Looking For a Place to Go!
by Chater Member Michael Marlow

When considering observing sites many factors come into play. The first thing to come to most amateur astronomers minds is to search for a dark sky with little light pollution. Anyone who has tried backyard observing here in the Las Vegas valley can attest to the value of this. If we look at a light pollution chart we find that getting to a true dark sky from Las Vegas can involve a trip of one hundred miles or more, this can play against the need for a site to be close enough to home to make it convenient. Next if we look to the great observatories of the world we find another important factor, altitude. I have found getting above the thick air that so often compromises seeing to be equally if not more important than a completely light pollution free sky. As many are not willing or able to travel off road, paved or well graded access roads are also important.

With these factors in mind I have set out on a quest for the best observing sites around the Las Vegas area. As I find new and interesting sites I will review them here so you may try them out and perhaps we can add them to our list of ASNLV sites.

This month I am reviewing a site that has become one of my summertime favorites. It located on the back side of Mt. Charleston at approximately 5000ft. of altitude on the Lovell Canyon road. This makes it about 20 degrees cooler than it is in the valley making a sweatshirt or light jacket advisable even in mid-summer. To get there take the 215 beltway to the Rainbow exit and turn south, the first traffic light you come to will be Blue Diamond Rd. also known as state route 160. Take a right here heading west toward Pahrump. Follow this route past the Blue Diamond turn-off and over Mountain Springs Summit 19 miles to Lovell Canyon Rd. on the right. This road, State Route 537, is paved but narrow, it slowly climbs back up into the pinyon juniper forest. Continue on this road 4 miles, where the road turns sharply to the right. At this point you will notice a dirt road leading off to the left, this is where I often set up. It is a area suitable for one or two scopes and has very good horizons. For the next 1.4 miles the paved road heads down a steep winding canyon at the bottom of which there is a large graded area to the left, this spot would be suitable for star party size groups although a mountain to the west blocks about 30 degrees of the western horizon and to the east another covers about 20 degrees. This mountain does a good job of blocking the glow of Las Vegas. Although both these sites are right next to the access road on seven different nights at this site I have had a total of five cars pass by, so the headlights of passing traffic is not a major problem.

My first time assessing this sight I noticed the famous Luxor light pointing over the mountains to the east, yet after letting my eyes acclimate I could detect the faint fuzz of M31 with the naked eye, a sure sign that although still within 30 miles of Las Vegas, light pollution was not going to be a major factor.

Another nice feature of this sight can be found another 2-3 miles up this road. Here you are into the pinyon and juniper trees, with many nice picnic and camping sites off to the side of the road. In summer daytime highs are usually in the mid 80's with nighttime lows dropping into the 60's making for a comfortable break from the heat we deal with all summer long. This makes the area great for an afternoon picnic followed by a night of observing.

That’s it for this month I hope you can get out and try this area. If you do, let me know what you think. Until then may you have dark skies and good seeing!