[AZ-Observing] Re: A full day of Astronomical Fun
- From: Tom Polakis <tpolakis@xxxxxxx>
- To: az-observing@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Tue, 18 Aug 2009 1:07:39 -0400
---- stevecoe@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx wrote:
> Rick, I am at the Oregon Star Party and was also doing Ophiuchus objects
> last night with the 6 inch refractor. We can compare notes sometime.
>
> The weather has been very good, the site provides a 6/10 rating for
> transparency, about like Cherry Road, and I am having a grand time.
Steve,
Wow, 6/10 at the Oregon Star Party site? Is smoke from a forest fire in the
Cascades blowing into the Ochocos? That has been the problem occasionally in
years past, but when the smoke is not present, the site is quite a bit superior
to anywhere we routinely observe in Arizona, including Five Mile Meadow.
There's no giant city centrally located in the state, so I bet an SQM would
register in the 21.5 to 22.0 range. I bet Chuck Dethloff has been measuring
the sky brightness each night. Since the terrain to the west is not dusty, the
suspended particulates during the clear months is less of a problem in central
Oregon than in Arizona.
Have you had a chance to rate the seeing? The thing that makes the OSP site
better than TSP and many of our Arizona sites is that they found a clearing
that is above the surroundings, and free of cool air drainage. I might not
have enough nights of data, but I was impressed with the periods of prolonged,
good seeing at OSP.
The only thing that makes the OSP less of a destination for Arizonans is
latitude. it sure is nice to see the Stinger of Scorpius high above the
horizon here in Arizona.
Tom
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