Non-clicky poll: Stargazing

[Vespasia]

Brought to you by a documentary I saw last night. 

Where have you had an amazing stargazing experience? Did you intentionally seek it out or was it just a  bonus part of an otherwise unrelated trip?  Any stories of stargazing disappointment when the weather did not cooperate?


Pictures are a bonus!

[iammalcolmx]

When I met Rep John Lewis, I told him I lived in his District, and he asked if he could be of any assistance. I jumped up and down and then called my Momma. I later cried at the thought of a man , who nearly died so I can have the right to vote, asked how he could help ME.

[erbear]

I take my students camping every year and it is way in the middle of nowhere with no light pollution. It's pretty amazing to show city kids a sky full of a billion stars. Some years, we can even clearly see the Milky Way. 

[Vespasia]

erbear I think you're in Pennsylvania right? Is this where you go? www.dcnr.pa.gov/StateParks/FindAPark/CherrySpringsStatePark/Pages/default.aspx

We really want to do it but it looks like weekends with little moon are already pretty booked up for this year. I'm also hesitant to drive over 4 hours each way when we might have clouds.

[Deleted]

What a good question! I still think about my most memorable stargazing experience pretty regularly.

It occurred near Cape Agulhas, S Africa, which is the southern most point of the mainland of the continent of Africa.

Rented a cabin for 2 nights and a beach house for 2 nights. The cabin only had a 1-2 hrs of electricity to use at night. So when the electricity would run out I'd just go lay out in a field by the cabin and the sky was filled with soooooo many vivid stars. I wish I knew something about astronomy at the time because I'm sure you could see a lot. It felt like I could reach out and touch them.

[erbear]

Mar 30, 2018 12:28:53 GMT -5 Vespasia said:

erbear I think you're in Pennsylvania right? Is this where you go? www.dcnr.pa.gov/StateParks/FindAPark/CherrySpringsStatePark/Pages/default.aspx

We really want to do it but it looks like weekends with little moon are already pretty booked up for this year. I'm also hesitant to drive over 4 hours each way when we might have clouds.

We actually go up to a camp in the Poconos is Greeley - Lake Owego.

[sandandsea]

We were camping last year at a small campground (Kirk creek) on the CA coast and had an awesome clear night and saw TONs of stars and the Milky Way. It was amazing. We also heard whales spouting overnight. Spectacular.

[sandandsea]

Oh and I grew up on farms in the Midwest and would often lay on the hammock outside in the summer and stargaze. We were in the middle of nowhere so you could see everything in the sky.

One of the only things I miss about living there!

[marytini]

Mauna Kea. It was sort of a whim at the end of a day of touring the island that we decided to drive up. We didn't go to the summit, just stayed at the visitor center. But there was a "Star Guy" there who said you actually see the stars better at the visitor center. I guess the reason for going to the summit it to see the sunset. Anyhoo, the star guy had his super powerful telescope that we could see a planet (I forget which one) and certain stars. Otherwise, the stars with the naked eye were quite impressive. I don't recall why, but I didn't take a single photo. I think we were just enjoying being there.

[iammalcolmx]

You mean we are taking about people??? LOL! I am so dumb!

[HRH Queen Dick I]

Mar 30, 2018 19:49:48 GMT -5 iammalcolmx said:

You mean we are taking about people??? LOL! I am so dumb!

Personally, I'd rather meet John Lewis than look at the sky. 😉

[steamboat185]

Tata Beach, New Zealand and on a boat on the Galapagos. So many stars, but I’d rather meet John Lewis too.

[chimera]

Boat in the Galapagos- Orion was right there, sea lions playing right by the edge of the boat.

Uluru - right before sunrise Milky Way view over it was breathtaking.


Cherry Springs state park - dark sky area so so many stars.

Many nights on dive boats in the middle of nowhere.

[Vespasia]

turbo Atacama is high on my list! I'm still considering it for next year but the timing doesn't really work out. 

I think it was the Deserts episode of Planet Earth II. It was on after a baseball game we were watching at the bar though so I am not positive.

