4 replies to this topic

[thetechguy]

I am thinking of going to the GCSP 2025. Although, because of work, I will be there Thursday to Sunday morning and the star party only starts on Saturday. So I will get one night (if the weather cooperates) at the star party. I was thinking of setting up my st 120 on at least one other night. Does anyone who has stayed at yavapai lodge knows relatively safer (from widlife) places to set up the scope near the lodge (east side)? Is the lodge dark enough so that I can setup right outside? Or if anyone has been there prior to the GCSP, do astronomers come in a day or two early and set up their scopes near the visitor center before the public star party begins? I may have some company that ways.

[skyward_eyes]

You can set up a scope anywhere you want as long as you are respectful to the park. 

 

Yavapai Lodge is dark but there are lights. Every light in the park has been documented to ensure it the skies remain dark. You can have elk and deer anywhere in the park, as long as you leave them alone you are fine. 

 

The parking lots at Yavapai lodge are not ideal as they are seated in the pines. You can have good views but your horizon is low. The parking lots at the visitor center have great horizons and after dark no one is out there usually. I wouldn't be surprised if others are out there a night or two before but I don't believe they block off the main parking lot to leave equipment out until the first Saturday. 

 

Your best bet will be the parking lots behind the visitor center where the star party takes place. The upper of the two as the best horizon, that is where I usually set up every year. 

[thetechguy]

Thanks for your response. I will drive around and check if someone has setup in the visitor center parking lots. If not, I will setup near the lodge parking lots. With the low view of the horizons, can we see omega centauri? The question for me now remains, if I should just take a C5 and azgti or should I bring my st120 and wave mount with a eq6 tripod. Do you have any suggestions about that based on your experience with them? I definitely don’t want to bring my C8 in the airplane given its size and the risk to the corrector plate.

[skyward_eyes]

I would probably bring the ST120. You will have the Milky Way rising early in the evening and becoming nearly overhead by midnight. A short tube refractor would allow you to cruise the Milky Way and the collection of dark nebula and other wide field targets. But ultimately, whatever works for you. 

 

Omega might be too low by the time the star party occurs. Now is the best time for Omega here in Arizona and its only in a good position for a few weeks. 

[thetechguy]

Thanks for your responses. I will try to pack the ST120 and a manual mount. If I can’t pack the ST120 because of the luggage limits, it will have to be C5. Omega would have been a bucket list object