I'm considering buying a telescope but I don't know where to go for best viewing and maybe getting into taking pics with the telescope. The only thing between me and buying one is knowing where to go, that is, if I have to drive 45 minutes to the nearest place I'm not likely to do it very often. Suggestions? Experiences?

1/3/2010 9:44:08 PM

Too much light pollution in Raleigh but 30 minutes into the sticks you can get pretty good skies.

1/4/2010 2:11:33 AM

http://www.jshine.net/astronomy/dark_sky/index.php?lat=35.833401703805094&lng=-78.7005615234375&zoom=9&pollution=true&selected_id=470

Light pollution map that you can look at to see how far away you are from decent areas.

1/4/2010 7:37:06 AM

Just go to the Three College observatory.

Really BIG telescope.

1/4/2010 8:24:29 AM

the only place inside 2 hours from raleigh/durham is up near kerr lake... still got some residual glow (gotten much worse over the last 10 years) you used to be able to see the milkyway and such from there, it was sweet

1/4/2010 9:33:30 AM

you can see the milky way on a clear night in bumfuck nash county and bumfuck halifax county

1/4/2010 1:55:00 PM

I think the key to success is you need to be in bumfuck nowhere

1/4/2010 10:24:12 PM

Yuo are fucked in pretty much the entire state of Ohio.

1/4/2010 10:33:11 PM

top of the mountain/hill in Governor's Club outside Chapel Hill/Pittsboro. it's a gated neighborhood though so you'd have to know somebody to get in.

1/5/2010 11:35:44 AM