Re: [Utah-astronomy] Site with good horizon to the east
Michael, Tomorrow morning looks problematic due to weather. Here is where I would go, if I were going to try this: Mirror Highway Fee station N40d 37m 49.94s W111d 10m 55.82s Mirror Highway Equestrian Parking Lot N40d 35m 42.90s W111d 5m 41.61s Gravel Pit (Closed, can use entrance at State Route 189, on State Route 189 between Park City and Oakely ) N40d 44m 18.65s W111d 22m 41.78s These are all very cold sites (-5 to 0 degrees C) and would require due heaters, emergency gear, e.g. a down bag. Watch out for livestock (black dairy cows) and moose on the road. At 6am, the Virgo cluster is only at 12 degrees alt while the Sun is at -21 degs alt. This is a very narrow observing window against astronomical twilight, and again, problematic due to weather and for faint galaxies due to the low altitude and high atmospheric extinction. I'd wait for next spring. http://www.weather.gov/sat_tab.php?image=ir - Kurt
Here are some specific directions to the Gravel Pit: Courtesy UVAA http://www.uvaa.org/sitedirections/GravelPit.html Drive up Provo Canyon and through Heber as you normally would to get to Park City; from I-80 take the Park City/Kamas Exit 4. At the bottom of the exit ramp, go East (right) towards Kamas. Take this road for 1.6 miles to the Peoa - Oakley turn-off. This turn-off will be on your left. You know you are approaching it because there are several "Deer-Crossing Ahead" signs. Since the Deer Crossing is at the turn off, the distances on the signs are also the distances to the turn-off. This is Browns Canyon, but the sign says Peoa - Oakley. Take this road for 4.2 miles, to the Park City Harper Gravel Pit road and sign on the left. (About 1000 feet before you get to the gravel pit road, there will be an orange sign on the right that says "truck entrance ahead".) At the gravel pit sign, turn in. Watch out for the speed bump at the entrance! Go about one and a half miles up this road. There is a "mobile home" weighing office off to the left. Just after the office there is a parking area (for the office), which is where we set up On Fri, Oct 30, 2009 at 6:30 PM, Canopus56 <canopus56@yahoo.com> wrote:
Michael,
Tomorrow morning looks problematic due to weather. Here is where I would go, if I were going to try this:
Mirror Highway Fee station N40d 37m 49.94s W111d 10m 55.82s
Mirror Highway Equestrian Parking Lot N40d 35m 42.90s W111d 5m 41.61s
Gravel Pit (Closed, can use entrance at State Route 189, on State Route 189 between Park City and Oakely ) N40d 44m 18.65s W111d 22m 41.78s
These are all very cold sites (-5 to 0 degrees C) and would require due heaters, emergency gear, e.g. a down bag. Watch out for livestock (black dairy cows) and moose on the road.
At 6am, the Virgo cluster is only at 12 degrees alt while the Sun is at -21 degs alt. This is a very narrow observing window against astronomical twilight, and again, problematic due to weather and for faint galaxies due to the low altitude and high atmospheric extinction. I'd wait for next spring.
