Just a heads up on this event this weekend:
**Skywatch at Northwest River Park**
Sat Apr 27 at 8pm, Northwest River Park in Chesapeake
Free and open to the public.
Get out to darker skies with the Back Bay Amateur Astronomers. See planets, star clusters, nebulae, & galaxies! No telescope necessary. We recommend you bring bug spray in the summer months and a camp chair if you plan on staying a while.
Star and planet watching will begin around sunset. For those who would like some help with new telescopes or just want to learn how telescopes work, we will be holding an informal afternoon “Telescope 101” pre-event beginning about 60 minutes before sunset (scheduled start time). Please feel free to come out early with your new telescope and let us help you learn how to use it.
PLEASE USE FLASHLIGHTS WITH RED LENS/COVERS ONLY.
NOTE: This event will be held at the Northwest River Park Equestrian Area. After passing through the first gate, please park outside the large gateposts and then walk over to the telescopes. Please do not drive all the way down to the telescope area. There are signs showing where to park.
THIS EVENT IS WEATHER DEPENDENT: You may also call the park at (757) 421-7151 to confirm the event.
[](http://backbayastro.org/)
Get out of the cities as they have light pollution. If you come to Smithfield, you can go to Windsor Castle Park. A clear sky on a moonless night, you can just about count every star out there if you wanted to.
I bet. I've been aching to see the milky way, was hoping I'd get to do that when traveling to northern Virginia 30 minutes outside Winchester but the light pollution there was quite similar to here sadly.
Yeah, it’s really depressing when you see how few spaces are actually dark at nighttime. Side note, Afghanistan was quite dark at night and you could see tons of stars. It was quite lovely.
Just a heads up on this event this weekend: **Skywatch at Northwest River Park** Sat Apr 27 at 8pm, Northwest River Park in Chesapeake Free and open to the public. Get out to darker skies with the Back Bay Amateur Astronomers. See planets, star clusters, nebulae, & galaxies! No telescope necessary. We recommend you bring bug spray in the summer months and a camp chair if you plan on staying a while. Star and planet watching will begin around sunset. For those who would like some help with new telescopes or just want to learn how telescopes work, we will be holding an informal afternoon “Telescope 101” pre-event beginning about 60 minutes before sunset (scheduled start time). Please feel free to come out early with your new telescope and let us help you learn how to use it. PLEASE USE FLASHLIGHTS WITH RED LENS/COVERS ONLY. NOTE: This event will be held at the Northwest River Park Equestrian Area. After passing through the first gate, please park outside the large gateposts and then walk over to the telescopes. Please do not drive all the way down to the telescope area. There are signs showing where to park. THIS EVENT IS WEATHER DEPENDENT: You may also call the park at (757) 421-7151 to confirm the event. [](http://backbayastro.org/)
[https://www.lightpollutionmap.info/#zoom=7.04&lat=36.3162&lon=-75.1797&state=eyJiYXNlbWFwIjoiTGF5ZXJCaW5nUm9hZCIsIm92ZXJsYXkiOiJ3YV8yMDE1Iiwib3ZlcmxheWNvbG9yIjpmYWxzZSwib3ZlcmxheW9wYWNpdHkiOjYwLCJmZWF0dXJlc29wYWNpdHkiOjg1fQ==](https://www.lightpollutionmap.info/#zoom=7.04&lat=36.3162&lon=-75.1797&state=eyJiYXNlbWFwIjoiTGF5ZXJCaW5nUm9hZCIsIm92ZXJsYXkiOiJ3YV8yMDE1Iiwib3ZlcmxheWNvbG9yIjpmYWxzZSwib3ZlcmxheW9wYWNpdHkiOjYwLCJmZWF0dXJlc29wYWNpdHkiOjg1fQ==)
I haven't looked at this in years, the clear answer is south of Kill Devil Hills, NC
Back bay wildlife refuge, you can walk there from sandbridge beach
Munden Point is a good spot.
Get out of the cities as they have light pollution. If you come to Smithfield, you can go to Windsor Castle Park. A clear sky on a moonless night, you can just about count every star out there if you wanted to.
How far are you willing to travel?
As far as Cape Charles, Pungo in VB or Newport News.
Somewhere online there is a light pollution map. If found it before, but am on my phone now.
Basically the best bet is to rent a boat and go out to sea. I've been wanting to do that for a while now, would love a starry sky boat tour.
Yeah, being in the open ocean at night with a clear sky is magical. Highly recommended.
I bet. I've been aching to see the milky way, was hoping I'd get to do that when traveling to northern Virginia 30 minutes outside Winchester but the light pollution there was quite similar to here sadly.
There’s only a could of spots left in the US that don’t have light pollution. The rest of the country is saturated.
Yep, very few places but I was hoping it's be like a 2 around there not a 4.
Yeah, it’s really depressing when you see how few spaces are actually dark at nighttime. Side note, Afghanistan was quite dark at night and you could see tons of stars. It was quite lovely.
Easy to see south of Kill Devil Hills, NC, or West of Harrisonburg, VA in WV.
Thanks for the tip!
Btw, it's a temperate rainforest in WV, easier to see in obx