Stargazing in US.

[BarbLahey]

Is anyone on this site from the USA? Does anyone know of where the best darkest place in America is to view the night sky ?

[HCR32 (Peter)]

Dark sites are all over the place, with travel time as you would expect! Quality seeing and stability would be found in the South eastern states and a little inland from what Ive been told.

[BPO]

Originally Posted by BarbLahey

Does anyone know of where the best darkest place in America is to view the night sky ?

Mauna Kea. Alaska.

As far the other States of the Union go, the only reliable choices are the desert SW: Arizona, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah, and Baja California.

Florida often has steady skies, but the humidity is always very high, and cloud is common, as are vampire-like bugs.

[barx1963 (Malcolm)]

I can attest to the superb quality of the sky at Mauna Kea. Even 5000ft below the summit it is brilliant.

[OICURMT]

A *LOT* of place in the USA have dark skies (contrary to popular belief). Mainly West of the Mississippi River...

The following may help:

http://www.darksky.org/DSDestinations

http://cleardarksky.com/csk/

http://www.blue-marble.de/nightlights/2010

[BPO]

Originally Posted by OICURMT

A *LOT* of place in the USA have dark skies (contrary to popular belief).

It's not that people don't know that much of the Continental USA is lightly populated. It's that most people know where the clear skies are regularly to be found.

[JerryL (Jerry)]

If you are in Lincoln Nebraska you are close to some of the darkest skies in the US. Look up the Nebraska Star Party. There are also lots of dark areas south in Kansas. If you are up for a drive look up the Oki-Tex star party - it was last month unfortunately but I think it's one of the best spots in the U.S. I'd love to hear where you end up.

Good luck,
j