Pandorum Stage I

[MountainMan]

This has nothing to do with the train wreck that is my trailer renovation, but I tossed it in to show you what I love about where we live.

This is the view from our front deck of the southern flank of Pike's Peak:

[Sumpter250]

I'll bet that a clear night sky is really impressive there.

[MountainMan]

It's overwhelming. Light pollution out here is nil.

If I weren't building this layout, I wouid have a telescope in the back yard!

[tetters]

It's overwhelming. Light pollution out here is nil.

If I weren't building this layout, I wouid have a telescope in the back yard!

You can get a Celestron first scope for 50 bucks on e-bay. I have one and use it on nice clear nights. I have spotted Jupiter and its four main moons. Venus, and the moon looks incredible with it. Just in case you are interested.

http://cgi.ebay.ca/Celestron-FirstScope-...1e63437dd0

[MountainMan]

It's overwhelming. Light pollution out here is nil.

If I weren't building this layout, I wouid have a telescope in the back yard!

You can get a Celestron first scope for 50 bucks on e-bay. I have one and use it on nice clear nights. I have spotted Jupiter and its four main moons. Venus, and the moon looks incredible with it. Just in case you are interested.

http://cgi.ebay.ca/Celestron-FirstScope-...1e63437dd0

My wife just told me that she has a telescope in storage!

[Steamtrains]

I lived in the city of San Luis Potosi in Mexico for several years. It is located on the edge of the "High Plains" of Mexico, at an elevation of a little over 6,000 ft. Being located in a very dry area of Mexico there is little humidity, and many cloudless days, and nights, particularly in winter. The sky there was totally AWESOME...!! Even though there is considerable light pollution, a short drive out of the city would get me to great observing spots. I owned a small refracting scope which I made considerable use of. The "high" point of my observing career was seeing the Southern Cross barely peeking above the southern horizon in late March.
Unfortunately, the scope was lost during a house move, and I have never replaced it. Although here in Brownsville there is no star gazing to be done. Light pollution, high humidity and clouds do not make for very satisfying star gazing....