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1.
Looking Southwest down Red Hill Road. The truck is at the offloading
area with the setup area to the right. This road gets washboardy. It also gets very muddy after rains. It is quite
dusty during the summer, covering your shoes in red dirt. If it
weren't for occasional dirt bikers running up and down the road, this
would be an excellent location. Our best location for now. |
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2.
Looking Northeast. Large scopes have to slide or roll beneath
the pipe rail fence which is about 3.5 feet high. Note the pile of
rocks at the base of one fence post. Kent Wallace and other
astronomers successfully roll their 18" and 20" Dobsonian scopes beneath
the rail, so the area is very usable for telescope work. Bear in
mind this is a remote location. |
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3. Looking West Southwest. |
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4.
Looking West at Black Mountain in the far background. |
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5.
Looking Northwest at the telescope setup area. The pile of rocks
around the fence post identifies our telescope area, which is about 0.2
mile from Hwy 58. |
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6.
Looking North at the telescope setup area. A wide-brimmed hat is
sitting in the center of the telescope setup area. |
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7.
Looking Southeast. |
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8.
Looking South. |
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9.
Looking West. Five or more scopes can easily setup in this area. |
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10.
Looking Southeast. Note the area on the backside, other side of the
road in between the trees. That is an alternate telescope setup area
which is just a little further away from the road, which sometimes may be
a better location if the breeze is blowing from the South or Southeast (to
keep the road dust from blowing over the telescope area. See the
next photos. |
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11.
Looking Southeast at the access to the alternate, south side setup
area. One advantage to this location is that there is a removable
section of fence rail nearby. But, the trek to the setup area is a
little further than the north side scope area. But, then it is also
a little quieter (being further away from the road). |
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12.
Looking South at the alternate, south side scope setup area. |
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13.
Looking West at Black Mountain. Note the tiny (really big) radar
dome on top of the mountain. That is the only light visible from
Navajo Flats ... a red light ... which is perfect as an object for initial
alignment of your telescope optics. |
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14.
Looking Southeast at the dry, brushy countryside. This is
rattlesnake country in the hot summer months, but we have never had a
report of a snake sighting. All in all, we are extremely
fortunate to have such open, dark-sky area somewhat nearby to San Luis
Obispo County residents. Sure beats driving for three or four hours
one-way. Glad to have it. |