http://www.weather.gov/sat_tab.php?image=ir
- Kurt
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One last possibility. The western desert according to the Clear Sky Chart is looking ok for tomorrow morning. Here is the one for the Knolls (you can click on map on the right side for location and to get directions). Problem is your facing the light dome to the east where Virgo is rising. Have you thought about waiting until new moon and taking a chance then? What Messier are you trying to finish up? http://www.cleardarksky.com/c/KnllUTkey.html?1 Realizing this is not a perfect forecast. Jet Stream is showing very cold NW winds coming in so I would be very warm as Kurt suggested. http://squall.sfsu.edu/gif/jetstream_h12_00.gif On Fri, Oct 30, 2009 at 8:24 PM, Jay Eads <jayleads@gmail.com> wrote:
Here are some specific directions to the Gravel Pit:
Courtesy UVAA http://www.uvaa.org/sitedirections/GravelPit.html Drive up Provo Canyon and through Heber as you normally would to get to Park City; from I-80 take the Park City/Kamas Exit 4. At the bottom of the exit ramp, go East (right) towards Kamas. Take this road for 1.6 miles to the Peoa - Oakley turn-off. This turn-off will be on your left. You know you are approaching it because there are several "Deer-Crossing Ahead" signs. Since the Deer Crossing is at the turn off, the distances on the signs are also the distances to the turn-off. This is Browns Canyon, but the sign says Peoa - Oakley. Take this road for 4.2 miles, to the Park City Harper Gravel Pit road and sign on the left. (About 1000 feet before you get to the gravel pit road, there will be an orange sign on the right that says "truck entrance ahead".) At the gravel pit sign, turn in. Watch out for the speed bump at the entrance! Go about one and a half miles up this road. There is a "mobile home" weighing office off to the left. Just after the office there is a parking area (for the office), which is where we set up
On Fri, Oct 30, 2009 at 6:30 PM, Canopus56 <canopus56@yahoo.com> wrote:
Michael,
Tomorrow morning looks problematic due to weather. Here is where I would go, if I were going to try this:
Mirror Highway Fee station N40d 37m 49.94s W111d 10m 55.82s
Mirror Highway Equestrian Parking Lot N40d 35m 42.90s W111d 5m 41.61s
Gravel Pit (Closed, can use entrance at State Route 189, on State Route 189 between Park City and Oakely ) N40d 44m 18.65s W111d 22m 41.78s
These are all very cold sites (-5 to 0 degrees C) and would require due heaters, emergency gear, e.g. a down bag. Watch out for livestock (black dairy cows) and moose on the road.
At 6am, the Virgo cluster is only at 12 degrees alt while the Sun is at -21 degs alt. This is a very narrow observing window against astronomical twilight, and again, problematic due to weather and for faint galaxies due to the low altitude and high atmospheric extinction. I'd wait for next spring.
http://www.weather.gov/sat_tab.php?image=ir
- Kurt
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Hi -- Thanks to all. The weather forecast looked better earlier today, and it's been so cloudy lately I just wanted to get out. Now it doesn't look so good except out west, and I'm not going to fight the light domes. I'm going to put off until Thanksgiving-time, when the targets are a little higher in the sky, and maybe I can get down south. The moon will be about the same phase, but set in the morning, so not a real problem. If it's nice enough early morning, I'll just catch Mars in the Beehive from the backyard tomorrow. ---- Rev. Michael A. van Opstall Department of Mathematics, University of Utah Office: JWB 313 opstall@math.utah.edu
On Fri, 30 Oct 2009, Jay Eads wrote:
One last possibility. The western desert according to the Clear Sky Chart is looking ok for tomorrow morning. Here is the one for the Knolls (you can click on map on the right side for location and to get directions). Problem is your facing the light dome to the east where Virgo is rising. Have you thought about waiting until new moon and taking a chance then? What Messier are you trying to finish up?
I'm just finishing up the whole list. No particular program, but I'm writing observing reports. At the same time, I'm seeing how many I can get from home without going someplace dark. Actually, I rechecked my records, and I'm still also missing M83 in Hydra, which I'll have to wait for. I also am 90% sure I've seen M73, but from my back yard I didn't see all four stars, so I need to confirm that elsewhere. I had a good shot at the Virgo/Coma objects at Soldier Creek on Strawberry Reservoir in June, but sent up my tent in such a way that the (lighted) bathroom was between me and Virgo. I got two of the Coma objects, but the light made move to another part of the sky (the Leo trio was difficult, so I forgot about the Virgo stuff). Anyway, about an hour later everything dewed up and I had to quit after 40 objects. It was a good time, though. ---- Rev. Michael A. van Opstall Department of Mathematics, University of Utah Office: JWB 313 opstall@math.utah.edu
For fall you might consider Rush Valley, some Provo glow to the E but more glow from SL to the NE. There is a road, heading south, a 1/2 mile before the Pony Express Monument that leads to flat gravel area that is a 1/4 to 1/2 mile of the road. The Monument is a little close to the road for my taste.
http://slas.us/maps/RVALLEY.HTM Erik On Fri, 30 Oct 2009, Jay Eads wrote:
One last possibility. The western desert according to the Clear Sky Chart is looking ok for tomorrow morning. Here is the one for the Knolls (you can click on map on the right side for location and to get directions). Problem is your facing the light dome to the east where Virgo is rising. Have you thought about waiting until new moon and taking a chance then? What Messier are you trying to finish up?
