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KDizzle
professor emeritus

Reged: 09/12/08

Loc: Woodinville, WA

Good observing spots around San Diego? new

#5326750 - 07/20/12 11:35 AM

Not really sure where else to stick this - but it'm traveling and looking for a decent but not too crazy spot to set up for a night or two. From what I can tell on dark sky maps, it looks like one you get past Alpine heading east on I8 that pretty much anywhere throughout is good sky wise. Are there any big open flat spots that are not too difficult to reach? Anything too high up and off road will not be a good spot for my vehicle. Anyone have some GPS coordinates or approximate street locations they could share? Thanks!

Post Extras:

MaestroMyth
sage

Reged: 02/16/06

Loc: CT

Re: Good observing spots around San Diego? new

[Re: KDizzle]
#5326763 - 07/20/12 11:46 AM

when i lived in LA, i remember some guys used to head out to anza-borrego desert state park around san diego.

http://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=638

here's an article with some specifics on the park, as well as other nearby spots for astronomers in the area.

http://www.abmedia.com/astro/articles/socal.html

Post Extras:

ensign
professor emeritus

Reged: 12/16/08

Loc: Southwestern Ontario

Re: Good observing spots around San Diego? new

[Re: KDizzle]
#5326780 - 07/20/12 11:52 AM

I, too, travelled to San Diego a year or two ago. I came across this:

http://www.sdaa.org/tds.htm

Didn't end up having the time to check it out, but these folks seem like a friendly bunch.

Post Extras:

Jon Isaacs
Postmaster

Reged: 06/16/04

Loc: San Diego and Boulevard, CA

Re: Good observing spots around San Diego? new

[Re: KDizzle]
#5326787 - 07/20/12 12:00 PM

Quote:

Not really sure where else to stick this - but it'm traveling and looking for a decent but not too crazy spot to set up for a night or two. From what I can tell on dark sky maps, it looks like one you get past Alpine heading east on I8 that pretty much anywhere throughout is good sky wise. Are there any big open flat spots that are not too difficult to reach? Anything too high up and off road will not be a good spot for my vehicle. Anyone have some GPS coordinates or approximate street locations they could share? Thanks!

Hi:

You are right, once you get east of Alpine, the skies are reasonably dark and very likely clear. The Sunrise Highway is just east of Pine Valley and has some very nice pull outs and places to observe. There is some traffic which can be a problem in some locations but it's not major.

Some of the spots have magnificent southern views, looking south from about 6000 feet out over Mexico. There are also some more hidden, "secret" spots nearby.

To the east is the San Diego Astronomy Association site at Tierra del Sol. It's about 25 miles further east, I don't know what the situation is there. There is also Little Blair Valley over in Anza Borrego desert...

When are you going to be down our way?

Jon

P.S. This is one my favorite "secret spots".

Edited by Jon Isaacs (07/20/12 12:04 PM)

Post Extras:

oldstargazer
Carpal Tunnel

Reged: 08/03/11

Loc: Western Oklahoma

Re: Good observing spots around San Diego? new

[Re: Jon Isaacs]
#5327480 - 07/20/12 09:02 PM

When I lived there I would go out towards the state park on I8 about 45 miles east I think. Been a long time so not sure of the miles. But out there it was very dark indeed. And the added benefit of the little mountains out there is that you gain a 1000 feet or so in elevation and less air always helps.

Post Extras:

Jon Isaacs
Postmaster

Reged: 06/16/04

Loc: San Diego and Boulevard, CA

Re: Good observing spots around San Diego? new

[Re: oldstargazer]
#5327524 - 07/20/12 09:46 PM

Quote:

When I lived there I would go out towards the state park on I8 about 45 miles east I think. Been a long time so not sure of the miles. But out there it was very dark indeed. And the added benefit of the little mountains out there is that you gain a 1000 feet or so in elevation and less air always helps.

If you drive east on the I-8 about 45 miles, you come to the Sunrise Highway. It begins at an altitude of 4000 feet and then climbs north into the Laguna Mountains up to about 6000 feet. There are some nice spots along the road.

