None of the images on this site are taken from my home in Vista, San Diego County, California. I don't have a permanent observatory at home nor would I want one because of the light pollution which limits film exposure times and interferes with the subtle details in CCD images of celestial objects. Therefore, my photography setup is portable and I travel to dark sky locations. Although the time involved in setting up my equipment is sometimes burdensome, the benefit is that I spend time at some of the most scenic locations that the Southwest U.S. has to offer. Below are some photographs of locations at which I have taken the images on these pages.
Blair Valley, Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, San Diego County, California
I use various areas in the Anza-Borrego Desert State Park for imaging. The site shown above is just 50 miles from downtown San Diego as the crow flies. Although not a true "dark-sky" site, light domes from San Diego, Imperial Valley and the Coachella Valley ring the park, it is dark enough for excellent CCD imaging. Little Blair Valley, which is a dry lake bed, is just down the road and is a popular local imaging and observing area. The benefits of this site include excellent weather and low humidity. This site is less than a 2 hour drive from my home.
Here's a link to the Clear Sky Clock for nearby Little Blair Valley: http://www.cleardarksky.com/c/LBVCAkey.html
Little Blair Valley, Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, San Diego County, California
Because it is relatively near to the population centers of San Diego County, Little Blair Valley is a favorite new moon location for visual enthusiasts as well as for imagers. As with Blair Valley [which is just over the ridge to the west], Little Blair Valley is not a true "dark-sky" site, light domes from San Diego, Imperial Valley and the Coachella Valley ring the park.
The photo above was taken in February 2005 during the spring wildflower bloom. Follow this link to more Spring 2005 wildflower photos.
Here's a link to the Clear Sky Clock for Little Blair Valley: http://www.cleardarksky.com/c/LBVCAkey.html
Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument, Arizona
The Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument is located in southern Arizona at the Mexican border. This is a very good dark sky site. I rate the site as a 9 of 10 for CCD imaging and an 8 of 10 for film photography. There is a small Mexican border town 5 miles to the south that creates some light pollution to the south, thus the "8" and "9" ratings. This is a spectacular desert camp. The main campground has more than 200 sites, most of which come with a 40+ foot long concrete pad designed to accommodate large RVs. Telescopes can easily be set up on the concrete RV pad. There are flush toilets and running water. Care must be taken in camp site selection not to end up with a site that has its own 30 foot Saguaro cactus. The park also has a primitive camp with 4-5 sites that do not allow RVs or trailers. The primitive camp, which is 10 miles to the north of the main camp, is not impacted by light pollution. However, the main camp is my choice when it is empty because of the amenities. Below are several more views of the main camp. I recommend both park locations for CCD imaging. The primitive camp is best for film.
Near Desert Center, Riverside County, California
Desert Center is located approximately one hours drive east of Palm Springs on I-10. This site pictured above is located approximately 10 miles north of I-40 on BLM land at the eastern tip of the Joshua Tree National Park. This site has very dark skies for a southern California location with only a small light dome from a small town to the east. However, at 900 feet, this is a winter time site only. There are no campgrounds or amenities here. The up side is that there aren't any campground fees either. I rate this as a "9+" site for both film and CCD.
Here is a link to the Clear Sky Clock for Desert Center: http://cleardarksky.com/c/DsrtCntrCAkey.html?1
Mitchell Caverns, Providence Mountains State Recreation Area, San Bernardino County, California
Perched on the slopes of the Providence Mountains at 4,300 feet, the Mitchell Caverns are a great astronomy destination. The Providence Mountains State Recreation Area is located within the Mojave National Preserve, approximately 15 miles north of I-40. The I-40 exit is about 60 miles west of Needles. The photo above shows the small campground has six campsites that are available on a first come basis. The campground is perched 1,500 feet above the Mojave Desert floor and has low horizons to the east and south. The horizon to the west is blocked by the Providence Mountains. The skies are very dark here with the exception of the light dome from Las Vegas 80 miles to the north. A great daytime diversion at this location are the Mitchell Caverns. Park rangers give guided tours of the caverns one or two times a day depending on the time of year that you visit. The photos below show an interior shot of the caverns and a picture of me with a friendly native from the park.
