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TFiebig
member
Reged: 07/29/09
Posts: 17
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I just took delivery of my first telescopes yesterday. One is the Orion 130mm reflector that is on sale for $72.50, and the other is a Zhumell Z12. I live just south of Houston and I'd like to take them to some dark skies. Should I drive north toward Dallas, or perhaps west toward Austin/San Antonio, or perhaps some other direction? I'm still not sure if the Z12 will fit in my Honda Accord Coupe yet.
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dengwer
super member
Reged: 02/14/06
Posts: 154
Loc: Texas
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Big Bend National Park and Ft. Davis are super dark. (but far away) "Canyon of the Eagles" north of Austin is good.
George Observatory in Brazos Bend State Park has observing every Sat. night for public. Should be real close to you.
David
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ETX125AT
Wife's ETX90RA
Orion Ultra-View 10x50
Meade 12" Lightbridge Deluxe
coronado PST
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Gunner
professor emeritus
Reged: 06/20/06
Posts: 516
Loc: Bellville,Texas
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There are several astronomical societies around the Houston area, the Houston Astronomical Society http://spacibm.rice.edu/~has/ has thier dark sky site about 70 miles west of Houston around Columbus, and there is the George Observatory southwest of Houston.
I'm not sure of any other places that are available to setup at that are reasonably safe that are open to the public.
Hope you enjoy the 12", it's a real light grabber.
Allen
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Orion 190mm Mak-Newt w/Orion 80ED Guidescope
Orion XT12i w/ Moonlite Cr-2 and Flocked
Orion 8" Reflector Flocked
Orion Atlas EQ-G mount
Orion Autoguider
Orion X-Y Guide Star Finder
Canon EOS Rebel XTi ( un-modified )
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Dain
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 03/24/05
Posts: 1596
Loc: N.Y. Adirondack Mnts. NGC 4565...
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I got a chance to drive through some of Texas darkest skies a little over a month ago. It was great to experience what some folks see who live down there. I can't even imagine what TSP would be like. Good gawd!
Clear Skies to All!
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Best,
Dain
Adirondack Mountains (my true dark sky site)
@ Cedar River Flow
Local Site
Clear Skies?
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Jim Curry
sage
Reged: 10/29/07
Posts: 432
Loc: Maine
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Check out cleardarksky.com for your area. You can overlay their graphics on googleearth and drive yourself to the closest dark sky site. You don't have to go to the grey or black zones (unless they're right next door). Blue or green zones most people would be happy with.
Jim
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Vixen 140 refractor
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RobertPL
member
Reged: 03/04/08
Posts: 35
Loc: Austin, TX
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http://www.cleardarksky.com/csk/prov/Texas_charts.html
It's a long drive, but Big Bend skies are simply amazing.
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Fujinon 16x70 FMT-SX
Canon 10x30 IS
Orion MegaViews 30x80
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Phillip Creed
Idiot Seeking Village
Reged: 07/25/06
Posts: 1302
Loc: Canton, OH
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Big Bend! A significant drive from the Houston area, BUT...those skies, at least on the first good night you have out there, are what I like to call "catatonically dark".
When I was out there in February 2008, I could routinely see the Horsehead Nebula in a set of 25x100s--without filters. Those skies are *THAT* good.
Fort Davis / Texas Star Party? Extremely dark. Big Bend? Darker! Yes, I'm splitting hairs, but there are areas in Big Bend National Park that will easily put you 20+ miles away from the nearest light bulb of any kind.
Clear Skies,
Phil
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"The hopeful depend on a world without end, whatever the hopeless may say"--Rush, "Manhattan Project"
Wilderness Center Astronomy Club member since 1995
ICQ Comet Observer Code: CRE01
*****
(1) 12" f/4.9 Skywatcher Collapsible Dobsonian
(2) Orion 120mm ST Refractor
(3) Oberwerk 15x70 Binoculars
(4) Minimalist Eyepiece Set:
"23"-mm Axiom LX (~24mm; long story...)
13mm Nagler Type 6
9mm Nagler Type 6
7mm Nagler Type 6
1.75X Siebert Barlow
*****
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tatarjj
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 04/20/04
Posts: 1134
Loc: Austin, TX
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Quote:
Big Bend! A significant drive from the Houston area, BUT...those skies, at least on the first good night you have out there, are what I like to call "catatonically dark".
When I was out there in February 2008, I could routinely see the Horsehead Nebula in a set of 25x100s--without filters. Those skies are *THAT* good.
Fort Davis / Texas Star Party? Extremely dark. Big Bend? Darker! Yes, I'm splitting hairs, but there are areas in Big Bend National Park that will easily put you 20+ miles away from the nearest light bulb of any kind.
Clear Skies,
Phil
The one time I went to Big Bend, the border patrol started flashing the mountains with lights the moment it got dark, looking for illegal aliens and drug smugglers. I just didn't feel safe. I ended up packing it up and heading back to the hotel in Alpine (my site near Fort Davis had to be evacuated due to a forest fire). Now that we will be allowed to bring guns for self defense into national parks I am thinking about going back though, as long as I can find a better spot.
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John T.
Austin, TX
25" f/4.2 Dob
18" Obsession #701
4" Stellar Vue Achromat
8X56 Binos
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