[wise_rita]

An observatory on the south island of New Zealand near Lake Tekapo.

You drive up a mountain with no lights to avoid light pollution and there's a gigantic, building-sized telescope up there.

[lightbulbsun]

The clearest, most brilliant stargazing I've ever seen was on the Pacific coast of Panama. It's the only time I could really see the milky way. We didn't go there intending to stargaze, we were just on the beach one night and it was so amazing.

I am bummed that I didn't get to see the stars in the Galapagos. It was overcast most of the time I was there.

[lacey]

The Inca Trail in Peru

[Champagne Supernova]

Sacred Valley in Peru, while sailing at the Galapagos and while driving around the outskirts of Queenstown, NZ.

We didn't really seek them out; we just got lucky with the weather in all three places.

[magpie]

Katherine Gorge/Nitmiluk in the Northern Territory, Australia. You can rent a canoe and paddle up the gorge and camp along the river. It's really hard work to get up the gorge because you have to drag/carry the canoe and all your gear over stretches where the water is too shallow, so not too many people do it. My H and I did it before kids and had a lonely riverside beach to ourselves, no one around for miles. It is by far, the most remote and isolated place I've ever been and the stars were incredible.

[wise_rita]

Apr 4, 2018 20:57:08 GMT -5 magpie said:

Katherine Gorge/Nitmiluk in the Northern Territory, Australia. You can rent a canoe and paddle up the gorge and camp along the river. It's really hard work to get up the gorge because you have to drag/carry the canoe and all your gear over stretches where the water is too shallow, so not too many people do it. My H and I did it before kids and had a lonely riverside beach to ourselves, no one around for miles. It is by far, the most remote and isolated place I've ever been and the stars were incredible.

Andplusalso crocodiles!

That sounds incredible-slash-terrifying.

[neonpink]

Mar 30, 2018 10:33:45 GMT -5 iammalcolmx said:

When I met Rep John Lewis, I told him I lived in his District, and he asked if he could be of any assistance. I jumped up and down and then called my Momma. I later cried at the thought of a man , who nearly died so I can have the right to vote, asked how he could help ME.

He's in my district too! Hi from the south! I got to meet him at a meet and greet restaurant event a few years ago. It was a real casual thing and he talked to Me, my H and my neighbor for quiet awhile. It was very cool. I still think about it every now and then thinking how I was talking to living history. 

[neonpink]

As for stars, Iceland in December, where I also got to see the Northern light it was amazing. 2nd would be stargazing in Saginaw bay Michigan, you can walk out for a long time in the water, float on a raft and watch the stars. I've never seen them as bright as there.

[magpie]

Apr 5, 2018 7:12:21 GMT -5 wise_rita said:

Apr 4, 2018 20:57:08 GMT -5 magpie said:

Katherine Gorge/Nitmiluk in the Northern Territory, Australia. You can rent a canoe and paddle up the gorge and camp along the river. It's really hard work to get up the gorge because you have to drag/carry the canoe and all your gear over stretches where the water is too shallow, so not too many people do it. My H and I did it before kids and had a lonely riverside beach to ourselves, no one around for miles. It is by far, the most remote and isolated place I've ever been and the stars were incredible.

Andplusalso crocodiles!

That sounds incredible-slash-terrifying.

They only open the gorge to canoes and swimming after the big salt water crocs have left for the season.  There are smaller, fresh water ones though.  

[ribollita]

A campground outside Jackson Hole about 20 years years ago- I still remember.

[bittybomb]

Every year we go to Lake George.  Two years ago we had the most amazing weather for the entire trip.  The first night the sky was absolutely amazing - I woke my husband at 1 am to come and look at the stars because it was unreal - it was like we were in a planetarium.  Unbelievable.  Star gazing up there has always been pretty good, but that one night was astounding. 

[mrs.jacinthe]

We spent a week in Glennallen, Alaska about 10 years ago and the stars were absolutely amazing. There was an open field near the home where we stayed and we spent a great deal of time there after the sun went down. (This was in February, so plenty of time after the sunset but before dinner, lol.) The stars were HUGE. And bonus: northern lights!