Appendix B - OBSERVING LOCATIONS
My Messier observations were made at a variety of locations throughout the
Western United States. In my capacity as an over the road truck driver I have
had many opportunities to observe from pristine dark sky locations. I always
carry binoculars and a telescope. My location choices are not unlimited,
however. The following restrictions apply: 1-The phase of the moon, 2-The
weather, 3-The inherent darkness, 4-The ability to safely and legally park a 90
foot long truck (with the exception of observations made at the Denver
Astronomical Society dark sky site and those made at home), and 5-The
flexibility of my work schedule. What follows is a list of the details of each
of the fifteen different location I have used.
Denver Astronomical Society Edmund G. Kline Dark Sky Site, Deer Trail Colorado
43 Messier Observations
Location: 39.645701 N, -103.929347 W, elevation 5138', about 6 miles east of
Deer Trail, Colorado.
Bortle 3 - Rural Sky, a few distant local nuisance lights
Horizons - Unobstructed to North, East and South. Slight elevation rise to West.
All horizons very dark, slight light dome from Denver/Colorado Springs to the
West.
Comments - A very fine facility restricted to members and guests of the DAS. 14
level concrete viewing pads with electrical outlets, warming hut, vault style
toilet.
Granite Gap New Mexico
26 Messier Observations
Location: 32.1237 N, -108.9374 W, elevation 4350', about 20 miles southwest of
Lordsburg, New Mexico. Intersection of New Mexico Highway 80 and NM 9.
Bortle 2 - Truly Dark Site, a few distant local nuisance lights.
Horizons - Unobstructed to North, East and South, mountains about 20 degrees
above horizon to the West. Very slight light dome from Lordsburg to the
northeast.
Comments - I discovered this location while looking for a good spot off
Interstate 10. It is a crushed limestone paved lot used for highway maintenance
equipment and materials, plenty of room for a big truck. About seven miles off
the Interstate. No restroom facilities.
Frequently patrolled by the U.S. Border Patrol.
San Rafael Swell Utah - Eagle Canyon Overlook
3 Messier Observations
Location: 38.51330 N, -110.54493 W, elevation 7523', UT Interstate 70 exit 114,
about 40 miles west of Green River UT.
Bortle 2 - Truly Dark Site, four annoying LED street lamps illuminate the paved
parking area, a short hike into the juniper shrubs gets you away from them.
Horizons - Unobstructed and very dark in all directions, no light domes evident.
Comments - Plenty of parking, vault style restrooms. About a quarter of a mile
off the interstate, this view area is infrequently used at night. Traffic at
night on the interstate is very light, so very few interruptions. I've been
using this location for years, prior to the replacement of the old sodium vapor
lighting with LED lights. From an observer's viewpoint, this was not an
improvement. Very slight light dome from Price Utah about 40 miles north.
San Rafael Swell Utah - Temple Mountain Exit
9 Messier Observations
Location: 38.8792 N, -110.6575 W, elevation 6637', UT Interstate 70 exit 131,
about 25 miles west of Green River UT.
Bortle 2 - Truly Dark Site, no nuisance lighting, occasional headlights from
passing traffic which is very slight at night.
Comments - I found this location while seeking an alternative to the Eagle
Canyon Overlook, which is too well lit. This location is an access point to San
Rafael Swell BLM public lands. BLM bulletin board and crushed limestone paved
turn around area, plenty of room for a big truck. No facilities. Unobstructed
horizon to the east, south and west. Slight elevation rise and rock formations
to the north. No light domes visible in any direction.
Eden Texas
6 Messier Observations
Location: 31.4027 N, -99.8870 W, elevation 1759'. Roadside parking area US
Highway 83 about 8 miles north of Eden Texas.
Bortle 2 - Truly Dark Site. Parking area unlit, no nuisance lighting. Very light
traffic on highway.
Comments - One time observation location, I could tell it was a nice dark area
and the Moon was down for the night, I stumbled upon this parking area. No
facilities. Room to park big truck, lots of obstruction from large oak and pecan
trees, but by moving around I was able to find some good spots, especially to
the east to southeast. No light domes visible in any direction.
Hatch Utah
4 Messier Observations
Location: 37.5921 N, -112.4709 W, elevation 7080'. Old highway turnout, US
Highway 89 about 5 miles south of Hatch Utah.
Bortle 2 - Truly Dark Site. No nuisance lighting. Observations made about 3:00
AM, virtually no traffic on highway.
Comments - Another one time observation location. No facilities. Very clear dark
sky, nice high elevation. Lower horizons obstructed by rock formations,
mountains and pine trees, but higher declinations unobstructed. I stopped here
about 9:00 PM and napped until 3:00 AM when the waxing gibbous Moon had set. No
light domes in any direction.
Lubbock Texas - Backyard
3 Messier Observation
Location: 33.57360 N, -101.95807 W, elevation 3283'. Back yard of my former home
in Lubbock.
Bortle 6 - Bright Suburban Sky.
