Albuquerque Astronomy

Beginning astronomers that live near Albuquerque New Mexico have some wonderful advantages.  Some of these great opportunities are as follows:

• New Mexico skies. 
  
• New Mexico has less light pollution than many areas of North America or Europe.  Chaco canyon observatory is one of the darkest areas anywhere.
• New Mexico has good observing sites located at 5000 to 9000 feet elevation.
• The air here is DRY.  Transparency and seeing are sometimes superb.
• Cloudless days and nights, with the exception of the monsoon season each summer.
  
• TAAS, (The Albuquerque Astronomical Society) my local Astronomy club, is one of the best.  Link to TAAS.  Just a few of it's advantages are:
• Great monthly meetings.  Last night we had a speaker from NASA who spoke on just a few of the discoveries made by the Hubble Space Telescope.
• Active ATM group.  This group has been going since the mid 90's.
• Good outreach group.  Once a month, TAAS will generally be out giving star parties to the kids at some school or another.
  
• GNTO observatory.  This is a world class observatory.  Go to the TAAS web site, and click on the link to GNTO.  Join the club, and come see it!
• Ongoing Messier Special Interest Group.  This is a GREAT way to learn the night skies and meet other people who are also learning about Astronomy.  And, Dee is going a great job as mentor of this group!
  
• We are a reasonable drive from the following:
• Chaco Canyon.  This National Historical Park, with exquisite dark skies, hosts a 25" telescope.  Chaco Night Sky Program
  
• The VLA (Very Large Array), also known as the NRAO (National Radio Astronomy Observatory).  This is one of the 3 most important telescopes of ALL time.  National Radio Astronomy Observatory Home
  
• The future site of the Magdalena Ridge Observatory.  This 10 telescope interferometer is currently under construction.  Magdalena Ridge Observatory Home
  
• University of New Mexico and New Mexico Tech Astronomy and Astrophysics groups.
• Lowell Observatory, Flagstaff Arizona. 

New Mexico Observing Sites

• GNTO (See TAAS above)
• Light pollution score: GREEN.  Light pollution is almost all to the north.
  
• Seeing: Generally good, occasionally very good.  This site was chosen for good seeing.
  
• Transparency: Generally good.
• Altitude: about 4500 feet.
  
• Access: Dirt road.  Contact TAAS for details.
• Amenities: pit toilet, warming room, 16" observatory.  110v power. 
  
• Time from Albuquerque: 1 hour.
• More info:  TAAS Website
• Clear sky clock for GNTO
  

• Datil Wells
• Light pollution score: DARK BLACK.  No light domes at all.  Possible subtle slight brightening on the north east horizon from Albuquerque.
  
• Seeing: My experience has been good, and fair.
• Transparency - Unbelievably fabulous.  I saw the horsehead with direct vision, narrow band filter, on DS-3 (a 12" dob).  Stars were casting shadows.  Mars was the brightest light within sight, and was TOO bright.  The Milky Way was overwhelming, with great detail in the dust clouds.  Cassiopeia was hard to find among all of the bright stars.
  
• Altitude: about 7500 feet.  May snow in winter, but spring and fall are probably fine.
  
• Access: Paved road.  This site is about 20 minutes west of the VLA.
• Amenities: pit toilet, 10 or so campgrounds, 4 or so miles of hikes, juniper/pinion forest.  Near the town of Datil (one major building - restaurant/bar/gas/hardware store/ grocery/restroom).
  
• Time from Albuquerque: 2.5 to 3 hours.
• More info: Datil Wells, BLM
• Clear sky clock for Pie Town (closest point to Datil):