Current Sky Conditions

 

 

Club Observing Sites

Ridge History Park
The site is located southwest of Middle Ridge 1.25 miles on Highway 33 and is on the south side of the road.  Access is off of Korn Clements Road.  The site consists of a group of three buildings, one being an old one room school house.  The site has a heated shelter and restrooms.
Link to Map:
 Ridge History Park, N1724 Korn Clements Road, just west of Middle Ridge on the south side of Highway 33.


G-E-T School Forest Observatory
To get to the observatory at the G-E-T School Forest, find your way to Galesville (presumably via US-53 N).  From where you turn in to Galesville, stay on 53 N for approximately 5.4 miles.  Turn right onto Dopp Rd.  Follow Dopp Rd. for approximately 1.6 miles.  There is a dirt road to the left that goes through a gate.  Follow the road to the observatory.  Drive slowly and watch for bumps and ruts.

The GPS coordinates of the entry to the forest on Dopp Rd. are: 44°08'48.4"N 91°17'41.2"W
lcaas_g-e-t_observing_site_map.pdf


Bangor Site (near Experimental Forest)
After many fine nights here (thank you John!) we will no longer be using this location.
We have moved our observing to the Ridge History Park a few miles south of this site.

Ridge History Park Fall 2020

Observing Etiquette

Please be aware of a few obvious and not so obvious “rules” of etiquette around the telescopes.

• Never touch the equipment unless instructed by the owner.
  
• NEVER wipe any optical surfaces with fingers, cloths, etc. as the coatings on them are extremely delicate and can be ruined very easily.  If an eyepiece or lens in a telescope fogs up due to high humidity, inform the telescope owner.
• When approaching an observing site after dark, please dim your headlights and use only parking lights to approach the group.  In the case of vehicles with automatic headlights that cannot be turned off, please be sure you do not blind everyone when approaching.  It takes up to twenty minutes for eyes to become dark-adapted, and only a split second to close the pupils back up.
• If you approach the observing site with a flashlight, be sure to point it at the ground and not the observers.  Red lights are preferred.  You can find red "tail-light tape" at an automotive store to tape over a regular flashlight.
  
  
  What to bring
  
  Be sure to dress for the occasion!  It is a general rule of thumb that you dress for thirty degrees colder than the actual temperature when observing at night.  Movement is minimal, and feet especially can get very uncomfortable.  Hypothermia is also a very real threat and needs to be avoided.
  
  If you have a telescope or binoculars, feel free to bring it along!  We would be happy to help you learn to use them at night if you don't already do so.  Many people have binoculars and have never turned them to the night sky!