Dark Skies - Lakewoodite Heads To Observatory Park

[Jim O'Bryan]

Living amongst the urban sprawl of Cuyahoga County, in the state of Ohio, has taken us far from the skies we grew up with, or have seen out west. There is a group of astronomers that run the "Dark Skies Association," http://darksky.org/idsp/parks/ dedicated to preserving and restoring "Dark Skies" around the world for better viewing of stars for all of us. They go around the world checking light level at various areas and designating parks as "Dark Sky Parks" if they have nearly no light pollution. They also work with cities and businesses in using the correct lighting to preserve and restore the skies overhead.

In Northern Ohio, the closest thing we have is the Geuaga Observtory, Dark Sky Park, in Montville, Ohio. About 1 hour from Lakewood. So after looking at fall foliage and other items, Deb and I head to the Dark Skies, and it was worth the drive.




There is a long gravel trail that goes out through the grounds with cement benches built in. The groupings are perfect if you want to take your telescope or tripods.


As our eyes and camera adjust to the light, you start to see the stars.

And we turn the camera to the skies.


A 30 second exposure.


A plane cuts across the sky. 20 second exposure.


The Milky Way starts to come into view.


Maybe a billion galaxies in this photo.

Now if you want a picture of the stars and the moon, you have issues. The moon is reflecting the Sun which is very bright so they turn out like this.



So what you do, it take a picture of the moon the is the right exposure, then you wait two hours for the moon to move, and you take another photo to bring out the stars, and combine them to get the visual experience you get to see with your naked eye.



Geuaga Observatory, Dark Sky Park, 1 hour from Lakewood.

Check it out.

.

[cmager]

Beautiful. Try the foothills of the Sierras sometime.
By the way, the retro streetlights on Arthur are about as non-compliant with dark skies as a light can possibly be.