Watch the skies, Ben

[MillCreek]

No, really:  https://www.seattletimes.com/life/travel/central-idaho-is-more-than-a-ski-destination-heres-how-to-find-world-class-stargazing/?utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=owned_echobox_f&utm_source=Facebook&fbclid=IwAR3uG6uE-MVRioGxmdtEJe4Xa36YP04I19O-nnBighZ8D5vg_Z2P10iz4So#Echobox=1625269951

[WLJ]

Me when I saw the thread title



Me after clicking on the thread

[Ben]

I read that the other day. I was actually thinking of getting a nice 10" Dobsonian telescope last Winter, but apparently everyone sitting at home with the virus had the same idea and there were no decent choices to be had. I'll have to start looking again in the next couple of months.

I have a pretty dark sky where I am with little city bleed over, but Central ID is supposed to be amazing for stargazing. I can't remember what the night sky looked like the last time I was at the Henry's Fork. I was thinking of heading North of Stanley in late August for a couple of days to fish. I'll have to remember the binos.

[JTHunter]

Ben - back in '66, we were on a family vacation to the West Coast and Disneyland.  We went by way of Royal Gorge where we got an absolutely spectacular star show.  IDK if the Gorge is an official "dark sky" area now but I think it may be.
Too far south for auroras but seeing the arc of the Milky Way overhead was incredible. 

[Ben]

Ben - back in '66, we were on a family vacation to the West Coast and Disneyland.  We went by way of Royal Gorge where we got an absolutely spectacular star show.  IDK if the Gorge is an official "dark sky" area now but I think it may be.
Too far south for auroras but seeing the arc of the Milky Way overhead was incredible. 

It really is amazing how much more spectacular the sky becomes once you get away from human light sources. As a young buck, my buddies and me would always sleep out under the stars in the Sierras, just spending a good part of the night in our sleeping bags watching the show.