StarGazing 101 - Observing

Stargazing 101 is dedicated to the promotion and facilitation of visual observing.

Sign up to our KW-observers list for the who is going out where emails.

Locations:

Monkton and other Local Observing Sites

The Monkton site is a good dark site with excellent horizons. At about 50Km from Kitchener-Waterloo it is located at the end of a dead end road. This map also shows some other good sites too.

Map to Boyd's Lane

In 2005, a number of us started to observe from a site just north of Crosshill on a 'very' quiet gravel road called Boyd's Lane.

Tim's Observing Sites

Some of Tim's Dark Sky Observing Sites and Good Food & Drink.

Tips:

Tim provided these general tips for observing:

Safety tips:

1. Don't put yourself at risk.
2. Avoid precarious perches, bridges, docks, cliffs.
3. Watch out for traffic.
4. Beware of bulls.
5. Take a friend.
6. How far away is help?
7. Don't get stuck.
8. Don't count on cell phone coverage.
9. Tell someone where you are going.

Legality:

1. Don't trepass.
2. Ask for permission.
3. Public places.
4. Be courteous, i.e. parking lots, trails, summer roads.

Darker the Better:

1. Away from cities and towns.
2. 20-30 km radius is great.
3. Away from outdoor lighting.

Big Horizon:

1. Seek out large flat fields.
2. Away from trees, buildings, towers.
3. Allows extended viewing season esp. south and west.