I need a new Dark Sky site for my meteor shower party, please help me.

[scubadude]

For 34 years I threw a party at the peak of the Perseids meteor shower. My parents had a farmhouse out in rural Grant Park Illionis, about 65 miles southwest of Chicago and the night sky was great there. Both my folks have passed away now and the farm has been sold, so I need to find a new spot to hold the party at. If it's a good fit maybe that spot would last another 35 years, if I do too. There were a few DU'ers at at least one of these parties. Sometimes I'd have ten people and other times I'd get over a hundred. I remember my now 20 year old sons first recognition at the age of about 2 of a meteor as I held him in my arms. That was simply magic.

Here's what I need, a dark sky site as close to Chicago as possible. It's got to be really dark though and I figure the closest spot would have to be in Wisconsin somewhere between Washington Island and the Porkies on through the Apostle Islands down to duluth.

We'd need a mown hay field of approximately 2 acres. Folks would camp out and view there, and I would set up tarp tents and a food tent if it rained and turned into just an overnight camping party. I would supply a porta potty and set up a cleaning station adjascent to it.

It would be nice if we could build a bonfire, which of course we would clean up. I'd try to keep this as minimal impact as possible, but would like to play music through my car stereo. The party would probably be less than ten people, and a dog, our Pomeranian, the sweetest girl dog on the planet.

That's the mission, find me a spot to throw my 36th Perseid Meteor Shower Party at. Please k&R this post for me. It's life depends on you. Can any of you help me find a spot, or have any ideas on how I should proceed with that goal in mind.

I really appreciate it,

Scuba

[ashling]

1. When are the Perseids, I forgot

I'm sorry I can't help you. We live in north Texas, which I fear is a little bit too far south of Chicago.

We used to have a place like that out in Central Texas, but we sold it several years ago. I am planning to go to a park up on the Trinity river near here, or camp out at the Lake.

I wish you luck. :)

[cherokeeprogressive]

2. The morning of August 12th, meaning after midnight on August 11th.

The Leonids are better in my opinion.

[scubadude]

6. Some years they beat the Perseids hands down.

Other years they don't. The years around the 33 year cycle are amazing. It wont happen for about 20 more years though.

Ever hear that song by John Denver, Rocky Mountain High? I've seen it rainging fire in the sky.... That's the Leonids or the Perseids he's talking about. Yeah, I wish I could be there with you watching the sky in the mountains.

Scuba

[scubadude]

4. The Perseids peak on August 12th this year.

Unfortunately they peak in the late moring so viewing is best after ten pm on Tuesday the 11th. The moon rises at around midnight and that doesn't help either.

However, there are 3 lesser showers that occur later in the year that will rock!

The Orionids peak on October 21-22 and there is almost no moon factor.
The Leonids peak on November 17-18 and there is no moon factor.
The Geminids peak on December 13-14 and again there is no moon factor.

Each of these showers has different types of meteors that have their own characteristics. For instance the Orionids like to fragment, or blow up! They are green and very fast moving. The Geminids are much slower, whitish or yellow in color, and tend to meander around a bit as they fly through the sky. The Leonids peak every 33 years and the last one I saw in the everglade was a fireball extravaganza! This year they will be much more sedate, but still good.

Anyway thanks for your thoughts and hopefully my info will help you guys out!

Scuba

[cherokeeprogressive]

3. Wow 34 years, that's AWESOME! I wish I could help.

Me, I live at 6800 feet and there isn't a streetlight for at least a quarter of a mile. Would that I could help you, but I do want to compare the experience between what it looks like in the midwest as opposed to the west coast.

Best of luck to you self-contained underwater breathing apparatus man. I hope you find the place that makes for the best experience.

Let's share our experiences afterward.

[scubadude]

5. Can do. I would suggest you check out the showers I mention in the thread.

I added some that will be much better than the Perseids.

I have seen hundreds of thousands of meteors, yet never once have I seen one I felt hit the ground. That is what I'm holding out for!

Best,
Scuba

[cherokeeprogressive]

7. I once read an account of the Leonids from I believe 1866. The author

wrote that it looked like it was snowing fireflies. The light coming in the window actually woke him up. I wish I could remember where I read that...

I can't claim hundreds of thousands, but I was a sailor on an aircraft carrier and saw hundreds if not thousands of meteors while at sea. Last year, The Ms. and I were sitting in the hot tub on our back deck and saw a meteor that went from the roof of our house on the left, and disappeared in the trees on our right after being in the sky for over four seconds. If you were to look up while holding your arms out to your sides, that's how far across the sky it travelled. I'm sure it hit the ground somewhere between L.A. and the Colorado River.