Comments - My back yard in Lubbock was not a terrific location for DSO's, but I
made a number of planetary and lunar observations there. It was here that I recorded was my first "official"
Messier observation, M4 - the big diffuse
globular near Antares in Scorpius. In spite of the light pollution, my view to
the south and southwest was away from the center of the city and a little
better. The sky in Lubbock is notorious for blowing dust hindering transparency,
and the heat from neighboring rooftops makes the seeing bad, but the elevation
is fairly high and seeing isn't too bad on calm, cool evenings.
Unincorporated Hudspeth County Texas
2 Messier Observations
Location: 31.7900 N, -105.5311 W. Elevation 4408'. US Highway 180 about 70 miles
east of El Paso Texas.
Bortle 2 - Truly Dark Site
Comments: A single observation session. Nothing more that a wide pullout along
the side of the highway. No facilities. No nuisance lighting. Moderate traffic
on highway.
I stopped here because as the clouds cleared, I kept gaping out the driver's
side window at Scorpius and Sagittarius. I had never seen them so high in the
sky. When I stopped and got out of the truck and my eyes began to adjust to the
darkness, I muttered a curse because it looked like the clouds were rolling back
in...but no, it was the Milky Way!
Gila Bend Arizona
2 Messier Observations
Location: 32.8350 N -112.1792 W, elevation 1893. Table Top Roadside Tables, AZ
Interstate 8 milepost 148. Roughly midway between Gila Bend and Casa Grande AZ.
Bortle 4 - Rural/Suburban Transition
Comments: I have stopped here several times, picnic table parking area with no
facilities room for about four or five trucks. No nuisance lighting. Some
obstruction from shrubbery and trees, but a nice sweeping view from the
southeast to the southwest. Big hills to the north obstruct the northern
horizon, but they also help block the big light dome from Phoenix about 50 miles
due north.
Montgomery Pass Nevada
5 Messier Observations
Location: 38.0484 N, -118.2791 W, elevation 6035'. Nevada State Highway 360
about 5 miles north of the intersection with US Highway 6. About 8 miles
north-northwest of Montgomery Pass.
Bortle 1 - Excellent Dark Sky Site, clear dry high desert air.
Comments: One of several wide pullouts along Highway 360, which is a cutoff link
between US 6 and US 95. This is the darkest location I have ever experienced. No
light domes in any direction, no nuisance lighting. M31 and the dark lane of the
Milky Way from Cygnus through Ophiuchus are clearly visible to the unaided eye.
I have stopped here on several occasions as it's right on my route from Los
Angeles to Reno. No facilities.
Crosbyton Texas
1 Messier Observation
Location: 33.66996 N, -101.14101 W, elevation 2789' US Highway 82 about 7miles
east of Crosbyton Texas.
Bortle 3 - Rural Sky
Comments: In an effort to escape the city lights of Lubbock I took a drive about
50 miles east out of town. My intended destination was the Silver Falls rest
area. The rest area was too well lit for any serious observations, so I
continued east for several miles and parked at a county road intersection. This
was the first time in a while I was able to see the Milky Way. It was also my
first observation of M31. My son was with me at the time, and he said he could
see it unaided, but I could only see it with binoculars and the 8" Newtonian
telescope.
Aurora Colorado -- Suburban back yard
2 Messier Observations
Location: 39.66216 N, -104.80413 W, elevation 5641'. Back yard of my home.
Bortle 7 - Suburban/Urban Transition.
Comments: Terrible location, but it's home. Tree obstructions to the west, house
obstruction to the east. Best horizon is the northeast, darkest and least
obstructed. Fairly unobstructed view to the south, but the light pollution is
pretty bad. Not bad for planetary and lunar observation. I've viewed quite a
number of Messiers from home, but although they are visible, much of the detail
and contrast is washed out by the skyglow.
Lake Havasu City (Franconia) Arizona
1 Messier Observation
Location: 34.72868,-114.31382, elevation 992'
Bortle 4-5 - Rural/Suburban Transition
Comments: Pilot Truck Stop. Terrible location, very brightly lit. I had parked
my truck on the eastern fence line and took my binoculars to the back end of the
trailer in the shadow of much of the lighting. Took a look at Sirius which was
rising in the east and accidentally "discovered" M41.
San Jose New Mexico
1 Messier Observation
Location: 35.39778 N, -105.4087 W, elevation 6264'
Bortle 3 - Rural Sky
Comments: Unlit paved parking area, no facilities. On Interstate 25 roughly
midway between Santa Fe and Las Vegas New Mexico. A little nuisance lighting
from nearby homes, a fair amount of traffic. In spite of these drawbacks, the
sky was dark enough that I was finally able to locate the dim reflection nebula
M78 in Orion.
Wells, Nevada
2 Messier Observations
Location: 41.56041,-114.78923, elevation 5679
Bortle 2 - Truly Dark Site
Comments: Wide pullout on US Highway 93 about 40 miles north of Wells Nevada.
No facilities. Slight eastern and western obstruction from highway cut. Pristine
dark clear desert sky.