Jon

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audioaficionado
sage

Reged: 05/24/12

Loc: Medford, Orygun, USA

Re: Good observing spots around San Diego? new

[Re: Jon Isaacs]
#5327741 - 07/21/12 01:23 AM

Boulevard, California was a nice dark area back in the 70s and 80s when I lived in San Diego. I don't know if El Centro, CA casts any significant light pollution from the East.

+1 on the Sunrise Highway and Laguna Mountains. There is The San Diego State University observatory up in the Laguna Mountains.

Post Extras:

KDizzle
professor emeritus

Reged: 09/12/08

Loc: Woodinville, WA

Re: Good observing spots around San Diego? new

[Re: audioaficionado]
#5327773 - 07/21/12 02:41 AM

Thanks for all the tips! I think I'll head down I8 and see what all I can find!

Post Extras:

Jon Isaacs
Postmaster

Reged: 06/16/04

Loc: San Diego and Boulevard, CA

Re: Good observing spots around San Diego? new

[Re: audioaficionado]
#5327904 - 07/21/12 08:36 AM Attachment (19 downloads)

Quote:

Boulevard, California was a nice dark area back in the 70s and 80s when I lived in San Diego. I don't know if El Centro, CA casts any significant light pollution from the East.

+1 on the Sunrise Highway and Laguna Mountains. There is The San Diego State University observatory up in the Laguna Mountains.

Boulevard is still pretty decent. My wife and I are fortunate enough to have 4 acres with a small house and a pretty good sized garage in Boulevard, wish I was out there right now.

Jon

Edited by Jon Isaacs (07/21/12 08:37 AM)

Post Extras:

KDizzle
professor emeritus

Reged: 09/12/08

Loc: Woodinville, WA

Re: Good observing spots around San Diego? new

[Re: Jon Isaacs]
#5328323 - 07/21/12 01:46 PM

where's the ladder?

Post Extras:

Jon Isaacs
Postmaster

Reged: 06/16/04

Loc: San Diego and Boulevard, CA

Re: Good observing spots around San Diego? new

[Re: KDizzle]
#5328630 - 07/21/12 05:52 PM

Quote:

where's the ladder?

Since you asked:

Jon

Post Extras:

audioaficionado
sage

Reged: 05/24/12

Loc: Medford, Orygun, USA

Re: Good observing spots around San Diego? [Re: Jon Isaacs]
#5328961 - 07/21/12 10:08 PM

Now we know how Jon stays so fit.

Lugging water heaters around for fun and climbing tall ladders LOL.

Post Extras:

KDizzle
professor emeritus

Reged: 09/12/08

Loc: Woodinville, WA

Re: Good observing spots around San Diego? new

[Re: audioaficionado]
#5333100 - 07/24/12 01:19 PM

Jon, thanks for the suggestions! Unfortunately I didn't stick around all night but I was able to get some imaging in, which was my primary objective.

The skies were definitely dark (very nice with the big hill blocking the San Diego light dome!) - milky way was very nicely lit up. My original plan was to hit up ngc281 but I decided to head out before it was high up enough to be useful. So here's some veil-ness, very lightly processed and without the Ha frames in there yet (which look wonderful)

http://astrokev.com/images/car-and-scope.jpg
http://astrokev.com/images/ngc6960-sd.jpg

Post Extras:

billywho
member

Reged: 01/30/12

Loc: San Diego, CA

Re: Good observing spots around San Diego? new

[Re: Jon Isaacs]
#5334911 - 07/25/12 02:05 PM

Quote:

To the east is the San Diego Astronomy Association site at Tierra del Sol. It's about 25 miles further east, I don't know what the situation is there.

The SDAA site is a nice site (with power and bathrooms at the non private pads), but it is locked by gates and can only be accessed by members and their guests on non public star party night. I don't know if they have a visitor policy but you could probably contact SDAA and see (or look at SDAA website). Going into the desert around Ocotillo (on I8 below the mountains) the east sky gets washed out by the lights in El Centro, and if you are going before October, it gets very hot in the desert.

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