Re: [APML] Observatory update

[DBogan3220@aol.com]

>Chris:

>Why the Mogollon Rim area??
>Recently, I had posted a question concerning observing sites in the 
Flagstaff 
>area and everyone said that this was not a good area for several reasons, 
>including increasing light pollution.........and that a lot of large 
vacation 
>homes are being built in the Mogollon Rim area.

>Kent Kirkley 


             Mogollon Rim area is still 60 miles from Flagstaff. The Mogollon 
Rim area is closer to Payson than Flagstaff. I guess you have this 
misconception that its just a stones throw from Flag. Seeing and Dark skies 
can be quite good on the South Western edge of the Colorado Plateau. We have 
this one site called Camp 613 which is about 5 miles north of the actual Rim 
where the skies are very dark and your up at just over 7500 ft elevation. 
There are plenty of areas in Arizona to go observing. The area around where 
Chris is building his observatory is quite good for Dark Skies and seeing 
quality is excellent.  Its only another 20 minutes to the North as the crow 
flies from Camp 613 which I mentioned earlier. 

              As far as Flagstaff is concerned yeah its got light pollution 
but not as bad as Phoenix. With Phoenix you need to get at least fifty miles 
away but your skies in the cities direction from wherever you have yourself 
situated with respect to the city sky glow are going to wipe it out. If you 
want Mag 6.5 skies or better you need to drive at least 100 miles. Flagstaff 
all you need to do is get at least 20 miles out of town for the most part 
then your OK. 

             Seeing in Flagstaff on Mars hill it can get quite good from time 
to time. However if you go to the Lake Mary site for Lowell Observatory where 
The larger Lowell telescopes and the navel interferometer is located and 
where some of the area amateurs observe from, seeing can get as good as . 5 
arc-sec. Why don't amateurs from Phoenix go flock to Lake Mary you may ask? 
That's because its too far away. You can go to Cherry Rd or The Orme School 
Dugas area and get skies just as good for Dark and Seeing conditions. Or you 
can go to the Payson area.

            Someone mentioned earlier that Flagstaff was a Ski town because 
the Ariz Snow bowl was in the vicinity. Excuse me Flagstaff is more a college 
town than Ski town. Flagstaff is hardly an Aspen or Telluride Colorado. 
Flagstaff is home to The University of Northern Ariz. Humphrey's peak is 
still another 20 miles north of town the Ariz Snow Bowl is about 18 miles 
north of town. And its only two chairs and a tow rope. Hardly and world class 
ski resort. I go skiing and I have not skied in Ariz in the last 20 years. I 
go to Colorado mostly Telluride and Purgatory.  Now if your into cross 
country skiing. When there is snow, Flagstaff area offers all kinds of trails 
you can use in the area outside of town. 

          Yes, Ariz has a lot of vacation homes and its getting quite 
expensive to live here, the prices for land and homes is out of control. The 
money that is driving the costs in Ariz is coming mostly from Retirees from 
California and the Midwest. People who live and work in this state for the 
most part can't support such an industry. For example, Prescott Ariz and the 
Prescott Valley area has been pretty much wiped out for Astronomy concerns 
even though the seeing can be quite good the dark skies in that area is a 
thing of the past.  Payson, Sedona, Showlow and many other small towns are 
undergoing the same transitions. However there are limits to growth. Once all 
the land has been bought up there just won't be anymore. All these area 
border National forest and not unless the government is going to pay for its 
dept by selling the National forests I don't think you will be seeing any 
more new land become available. Another problem with Arizona's out of control 
development is water. Golf courses are more important than your yard there 
already has conflicts in some area's about recreation vs just living from day 
to day. I expect that someday Ariz will be rendered useless for astronomy and 
other uses if somebody does not put the reins on the developers. But with the 
current money grubbing right to work fat cat mentality and current republican 
attitudes that is not going to change anytime soon.

       Clear Skies
       Dwight L Bogan

            

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