Quote:
Originally Posted by glend
Well I moved out of Sydney seven years ago to Lake Macquarie, and it has been a great dark site within easy drive back to Sydney if you need to get there. Unfortunately, light pollution is intruding now, particularly the Newcastle direction, but i still get over 20.8 on the SQM meter on good nights. It is certainly much darker than the Mangrove Mtn Pony Club, and the central coast to the south.To the east out over the Lake, and west towards the Watagans is very dark, so since everything rises in the East I can't complain. If I am imaging an object low in the sky towards Newcastle (like the Rosette), I will use broadband short subs or narrowband as a preference.
One thing to consider in picking your location, and you might laugh now, but it has saved my life - time to treatment; in other words, where is the nearest hospital as you will need one eventually; I recommend staying within ten to fifteen minutes by ambulance (in speed mode) to the nearest ED hospital (in my case that was Wyong). Also consider distance to shops, GPS, dentists, etc it gets old pretty quick when you have to drive an hour or more to get to a Bunnings.
That is why my location is so good, still reasonably dark, back yard observatory, on the bush so no lights, but easy access to health care and facilities - a good compromise.
Good luck.
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Glen amenities are something I am thinking of and I work in medical so i know that much
. Getting harder to find a dark area anywhere reasonable now thats not totally remote .