Hole-in-the-Wall Campground, Mojave National Preserve, San Bernardino County, California
This excellent desert campground is located nearly mid-way between Barstow and Needles 20 miles north of I-40 in the Mojave National Preserve. This is a very dark site with only a minimal light dome from Las Vegas which is 80 miles to the north. This campground is way off the beaten path and does not appear to be very heavily used. It can get cold at night at this campground due to its 4,500 foot elevation. The down side of this spot are the winds. When the winds are down, it is very nice at Hole-in-the-Wall. When it is windy it is impossible to image or observe. The daytime temperatures here are comfortable even when it is scorching hot in the low desert. Another less used campground named Mid-Hills Campground is located another 10 miles to the north and is at approximately 5,500 feet in elevation. Access to the Mid-Hills Campground is by gravel roads and is not recommended for RVs or trailers.
Mt. Laguna, Cleveland National Forest, San Diego County, California
Although only about 60 minutes from San Diego, Mt. Laguna is an excellent site for imaging because of the steady seeing. The altitude is 5,500 feet and skies here are moderately dark but can get very good if a thick marine layer moves in over metropolitan San Diego.
Here is a link to the Mt. Laguna Clear Sky Clock: http://cleardarksky.com/c/MtLagOBCAkey.html?1
Jumbo Rocks Campground, Joshua Tree National Park, Riverside County, California
(33 degrees 59.542 minutes north latitude, 116 degrees 04.127 minutes west longitude)
Joshua Tree National Park is a very interesting place to visit. It is a high desert environment with unusual vegetation and spectacular scenery. The Jumbo Rocks campground is appropriately named and is situated at about 4,300 feet in elevation. This campground is only 30 miles or so as the crow flies from the Palm Springs area and less than 10 miles from Twenty-Nine Palms. However the light pollution from these areas is limited. There is no light pollution to the east and to the south. Consequently, the skies here are very dark. As with all desert sites, wind is sometimes a problem. However, on a still night this place is a great place for observing or photography. The down side is that this place is very popular and the campground is nearly always full during the more temperate times of the year. I recommend visiting during the week. On a scale of 1 to 10, I rate this site as a 10 not only because of its dark skies but for its spectacular scenery as well.
Here is a link to the Jumbo Rocks Clear Sky Clock: http://cleardarksky.com/c/JumboRocksCAkey.html?1
Vallecito County Park, Anza-Borrego Desert, San Diego County California
(32 degrees 58.557 minutes north latitude, 116 degrees 21.019 minutes west longitude)
This San Diego County campground is only open from September to May. The rest of the year is blazing hot. The elevation here is about 1,400 feet.
Grandview Campground, Inyo National Forest, California
Grandview Campground is located approximately 15 miles east of Big Pine in the White Mountains. Although the White Mountains are only about 30 miles east of the eastern Sierra Nevada, the climate could not be more different. The picture above was taken of the campground which is located at 8,400 feet. As you can see from the picture, the climate here is a desert with very little rainfall. The tree cover at the campground consists of Utah Juniper and Singleleaf Pinyon Pine. The skies at this site are the darkest I have ever seen. There are no large cities within 100 miles. Light pollution is essentially non-existent with the exception of a small light dome from the small town of Bishop to the west [and 4,000 feet below]. The down side of this site is that it is extremely dry and dusty. One does not need to worry about dew ruining an observing session here.
This area offers spectacular views of the eastern Sierra Nevada with its snow-capped peaks. A great daytime diversion is a visit to the Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest where the oldest trees are estimated to be 5,000 years old.
There is no water available in the campground. There are no camping fees, a positive. However the facilities are very primitive. However, don't be surprised if you see other astronomers as this site is known to the California astronomy community. I rate this site as a "10" for visual, film and CCD because of the dark skies.
Here is a link to the Grandview Clear Sky Clock: http://cleardarksky.com/c/GrandVCAkey.html?1
