "jojo"
wrote:

Hi,

My question is regarding Mansfield Dam as
I keep getting conflicting information.

Some say the dam was closed to foot traffic after 9/11 and never reopened.
Some say if you go on the right night (which night would that be?)
or have a telescope with you "they" will let you on the dam.

Can anyone here update me on this?

I am looking for a relatively dark location, not to far away from where I
live.
I have tried 2 fields here in Round Rock. One I was asked to leave by the
police
(what on earth can be harmful about a girl with a telescope?) and one was a
rewrite
of the "attack of the killer fire ants". Texans will understand how painful
that trip was.

Thanks,

jojo

On Tue, 23 Sep 2003 12:54:48 GMT, jojo wrote:

Hi,

My question is regarding Mansfield Dam as
I keep getting conflicting information.

Some say the dam was closed to foot traffic after 9/11 and never
reopened.
Some say if you go on the right night (which night would that be?)
or have a telescope with you "they" will let you on the dam.

Can anyone here update me on this?

I am looking for a relatively dark location, not to far away from where I
live.
I have tried 2 fields here in Round Rock. One I was asked to leave by the
police
(what on earth can be harmful about a girl with a telescope?) and one was
a
rewrite
of the "attack of the killer fire ants". Texans will understand how
painful
that trip was.

Thanks,

jojo


Call the folks who run Austin Astronomy and Science on Anderson Mill
Road. Jay or Michelle can direct you to the local sited they and
others in the area go to regularly. One is at or near the dam,
the other is at Canyon of the Eagles.

Cheers,
Larry G.

On Tue, 23 Sep 2003 7:54:48 -0500, jojo wrote
(in message m):

Hi,

My question is regarding Mansfield Dam as
I keep getting conflicting information.

Some say the dam was closed to foot traffic after 9/11 and never reopened.
Some say if you go on the right night (which night would that be?)
or have a telescope with you "they" will let you on the dam.

The dam area is open. Usually every clear Friday night there is a group
there. The skies are not particularly dark but it can be fun with a group.

You might consider joining the Austin Astronomical Society
(www.austinastro..org). We have some other ideas about dark sites. We also
maintain an observatory out at the north end of Lake Buchannan.


Can anyone here update me on this?

I am looking for a relatively dark location, not to far away from where I
live.
I have tried 2 fields here in Round Rock. One I was asked to leave by the
police
(what on earth can be harmful about a girl with a telescope?) and one was a
rewrite
of the "attack of the killer fire ants". Texans will understand how painful
that trip was.

Thanks,

jojo





--
Bill Tschumy
Otherwise -- Austin, TX
http://www.otherwise.com

"There would be no be no bright stars without dim stars, and,
without the surrounding darkness, no stars at all."

Alan Watts

LarryG's post will fix you up. I have the LX200 12" I should have gotten a
smaller scope.


"jojo" wrote in message
y.com...
Hi,

My question is regarding Mansfield Dam as
I keep getting conflicting information.

Some say the dam was closed to foot traffic after 9/11 and never reopened.
Some say if you go on the right night (which night would that be?)
or have a telescope with you "they" will let you on the dam.

Can anyone here update me on this?

I am looking for a relatively dark location, not to far away from where I
live.
I have tried 2 fields here in Round Rock. One I was asked to leave by the
police
(what on earth can be harmful about a girl with a telescope?) and one was
a
rewrite
of the "attack of the killer fire ants". Texans will understand how
painful
that trip was.

Thanks,

jojo

On Tue, 23 Sep 2003 12:54:48 GMT, "jojo" ...reflected:

Hi,

My question is regarding Mansfield Dam as
I keep getting conflicting information.

Some say the dam was closed to foot traffic after 9/11 and never reopened.
Some say if you go on the right night (which night would that be?)
or have a telescope with you "they" will let you on the dam.

Can anyone here update me on this?

I am looking for a relatively dark location, not to far away from where I
live.
I have tried 2 fields here in Round Rock. One I was asked to leave by the
police
(what on earth can be harmful about a girl with a telescope?)

Rather, what harm might befall a girl with a telescope in a field
by herself at night.

and one was a
rewrite
of the "attack of the killer fire ants". Texans will understand how painful
that trip was.

Thanks,

jojo

Alan

Like everybody else said, get to the park area south of the dam on
Fridays a little beofore darkness sets in. There will be several scopes
set up usually and everyone seems willing to let you try theirs etc. I
went my first time and ended up buying Jay's Vixen FL102S on a GP
mount. I have a couple others, but this is my favorite for crisp
contrasty views. I just put a SS2K on it and used it once since. My
backyrad is really darker and more open than at the dam, but there are
more people to help with questions and scopes and eyepices to try out
there. A couple guys take some nice astrophotos and post them at Jay &
Michele's store.
jojo wrote:

Hi,

My question is regarding Mansfield Dam as
I keep getting conflicting information.

Some say the dam was closed to foot traffic after 9/11 and never reopened.
Some say if you go on the right night (which night would that be?)
or have a telescope with you "they" will let you on the dam.

Can anyone here update me on this?

I am looking for a relatively dark location, not to far away from where I
live.
I have tried 2 fields here in Round Rock. One I was asked to leave by the
police
(what on earth can be harmful about a girl with a telescope?) and one was a
rewrite
of the "attack of the killer fire ants". Texans will understand how painful
that trip was.

Thanks,

jojo

Like ever'body else has said, it's a pretty nice group. Some are Austin
Astro Club members, some (like me) aren't. The only Fridays when there are
very few people out are near the full moon. I went out last Friday, and
there were about 15 people or so. Only one or two people set up because of
the clouds. The ones who did spent most of their time looking at the "oasis
nebula" across the lake - with a good 'scope you can practically read the
labels on the beer bottles a half mile away (smile). Hope to see you out
there sometime. I usually have a vintage orange C8 on an unusual tripod, but
in a couple of weeks you'll see me with an 8" truss dob I'm building around
a mirror I just finished figuring (to a .98 strehl!) (thanks again LarryG!)

- Chris


"jojo" wrote in message
y.com...
Hi,

My question is regarding Mansfield Dam as
I keep getting conflicting information.

Some say the dam was closed to foot traffic after 9/11 and never reopened.
Some say if you go on the right night (which night would that be?)
or have a telescope with you "they" will let you on the dam.

Can anyone here update me on this?

I am looking for a relatively dark location, not to far away from where I
live.
I have tried 2 fields here in Round Rock. One I was asked to leave by the
police
(what on earth can be harmful about a girl with a telescope?) and one was
a
rewrite
of the "attack of the killer fire ants". Texans will understand how
painful
that trip was.

Thanks,

jojo