[scubadude]

9. If I'm pictureing it correctly that would have been a very large meteor indeed.

I have the advantage of seeing the last 2 outbreaks of the Leonids. There were dozens of meteors in the sky each minute. The one I saw in the glades was a fireball storm. Dozens of fireballs, not a single one of which was as long lasting as the meteor you described. Their trails were long lasting though, with one lasting somewhere around 20 minutes.

Tack all those onto 35 plus years of being an astronomy buff holding parties expressly geared towards looking for meteors on the best nights for it. Maybe tens of thousands is where the count should be. I'm not sure. I do enjoy it though. After all, they are the stuff we are made of.

Scuba

[lumberjack_jeff]

8. I know the ultimate location

On the pacific coast, 7 miles from the nearest electric light. 50 miles from the nearest thing that could be called a city. The bad thing is that it's usually cloudy.

[scubadude]

10. That sounds like a cool spot. Maybe on a mountain above the clouds?

If I were you I'd give it a try.

I'm looking for something drivable for Chicagoan's though. I'll drive 6 to 8 hours.

Best,
Scuba

[elehhhhna]

11. Iron Mountian Michigan, in the UP, way up hwy 141...

My inlaws are in Pembine, WI, just a few miles south of there. It's dark dark dark -- NO ambient light. Anywhere up there would work.

[elehhhhna]

12. way north on 7 mile beach on Grand Cayman's good, too.

[lumberjack_jeff]

13. No. Unfortunately for sky observations it's at sea level. n/t

[Vincardog]

14. PM me if you want to come to NW Iowa. I have access to a few hundred rural farm acres

[bananas]

15. What is "Astro Acres"?

I just took a quick look at the http://www.cleardarksky.com/cgi-bin/find_chart.py?Mn=science&type=wmap&radius=120&unit=1&disp=text&title=Charts+within+120mi+of+Chicago&olat=41.85&olong=-87.65">sites within 120 miles of Chicago at cleardarksky.com, there's a place called "Astro Acres" 68 miles south of Chicago.

[scubadude]

22. I've done a bit of searching.

It turns out that Astro Acres is a private viewing site about 25 miles southeast of where our farm was.

It doesn't look good however: http://www.starparty.info/

The unfortunate truth is that even had our farm still been there, the night sky was gradually getting worse. At the beginning, the sky was velvety black, and you could count hundreds of meteors per night, sometimes per hour. The south suburbs was invading our skies. Near the end you were lucky if you could get 40 or 50 per night. Progress marches on.

Scuba

[truedelphi]

16. What a great project.

Heart warming to see someone carryout a mission for over thirty years.

here is hoping you find a new spot.

:toast:

[blaze]

17. Agreed!

And just kicking to help the OP. :hi:

[scubadude]

21. Thank you,

It's been a very interesting and rewarding past time.

I have seen meteors do absolutely amazing things. One memorable event was when a Perseid streaked from the north and a sporadic crossed it at the exact same time, forming a perfect Christian cross in the sky. I'm personally not overly religious, but I could see some calling that one miraculous. The best part was there were probably 60 or so people there with me at that very moment.

There were other miraculous events. Once a friends father came out with a great telescope. I noticed a tattoo on his arm. Maybe about 7 or 8 small numbers tattooed on his forearm. I asked him about it and he said he got it at Auschwitz. His most famous picture graced a cover of a famous magazine from the 1960's. I don't remember for sure but it was Look or Live or Time, one of the big ones. It was a picture of the full moon and the article was about the upcoming Apollo landing.

Magic happened at that party. I'm sad it can't go on at my families farmhouse. My mom was a saint and a very gracious host.

Scuba

[slampoet]

18. Take a boat out into Lake Michigan. That is THE shortest route.

However not very easy to do for most.


But ANYWHERE North of the city of Cadillac in Michigan is a good bet. I grew up north of there and Never lost sight of the Milky Way in all its glory.

[scubadude]

23. Thank you for the info, I'll check the area out.

Scuba

[DKRC]

19. K&R nt

[ChimpersMcSmirkers]

20. Here's a light pollution map for the Chicago area

And one of the midwest


You're really going to have to a long way to get to a blue area(which would be very good). It looks like the closest one to Chicago is that island of blue near Gays Mill, WI.

Here's a link to the map legend(bortle scale)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bortle_Dark-Sky_Scale

Generally, you want to get out to at least the yellow/green areas for reasonable night sky viewing. I'd go out to at least the green areas myself if I was hosting a party.

Here's a link to a forum post on a very good astronomy site to the google earth kmz file that you can download and scope out yourself.
http://www.cloudynights.com/ubbthreads/showflat.php/Cat/0/Number/2214175/Main/1854915

Good luck!