I'm just finishing up the whole list. No particular program, but I'm writing observing reports. At the same time, I'm seeing how many I can get from home without going someplace dark. Actually, I rechecked my records, and I'm still also missing M83 in Hydra, which I'll have to wait for. I also am 90% sure I've seen M73, but from my back yard I didn't see all four stars, so I need to confirm that elsewhere.
I had a good shot at the Virgo/Coma objects at Soldier Creek on Strawberry Reservoir in June, but sent up my tent in such a way that the (lighted) bathroom was between me and Virgo. I got two of the Coma objects, but the light made move to another part of the sky (the Leo trio was difficult, so I forgot about the Virgo stuff). Anyway, about an hour later everything dewed up and I had to quit after 40 objects. It was a good time, though.
---- Rev. Michael A. van Opstall Department of Mathematics, University of Utah Office: JWB 313 opstall@math.utah.edu
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Also, I've had nice viewing at the old Simpson Springs pony express station, on the Pony Express Route. There's a good concrete pad in front of the restroom where you can set up, and it's not so close that you're bothered by odors. -- Joe --- On Sat, 10/31/09, erikhansen@TheBlueZone.net <erikhansen@TheBlueZone.net> wrote: From: erikhansen@TheBlueZone.net <erikhansen@TheBlueZone.net> Subject: Re: [Utah-astronomy] Site with good horizon to the east To: "Utah Astronomy" <utah-astronomy@mailman.xmission.com> Date: Saturday, October 31, 2009, 8:56 AM
For fall you might consider Rush Valley, some Provo glow to the E but more glow from SL to the NE. There is a road, heading south, a 1/2 mile before the Pony Express Monument that leads to flat gravel area that is a 1/4 to 1/2 mile of the road. The Monument is a little close to the road for my taste.
http://slas.us/maps/RVALLEY.HTM Erik On Fri, 30 Oct 2009, Jay Eads wrote:
One last possibility. The western desert according to the Clear Sky Chart is looking ok for tomorrow morning. Here is the one for the Knolls (you can click on map on the right side for location and to get directions). Problem is your facing the light dome to the east where Virgo is rising. Have you thought about waiting until new moon and taking a chance then? What Messier are you trying to finish up?
I'm just finishing up the whole list. No particular program, but I'm writing observing reports. At the same time, I'm seeing how many I can get from home without going someplace dark. Actually, I rechecked my records, and I'm still also missing M83 in Hydra, which I'll have to wait for. I also am 90% sure I've seen M73, but from my back yard I didn't see all four stars, so I need to confirm that elsewhere.
I had a good shot at the Virgo/Coma objects at Soldier Creek on Strawberry Reservoir in June, but sent up my tent in such a way that the (lighted) bathroom was between me and Virgo. I got two of the Coma objects, but the light made move to another part of the sky (the Leo trio was difficult, so I forgot about the Virgo stuff). Anyway, about an hour later everything dewed up and I had to quit after 40 objects. It was a good time, though.
---- Rev. Michael A. van Opstall Department of Mathematics, University of Utah Office: JWB 313 opstall@math.utah.edu
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Isn't Rush Valley just Pit n Pole? Just wondering. I know the map shows the Pony Express Marker but I agree with Erik, I would never set up there. I have pictures to Pit n Pole and will soon of Lake Side in my gallery in case anyone needs to look at how to get to either site. On Sat, Oct 31, 2009 at 8:56 AM, <erikhansen@thebluezone.net> wrote:
For fall you might consider Rush Valley, some Provo glow to the E but more glow from SL to the NE. There is a road, heading south, a 1/2 mile before the Pony Express Monument that leads to flat gravel area that is a 1/4 to 1/2 mile of the road. The Monument is a little close to the road for my taste.
http://slas.us/maps/RVALLEY.HTM
Erik
On Fri, 30 Oct 2009, Jay Eads wrote:
One last possibility. The western desert according to the Clear Sky Chart is looking ok for tomorrow morning. Here is the one for the Knolls (you can click on map on the right side for location and to get directions). Problem is your facing the light dome to the east where Virgo is rising. Have you thought about waiting until new moon and taking a chance then? What Messier are you trying to finish up?
