[sac-board] Dark Sky star party for Sept. 26 and 27

Howdy board;
I plan to announce a dark site star party for Sept. 26 and 27 at a new site 
that AJ and I found in the Rim country near Happy Jack.  I will have handouts 
at the Aug. meeting.

Here are the directions:

Dark Site near Happy Jack, Arizona
Star Party for Sept. 26 and 27 at "Five Mile Meadow"

Take I-17 north to the Verde Valley turnoff and go east on Hwy. 260, the 
General Crook Trail, for about 30 miles east of the town of Camp Verde.  The 
road ends in a "T" with Hwy. 87.  Turn left (generally north) and drive about 
12 miles, through the little town of Clint's Well.  This is the gas station, 
restaurant and ranger station on your left.  After you pass through Clint's 
Well, there is a left turn lane that will allow you to turn left onto Forest 
Highway 3, aka Lake Mary Rd.  As you drive north on Lake Mary Road you will 
pass the Happy Jack RV park on the left and pass through a large area of trees 
where there has been a forest fire.

After about 12 miles on Lake Mary Road, look for mile marker 301 and slow down 
to look for a dirt road on your left.  The sign for this road says "Bar D 
Ranch".  You will know you are on the correct forestry road by two brown signs, 
a small one with number 229 and another, larger, with Bar D Ranch distance.  
You will pass under high voltage power lines at about 1.5 miles and there is a 
cattle guard at about 3 miles.  If you make no turns off the well maintained 
road then you will reach a cross road marked 305, on a brown sign.  The meadow 
is straight ahead, past the cross road and just to the left.  The meadow is 
elongated in an easterly direction and, if you stay on the original road 229 it 
will take you just to the north side, where it is best to set up.  About 1/10 
of a mile past the cross road is an opening in the trees to your left that 
leads to an opening where you can set up.  I called this site "Five Mile 
Meadow" because it is about 5 miles from the pavement on the forestry road.  

Important:  the one major restriction from the ranger station is "do not drive 
into the middle of the meadow"!

Stay near the tree line.

Hope to see a large gathering under dark skies;

Steve Coe  

Author "Deep Sky Observing--The Astronomical Tourist"
Saguaro Astronomy Club website
www.saguaroastro.org

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