2 replies to this topic

[JayinUT]

I'm sharing the impact to my observing sites from LP and the increase of population that I've noticed as I take a hard look at my observing sites I tend to frequent. At my real dark locations that are two plus hours away, they seem to be safe (for now).  Also, as imaging seems to being done more and more, I know one of my visual sites shows less and less use, especially as the group I use to observe with is getting older and several are not active in the hobby anymore. The purpose here is share what I have discovered on my favorite sites and ask you what impact have you seen on your favorite haunts/observing sites over the years. Here is mine. 

 

So I know it wasn't the greatest, until the waxing crescent moon went down, but I had to get out and got out last night and did a long observing session. Slept over and came home this morning. I also investigated several observing locations and posted about those with pictures on my blog. 

 

As I drove out last night the lyrics from John Denver's Rocky Mountain High came to my mind:

 

"Now his life is full of wonder but his heart still knows some fear

Of a simple thing he cannot comprehend

While they try to tear the mountains down to bring in a couple more

More people, more scars upon the land"

 

 

I saw more growth, a new subdivision of homes and townhomes going in off SR 73 out by Cedar Fort here in Utah where there was only darkness about 6-8 years ago.  As I went out to a site called Pit n Pole that I have used a lot in the past, I realized that this site is no longer viable for me. It has a pole with RA and Dec on it and a pit and a bern north of the pit. The bern has become target shooting practice which is had always been, but now it is filled with the leftover trash and items used for targets; tv's, old computers and other such items. I don't mind that people use the land, but I just wish they would respect it and others and carry out what they brought in and shot up! 

 

The area we use to observe is now overgrown with Sage Brush and it is easy to tell that the younger imagers don't go there anymore. They go to a place closer out by Camp Floyd which for visual like me and what I go after won't do. So I went to what I was transitioning to, a site I now call Top View. It has elevated and unlike Pit n Pole where in the fall and winter you can have dew issues because you on an old dry lake bed, here you are about 1200 feet above that and have a clearer view. It is another 10 minutes to drive to it. I took SQM readings and Pit n Pole use to be in the lower 21.5's and is now upper 21.3's to lower 21.4's. The site I call Top View is now in the mid 21.5's, use to be mid 21.6's.  It is 50 minutes from my home vs 40 minutes for the first but I will use this site and it shows far less use and has a great view, good conditions and the road is graveled so it is easier to get to if we've had rain or snow. 

 

My last area is Forest Land south of Vernon, Utah.  I have had to change my sites. About 5 years ago the forest service came in and cut down all the Juniper. They did this to increase sage brush growth to increase habitat for the sage grouse and to make is easier for the cattle that lease the land in the summer to range on. It makes it more open. My favorite site though has now overgrown with sage brush but there is still a large field where you can tell RV's come on the weekends and set up. It has moved down my list off to my third favorite site off of Forest Road 006 (FR 006). 

 

My favorite spot is still my favorite spot and shows little impact from the increase population over the last 10 years. It is up high, 6300 feet, has a commanding view 360 degrees and is so peaceful and wonderful! The only drawback is that it is right off of FR006 but during the week when I observe now, no one is there as it it was last night. I call it top of the world. Pictures on my blog. 

 

I also found a new site, just down the road and about 175 feet lower than my now favorite spot, but is about 200 feet off the road and is much more open now. I may use this more and more as it is off the road, especially if I am camping over for multiple days of observing. 

 

The SQM readings out here use to be upper 21.7's to low 21.8's but have degraded to 21.68 to low 21.7's. Still great and such, but I can tell that the LP from the Wasatch Front is impacting the site. The eastern horizon use to be okay above 20 degrees, but that is now gone up to 30 degrees, basically I won't look east anymore toward the light dome at any of these locations, though FR006 is still far enough away that I can sneak a look that way for brighter objects (but I find I don't I focus on the south, southwest and up toward zenith). That and tell tale signs of more use going on especially at Pit n Pole. Seems to me that not only do we fight LP, but as the population in Utah grows, there is more impact to the spots we've used before. FR 006 is about an hour and twenty to an hour and thirty minutes from my home and is a great site to still use.

