Starhawk
Post Laureate
Reged: 09/16/08
Loc: Tucson, Arizona
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Re: Headed to Tuscon early...
[Re: Skip]
#5459900 - 10/07/12 11:25 PM
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Ok- coordination question time:
It may be possible to get on top of Mt. Lemmon for an evening. It has the best seeing near Tucson (over 9200' elevation). However, someone on staff will have to be there so it will need coordination and there would be a usage fee.
So, what nights are of greatest interest? Please indicate all evenings you think you might try to do the imaging/ observing session. I'll try to boil this down into #of interested parties, evenings of interest, and if you'd want to try to overnight (there are dorms, but this is climbing the cost/ complexity ladder).
Please PM me your answers. You aren't committed to anything, yet- I'm just trying to find out what the interest level is. Please forward this request to any other imagers/ advanced observers you know are attending and might be interested. For the record, all I'm personally getting out of this is a night of observing and maybe some good images and a chance to hang out with similarly interested people. No commercial or for-profit organization is involved in this request.
Please get responses to me by Thursday, October 11, so I can get info to the observatory folks and see if this can happen (don't worry too much if it won't- there are other possibilities).
The Mt. Lemmon site has superb seeing, so I am trying to gage if there is enough interest to make it happen. The seeing is generally unsually good around here anyway, so this information will still help get an observing site figured out in any case.
Copy this for your PM:
The dates between November 6-12 I am interested in observing and imaging in Tucson are:
I would be interested in Dorm accommodations for the end of the evening (Yes or No)
I have equipment requiring power (Yes or No).
I don't have gear with me due to travel constraints, but would like to try imaging (no idea if this can happen, but I can ask).
A fee would be acceptable for a superior observing site of up to $X per evening (max $ you are willing to consider).
End questionnaire.
Thank you for your help.
-Rich
Edited by Starhawk (10/07/12 11:29 PM)
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Tori
sage
Reged: 01/10/12
Loc: Somerville, MA/Warren, NH
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Re: Headed to Tuscon early...
[Re: Starhawk]
#5461400 - 10/08/12 10:53 PM
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First, thank you all for all the responses! I've been away without internet for the last few days so am only reading the latest batch of replies now!
Rich: I'll definitely be PMing you.
PGW Steve: we're in the same boat, it sounds! Same gear, too!
I'm *only* afraid of two-legged trouble...
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rboe
Reged: 03/16/02
Loc: Phx, AZ
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Re: Headed to Tuscon early...
[Re: Tori]
#5461418 - 10/08/12 11:16 PM
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Aren't we all. 
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Starhawk
Post Laureate
Reged: 09/16/08
Loc: Tucson, Arizona
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Re: Headed to Tuscon early...
[Re: rboe]
#5461480 - 10/09/12 12:30 AM
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The two legged is most of it unless you're up in the Chiricahua mountains, where there are bears.
The TAAA offering is pretty expansive- and both sites are quite nice.
Let me know after reading the TAAA Star Party post.
-Rich
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RayM0506
journeyman
Reged: 09/27/12
Loc: Tucson, AZ
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Re: Headed to Tuscon early...
[Re: Skip]
#5467658 - 10/13/12 01:36 AM
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I go all the way to the East on Speedway, towards the Rincon Mountains. It is called the Douglas Springs Trailhead. Good dark sky site. Pretty well traveled road. NO facilities, but plenty of bushes. LOL It is my regular dark sky site.
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Tom and Beth
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 01/08/07
Loc: Tucson, AZ
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Re: Headed to Tuscon early...
[Re: RayM0506]
#5469265 - 10/14/12 02:56 AM
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I go all the way to the East on Speedway, towards the Rincon Mountains. It is called the Douglas Springs Trailhead. Good dark sky site. Pretty well traveled road. NO facilities, but plenty of bushes. LOL It is my regular dark sky site.
And if you're into hiking, that's a REALLY good trail head. You can string togeher a hike well over 20 miles for a day jaunt 
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RayM0506
journeyman
Reged: 09/27/12
Loc: Tucson, AZ
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Re: Headed to Tuscon early...
[Re: Tom and Beth]
#5479708 - 10/19/12 11:29 PM
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Quote:
Quote:
I go all the way to the East on Speedway, towards the Rincon Mountains. It is called the Douglas Springs Trailhead. Good dark sky site. Pretty well traveled road. NO facilities, but plenty of bushes. LOL It is my regular dark sky site.
And if you're into hiking, that's a REALLY good trail head. You can string togeher a hike well over 20 miles for a day jaunt
Yeah, Hiked all the way to the tree line in the Rincons from that trail head!
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ToxMan
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 01/23/11
Loc: Tucson, Arizona, USA
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Re: Headed to Tuscon early...
[Re: Skip]
#5487979 - 10/25/12 01:25 AM
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Rich, I think I have something that fits...
it is not real dark and the Whetstone Mtns are close...Kartchner Caverns State Park. Occasionally, Cochise Astronomy Club uses their parking lot. Their campgrounds have electricity. There are fees.
Edited by ToxMan (10/25/12 01:27 AM)
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Starhawk
Post Laureate
Reged: 09/16/08
Loc: Tucson, Arizona
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Re: Headed to Tuscon early...
[Re: ToxMan]
#5488816 - 10/25/12 03:18 PM
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That's an interesting idea. With an AP mount, you need to be ready to haul some heavy batteries if you can't get to ground power.
-Rich
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PGW Steve
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 10/03/06
Loc: Winnipeg, Canada
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Re: Headed to Tuscon early...