I'm just finishing up the whole list. No particular program, but I'm writing observing reports. At the same time, I'm seeing how many I can get from home without going someplace dark. Actually, I rechecked my records, and I'm still also missing M83 in Hydra, which I'll have to wait for. I also am 90% sure I've seen M73, but from my back yard I didn't see all four stars, so I need to confirm that elsewhere.
I had a good shot at the Virgo/Coma objects at Soldier Creek on
Strawberry
Reservoir in June, but sent up my tent in such a way that the (lighted) bathroom was between me and Virgo. I got two of the Coma objects, but the light made move to another part of the sky (the Leo trio was difficult, so I forgot about the Virgo stuff). Anyway, about an hour later everything dewed up and I had to quit after 40 objects. It was a good time, though.
---- Rev. Michael A. van Opstall Department of Mathematics, University of Utah Office: JWB 313 opstall@math.utah.edu
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I guess it is, thought so but directions seemed foreign. I always drove past Camp Williams, going through Lehi adds some miles along with more stop lights and signs. It is the best Winter and late Fall site.If you have been not been there before it is the first road after the old bomb shelter. It is harder to find after sun set.
The Monument does have some grass, if it were not for car headlights that site would be nice. BTW, If it where not for it being full moon I would be disappointed that the grim has been packed up for winter. Looks like we have some more Indian Summer in store. Isn't Rush Valley just Pit n Pole? Just wondering. I know the map shows
the Pony Express Marker but I agree with Erik, I would never set up there. I have pictures to Pit n Pole and will soon of Lake Side in my gallery in case anyone needs to look at how to get to either site.
On Sat, Oct 31, 2009 at 8:56 AM, <erikhansen@thebluezone.net> wrote:
For fall you might consider Rush Valley, some Provo glow to the E but more glow from SL to the NE. There is a road, heading south, a 1/2 mile before the Pony Express Monument that leads to flat gravel area that is a 1/4 to 1/2 mile of the road. The Monument is a little close to the road for my taste.
http://slas.us/maps/RVALLEY.HTM
Erik
On Fri, 30 Oct 2009, Jay Eads wrote:
One last possibility. The western desert according to the Clear Sky Chart is looking ok for tomorrow morning. Here is the one for the Knolls
(you
can click on map on the right side for location and to get directions). Problem is your facing the light dome to the east where Virgo is rising. Have you thought about waiting until new moon and taking a chance then? What Messier are you trying to finish up?
I'm just finishing up the whole list. No particular program, but I'm writing observing reports. At the same time, I'm seeing how many I can get from home without going someplace dark. Actually, I rechecked my records, and I'm still also missing M83 in Hydra, which I'll have to wait for. I also am 90% sure I've seen M73, but from my back yard I didn't see all four stars, so I need to confirm that elsewhere.
I had a good shot at the Virgo/Coma objects at Soldier Creek on Strawberry Reservoir in June, but sent up my tent in such a way that the (lighted) bathroom was between me and Virgo. I got two of the Coma objects, but the light made move to another part of the sky (the Leo trio was difficult, so I forgot about the Virgo stuff). Anyway, about an hour later everything dewed up and I had to quit after 40 objects. It was a good time, though.
---- Rev. Michael A. van Opstall Department of Mathematics, University of Utah Office: JWB 313 opstall@math.utah.edu
_______________________________________________ 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.slas.us/gallery2/main.php Visit the Wiki: http://www.utahastronomy.com
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participants (5)
-
Canopus56 -
erikhansen＠TheBlueZone.net -
Jay Eads -
Joe Bauman -
Michael Vanopstall