 

I have always been public with the spots I use, but now am going to grow more careful. I have 3 spots that I have never shared that are are about a 2 hour drive and are in the 21.8's on the SQM but I won't reveal them as when I go there, even on a weekend, I am on the only one there. 

 

So my post is about changes to my observing sites, both the impact of more people on LP but the impact on the sites themselves. What changes have you seen over the years from your favorite haunts or spots to observe? 

Edited by JayinUT, 08 November 2024 - 12:01 PM.

[Ron359]

I'm sharing the impact to my observing sites from LP and the increase of population that I've noticed as I take a hard look at my observing sites I tend to frequent. At my real dark locations that are two plus hours away, they seem to be safe (for now).  Also, as imaging seems to being done more and more, I know one of my visual sites shows less and less use, especially as the group I use to observe with is getting older and several are not active in the hobby anymore. The purpose here is share what I have discovered on my favorite sites and ask you what impact have you seen on your favorite haunts/observing sites over the years. Here is mine. 

 

 

So my post is about changes to my observing sites, both the impact of more people on LP but the impact on the sites themselves. What changes have you seen over the years from your favorite haunts or spots to observe? 

Thanks for a nicely written 'report'.   I especially appreciate learning of changes you see in a western sky and state, since my 'sky' has been under similar 'attack' from all the factors of increasing LP for 30+ yrs I've in CO. .  I wonder if you have experienced far more smoky skies, reduced transparency and similar negative effects from almost year round wildfires and dust or haze in the western U.S.?   This problem has been gradually increasing over the past 10 years here in CO.,  to point I get almost no 'observable' nights in the summer months or even other seasons which have more and more cloud cover, even if "partly cloudy," it still 'ruins' an opportunity to image at least or even observe.  For the most part, gone are those deep blue-bird skies of CO., John Denver and we so loved.   

 

As a 'casual' deep sky imager I  have never take up "narrowband imaging" and I find it increasingly hard to 'remove' the background glow of LP when I do get a chance to image.  I am currently struggling to remove that 'orange glow' from a ton of recent comet images. - I' am not going to or able to do a 2 hr. drive (one-way) for darker but still 'iffy' skies.   

 

 I think the fact you do 2 hrs. drives is 'admirable' but also a huge direct indicator of just how bad the skies have gotten in UT.  I used to see M33 naked eye from my place.  Now I'm lucky to see M31.  Some of that is due to my 'experience' of living too long here, so eyesight ain't what it was. But hazy smoky skies + 1 million more people and lights only 25 miles away as crow flies,  is not.  As you mention, aging out is one of the other aspects of observing we deal with.  Enjoy it while you can.  We have only a tiny ability to stop the tides of aging or LP from coming in.

 

 Unfortunately the future only looks brighter, when there will 10x or 100x more "artificial moving lights' in the night sky than there are stars visible to naked eye from a Bortle 1 or 2 site.  And so few, here in the LP forum, and elsewhere, seem to care.  

 

p.s.  there is another song lyric from Joni Mitchell (friend of J. Denver) about the destruction of the night sky- environment that often comes to my mind.  

 

"They paved paradise, put up a parking lot

With a pink hotel, a boutique, and a swingin' hot spot
Don't it always seem to go
That you don't know what you've got 'til it's gone…"

 

Sadly, many seem to have no idea or appreciation for what they've got or had.   Clear, dark skies, -if you can find em'.  

Edited by Ron359, 09 November 2024 - 02:10 PM.

[JayinUT]

Yes Ron, same in Utah as in Colorado. There is has been major impacts especially in the summer due to smoke and dust in the atmosphere. Winter and Spring can still get some good results but my favorite season, fall I have to now wait for November for a good time to observe and right now with new moons toward the end of the month it is harder sometimes. LP is increasing and I expect it to continue to increase and outside of places in far eastern or far western Utah, dark skies are diminishing. If I REALLY want a dark sky trip, eastern Nevada just over the border with Utah has some really dark skies in some of their National Forest land. I did that 3 years ago and am planning to go back next summer. I also think the LP is increasing from the type of housing they are building more of here. High density housing with LOTS of lights and more people crammed into smaller areas. I guess I hope I have at least another 12-15 years of good observing but you never know when cancer, or another illness comes up that will change that.