Hey Rusty, I thought you would appreciate that Karen & I got to tour Kitt Peak National Observatory today. We are trying to get on the 3 hour Nightly Observing Program before we leave Tucson on the 14th. Unfortunately we have to hope someone cancels as they are booked solid until the 17th.

Enjoy the dark skies!

Good morning;

That is one of the really nice things about a motor home; you can go to some of the few remaining "dark sky" sites left in the United States. Eastern Washington has some, as does Eastern Oregon, for those of us up here in the Pacific NorthWest. Then there is Nevada, Utah, Montana, Wyoming, Arizona, New Mexico, and a few others. It is only when you can actually go to one of them and look up at the Milky Way, that you can really see why it is called "the Milky Way."

Enjoy;

Ralph
Latte Land, Washington

Or 60 miles out in the Gulf in a small 36ft boat. You'd never know there were so many stars.

quote:

60 miles out in the Gulf

60 miles plus out in any ocean in any size boat and the skies really open up. Love it.

Mike

I thought so too until we went on a cruise. Those things are lit up like Manhattan.

True. I used to sail on tankers all over the world and my favorite watch was the 12 to 4. The middle of one ocean or another with the night sky can be a powerful thing.

Good morning, Danny;

Your comment about "going on a cruise" revived a whole bunch of memories.

About 5 years ago we went on a "cruise" around the Hawaiian Islands on the NCL Pride of America. Yes, they are lit up like a Christmas tree. And, now I can say that there really is a difference when you go to sea on a ship that is not painted all over in grey paint.

Enjoy;

Ralph
Latte Land, Washington