new guy here -- where on Duchesne Ridge?
Hi all, Just joined the mailing list. I recently completed a 16" Telekit, my first scope after being out of astronomy for some time. For my first dark-sky trip with the new scope, last weekend I went up to Duchesne Ridge/Wolf Creek summit, following the various online directions to the observing fields. Found the area with no problem but I arrived at dusk and didn't have much time to scout around, and wasn't sure exactly where to set up - I expected to find spurs off the main dirt road, but found none. Did I miss them, or do you all just bushwhack it across the sagebrush out into the meadows along the ridge? I was really pleased with how dark the skies are up there. I had half a dozen "Holy Crap" moments - the 16" is by far the biggest scope I've ever used, and most of my prior observing has been from pretty light-polluted skies. The Veil nebula and M8 looked better than photos!!! The only downside to the trip was that on my way home at 2 a.m. I hit a deer between Kamas and Park City, and my truck's in the shop with $3000 in repairs. Had to wake a neighbor up to come get me, since my wife was home with our 3-month old daughter. Bad end to a great evening! I'm toying with the idea of going up tomorrow (Weds p.m.) for observing and some Perseids. Anyone else planning on being there? I'd love some company. -Dan in SLC
Hey Dan, Its nice to hear you got your kit finished! Wish John and I could come up to Wolf Creek Wednesday, but it doesn't look like we will even make it Friday. Have to work all weekend on finishing up Johns super mirror making machine. Have a great time! Good luck with your truck! Lisa Zeigler www.johnstelescopes.com www.mirrorkits.com -----Original Message----- From: Dan Cimbora [mailto:dcimbora@earthlink.net] Sent: Tuesday, August 10, 2004 7:57 PM To: utah-astronomy@mailman.xmission.com Subject: [Utah-astronomy] new guy here -- where on Duchesne Ridge? Hi all, Just joined the mailing list. I recently completed a 16" Telekit, my first scope after being out of astronomy for some time. For my first dark-sky trip with the new scope, last weekend I went up to Duchesne Ridge/Wolf Creek summit, following the various online directions to the observing fields. Found the area with no problem but I arrived at dusk and didn't have much time to scout around, and wasn't sure exactly where to set up - I expected to find spurs off the main dirt road, but found none. Did I miss them, or do you all just bushwhack it across the sagebrush out into the meadows along the ridge? I was really pleased with how dark the skies are up there. I had half a dozen "Holy Crap" moments - the 16" is by far the biggest scope I've ever used, and most of my prior observing has been from pretty light-polluted skies. The Veil nebula and M8 looked better than photos!!! The only downside to the trip was that on my way home at 2 a.m. I hit a deer between Kamas and Park City, and my truck's in the shop with $3000 in repairs. Had to wake a neighbor up to come get me, since my wife was home with our 3-month old daughter. Bad end to a great evening! I'm toying with the idea of going up tomorrow (Weds p.m.) for observing and some Perseids. Anyone else planning on being there? I'd love some company. -Dan in SLC _______________________________________________ Utah-Astronomy mailing list Utah-Astronomy@mailman.xmission.com http://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/utah-astronomy Visit the Photo Gallery: http://www.utahastronomy.com
Hi Dan, There is a small contingency (aka The Rebel Faction) headed up to Wolf Creek tomorrow night for the Perseids and you'd be welcome to come (with or without the 16"!) If you haven't already printed them, go to my website at http://homepage.mac.com/dlbennett/PhotoAlbum4.html and print off the WC Fields 1 & 2 maps. On WCF 2 you will see both a topo of the area as well as an aerial photo. In the aerial you will see the Wolf Creek Fields observing site starred along Duchesne Ridge. Opposite the site across from the dirt road you'll see a circlet of trees. This is the area that we normally camp if we're doing more than a one nighter. But just across from the campsite you'll find a few subtly placed tire tracks heading up onto the flat of the observing site. If you get an angled run at the tracks you should have no problem...I've done them in a Saturn sedan. If you have any questions feel free to email me at dlbennett@mac.com or call me...my number is on the website I believe. Hope this helps and sorry about your truck & the deer. Dave Bennett On Tuesday, August 10, 2004, at 07:57 PM, Dan Cimbora wrote:
Hi all,
Just joined the mailing list. I recently completed a 16" Telekit, my first scope after being out of astronomy for some time. For my first dark-sky trip with the new scope, last weekend I went up to Duchesne Ridge/Wolf Creek summit, following the various online directions to the observing fields. Found the area with no problem but I arrived at dusk and didn't have much time to scout around, and wasn't sure exactly where to set up - I expected to find spurs off the main dirt road, but found none. Did I miss them, or do you all just bushwhack it across the sagebrush out into the meadows along the ridge?
I was really pleased with how dark the skies are up there. I had half a dozen "Holy Crap" moments - the 16" is by far the biggest scope I've ever used, and most of my prior observing has been from pretty light-polluted skies. The Veil nebula and M8 looked better than photos!!! The only downside to the trip was that on my way home at 2 a.m. I hit a deer between Kamas and Park City, and my truck's in the shop with $3000 in repairs. Had to wake a neighbor up to come get me, since my wife was home with our 3-month old daughter. Bad end to a great evening!
I'm toying with the idea of going up tomorrow (Weds p.m.) for observing and some Perseids. Anyone else planning on being there? I'd love some company.
-Dan in SLC
Dan, welcome, and can you tell us a bit about yourself? Sounds like you're off to a great start, except for the deer! Best wishes, Joe Bauman
Dan, Welcome and congrats and a big so-sorry about the truck and the deer. The darn things are adorable but do wreak havoc with automobiles (my sister-in-law is a quadraplegic because of a car accident involving deer). Wolf creek is probably the best "local" spot for dark-sky observing; I hope to make it up there this weekend (either Friday or Saturday, whichever day my wife complains the least about). I'm looking forward to seeing your new scope; welcome to the TeleKit club! I too have a 16-inch Telekit (4 years old now) and I love it. "> do you all just bushwhack it across the sagebrush
out into the meadows along the ridge?"
Basically, yes! -Rich --- Dan Cimbora <dcimbora@earthlink.net> wrote:
Hi all,
Just joined the mailing list. I recently completed a 16" Telekit, my first scope after being out of astronomy for some time. For my first dark-sky trip with the new scope, last weekend I went up to Duchesne Ridge/Wolf Creek summit, following the various online directions to the observing fields. Found the area with no problem but I arrived at dusk and didn't have much time to scout around, and wasn't sure exactly where to set up - I expected to find spurs off the main dirt road, but found none. Did I miss them, or do you all just bushwhack it across the sagebrush out into the meadows along the ridge?
I was really pleased with how dark the skies are up there. I had half a dozen "Holy Crap" moments - the 16" is by far the biggest scope I've ever used, and most of my prior observing has been from pretty light-polluted skies. The Veil nebula and M8 looked better than photos!!! The only downside to the trip was that on my way home at 2 a.m. I hit a deer between Kamas and Park City, and my truck's in the shop with $3000 in repairs. Had to wake a neighbor up to come get me, since my wife was home with our 3-month old daughter. Bad end to a great evening!
I'm toying with the idea of going up tomorrow (Weds p.m.) for observing and some Perseids. Anyone else planning on being there? I'd love some company.
-Dan in SLC
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participants (5)
-
Dan Cimbora -
David L Bennett -
Joe Bauman -
John and Lisa Zeigler -
Richard Tenney