[sac-forum] Re: Flatiron and vicinity
- From: "Dan Gruber" <dgruber@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <sac-forum@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Mon, 18 Dec 2006 08:03:24 -0700
I agree with Steve. For me, the basis of comparison for an observing
site is my backyard, not a perfectly dark site. Hovatter and Sentinel
are darker than Flatiron, but I think that FI is a darn nice site
considering how close it is.
Has anybody explored up I -17 in the Black Canyon City area? PAS uses a
park up there which isn't as good as FI mostly because it's too close to
the freeway. But I remember lots of dirt roads in the area. Also, what
about west of Lake Pleasant toward Wickenburg? I'd be happy to join
somebody more familiar with the area on reconnaissance trips.
I hope that FI continues to be usable for some years to come-after all,
the real estate market is in a slump and I think the developers have to
find an assured supply of water. But we'd be wise to identify
alternatives.
Clear dark skies,
Dan
-----Original Message-----
From: sac-forum-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:sac-forum-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Steve Coe
Sent: Sunday, December 17, 2006 10:34 PM
To: sac-forum@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [sac-forum] Re: Flatiron and vicinity
Matt, et al;
I don't think that any one hour drive site is going to be any better as
far as the light dome of 3 million people. I also think that we do need
to find another one hour drive or "close in" site because on nights with
a midnight Moonrise I think that few club members would be willing to
drive to a dark site far from the city. My opinion.
Here is what I have found in the couple of times that I have explored a
little in the area west of Phoenix. First, the next exit beyond 339th
Ave. on the I-10 is Wintersburg Rd and it is useless. There is a high
school that that has invested a lot of school funds in lighting and when
they are on the entire countryside is lit up for a mile or more.
So, the Tonopah exit is next and turning to the north very quickly gets
you onto a bad dirt road within a mile or two of the freeway. They
might fix it in the future, but as of Sept. it is very bumpy. Turning
to the south at Tonopah will provide some open spots, but there are
plenty of houses around and I don't know if any of them have dusk to
dawn lighting. We will have to go look some evening.
I have one other thought and that is the old Hwy. 87 going south toward
Gila Bend. If you drive Hwy 87 past the big three-way red light and
then drive on toward the Hassayampa river bridge, this road turns off to
the west before the river. It winds around for 20 miles or so and then
connects back into the main highway just north of Gila Bend. The little
town of Arlington is along the way. It is possible that there are some
dark spots along that road which we could use. Again a drive out that
way needs to be done.
I hope that we can find someplace worth driving to, it is bound to be
better than my backyard for deep sky.
Clear Skies to us all;
Steve Coe
-----Original Message-----
From: sac-forum-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:sac-forum-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Matt
Sent: Sunday, December 17, 2006 3:30 PM
To: sac-forum@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [sac-forum] Re: Flatiron and vicinity
Isn't the Flatiron site in the future Douglas Ranch development? If so,
we will lose the site completely.
Personally, I consider it already lost. For a 1-hour drive, the light
dome is huge.
Matt
_____
From: sac-forum-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:sac-forum-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Dan Gruber
Sent: Sunday, December 17, 2006 2:02 PM
To: sac-forum@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [sac-forum] Flatiron and vicinity
The CSC lied yesterday and said viewing at Flatiron would be okay until
midnight. I was there from 4.15 - 4.45 pm and it was completely
overcast. I left when nobody showed up to commiserate with.
More interesting were the signs posted all over the place indicating
that a developer wants to amend the local general plan to develop up to
85,000 homes (plus other stuff) on about 25,000 acres running roughly
from 335th Ave. to 370th Ave. and from I - 10 north to the canal. This
would bring development to about 5 miles south of the site. Combined
with relentless development west of the White Tanks (see today's AZ
Republic), this doesn't bode well. I wonder how many more years we have
for reasonably dark skies at Flatiron?
Happy holidays,
Dan
PS. If anybody has the week off from work and would like to try
observing later in the week, please let me know.
Dan Gruber
<mailto:dgruber@xxxxxxxxxxxx> dgruber@xxxxxxxxxxxx
home (480) 951 - 6877
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