[Re: Starhawk]
#5504818 - 11/05/12 12:14 AM
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Been in Tucson since about 1 today, shooting some Milky Way shots with cacti in them on the hotel property:-D
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Starhawk
Post Laureate
Reged: 09/16/08
Loc: Tucson, Arizona
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Re: Headed to Tuscon early...
[Re: PGW Steve]
#5505138 - 11/05/12 09:29 AM
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That's when you know you're on vacation!
-Rich
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Tori
sage
Reged: 01/10/12
Loc: Somerville, MA/Warren, NH
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Re: Headed to Tuscon early...
[Re: PGW Steve]
#5505549 - 11/05/12 02:46 PM
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Been in Tucson since about 1 today, shooting some Milky Way shots with cacti in them on the hotel property:-D
Getting Milky Way shots in the day? Daaaannnnggg, you're good!! 
I may try myself when I get there in a couple hours. But I'll wait until dark (to find out my hotel has the world's brightest floodlights)
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PGW Steve
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 10/03/06
Loc: Winnipeg, Canada
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Re: Headed to Tuscon early...
[Re: Tori]
#5505972 - 11/05/12 08:58 PM
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Oh nononono!! I posted at 11pm LOL, I got sunburnt up at Kitt Peak today. Going to hit one of the golf greens here and maybe do some timelapse stuff. The hotel area is a 19.5ish SQM, my home is 20.4, the cacti make the shots though! Can't wait to hit Mount Lemmon tomorrow.
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Tori
sage
Reged: 01/10/12
Loc: Somerville, MA/Warren, NH
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Re: Headed to Tuscon early...
[Re: PGW Steve]
#5506135 - 11/05/12 11:02 PM
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Oh, duh, I read it as 12:15 pm, not 12:15 am... lol, nevermind! See you tomorrow!
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PGW Steve
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 10/03/06
Loc: Winnipeg, Canada
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Re: Headed to Tuscon early...
[Re: Tori]
#5506181 - 11/05/12 11:37 PM
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Well I was just heading out to do some pics again, then this huge centipede slithers into my room....I cut it in half with the chair and is still running around :-S it was about 3 inches long!
Then I make it out onto my patio and see this spider, redlight to white, I know what that red marking is on the belly. I call the front desk and they told me to leave it alone, they would send someone up. They send two guys, one to kill it an another to call 911 if he gets bit.
The two guys then proceed to tell me about some pigs with tusks and an attitude on the property, as well as scorpions and rattle snakes. Soooooooooooo, I miss my minus 30 temps, lets see what is on pay per view tonight!!!
Looking forward to the chilly temps on Mount Lemmon so all these things go to sleep and let me play.
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Starhawk
Post Laureate
Reged: 09/16/08
Loc: Tucson, Arizona
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Re: Headed to Tuscon early...
[Re: PGW Steve]
#5506217 - 11/06/12 12:31 AM
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Whoa- that was the full welcoming committee!
Generally the odd desert creatures aren't everywhere like that. I'm still looking for scorpions, but haven't found any, yet. The only bugs to bother me while observing have been giant roaches flying by. None of them have run into me- that would be when the screaming started.
Get a look outside, tonight- fairly good weather.
I think you'll like the drive up to Mt. Lemmon- nice scenery.
-Rich
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rboe
Reged: 03/16/02
Loc: Phx, AZ
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Re: Headed to Tuscon early...
[Re: Starhawk]
#5506559 - 11/06/12 09:42 AM
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Uh, we forgot to tell you about the local fauna? Coyotes, some skunks (not as common as in the mid-west and points east).
As far as flora goes; everything has thorns. Everything. Particularly nasty are the many flavors of Cholla. Avoid that at all costs!
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Tori
sage
Reged: 01/10/12
Loc: Somerville, MA/Warren, NH
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Re: Headed to Tuscon early...
[Re: rboe]
#5506879 - 11/06/12 01:10 PM
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That's why I brought boots. Several pair of boots. I haaaatttteeee bugs.
I just heard the forecast for this weekend. I hope the predicted clouds don't show up... Do they show up for every astronomy con? Is it because a bunch of people are buying equipment so it has to be cloudy?
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Joe Cipriano
Entropy Personified
Reged: 09/03/05
Loc: Uh... anyone have a GPS?
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Re: Headed to Tuscon early...
[Re: rboe]
#5506921 - 11/06/12 01:37 PM
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...Particularly nasty are the many flavors of Cholla. Avoid that at all costs!
Ummm, yeah. Right through a brand-new pair of Levis. I won't go into overly gory detail, but removal involved wire cutters, pliers, and lots of blood and screaming.
Wherever jumping chollas are, I'm not.
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hm insulators
Post Laureate
Reged: 01/22/07
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Re: Headed to Tuscon early...
[Re: PGW Steve]
#5507003 - 11/06/12 02:21 PM
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Well I was just heading out to do some pics again, then this huge centipede slithers into my room....I cut it in half with the chair and is still running around :-S it was about 3 inches long!
Then I make it out onto my patio and see this spider, redlight to white, I know what that red marking is on the belly. I call the front desk and they told me to leave it alone, they would send someone up. They send two guys, one to kill it an another to call 911 if he gets bit.
The two guys then proceed to tell me about some pigs with tusks and an attitude on the property,
The "pigs" are probably javelina (pronounce it "hav-e-LEEN-ah"), or peccaries. They're another one of our local desert fauna. In general, as long as you leave the wildlife alone, it will leave you alone.
If you have a chance, go to the Arizona/Sonora Desert Museum west of Tucson. It's more like a zoo featuring our local fauna and how it adapts to the harsh climate. The desert can be quite a fascinating place.
In the meantime, see you at the convention!
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