Any Island Observing Parties?

[Fred Ley]

I was curious if there are any major star parties on any islands out in the middle of nowhere. Since most cities in Greece are in close proximity to light pollution, an island environment would be an ideal place to observe from. Basically a short drive out of an island town or city and once those eyes get dark adapted, behold the universe is laid out before us.

 

-Fred

[Tsaprazi]

Λογικά έτσι πρέπει να γίνεται, αλλά εφόσον δεν υπάρχουν κάτοικοι σε απομακρυσμένα νησιά, μόνο πολύ

"κολλημένοι" με το hobby θα πήγαιναν σε βραχονησίδες για να αστροπαρατηρήσουν. Είναι καλή

ιδέα ωστόσο να ιδρυθούν σύλλογοι (στην ηπειρωτική Ελλάδα για πρακτικούς λόγους) μακριά από τα

φώτα των πόλεων, σε κάποιο κοινό σημείο, ώστε να μπορούν να συμμετέχουν οι περισσότεροι.

Παραδείγματος χάριν, σε ένα σημείο ανάμεσα στην πρωτεύουσα και στη συμπρωτεύουσα. Αν κι έτσι όπως

ήρθαν τα πράγματα, οι περισσότεροι που κάνουν εξορμήσεις δεν ανήκουν σε συλλόγους, οπότε, ένας

σύλλογος θα χρησίμευε καθαρά και μόνο για τυπικούς σκοπούς ίσως.

[kkokkolis]

You don't have to go far. I was in Spetses island last summer, which is very cosmopolitan and nearby continental Greece, but it has very few cars and no big roads. The sky was fantastic. I remember the same for many other islands, particularly in their mountains. Samos, Andros, Naxos have lots of tourism on the seaside, but they also have tall, dark, bold mountains. Kea, Kythnos and dozens of smaller islands have very dark places. But amateur astronomers should go there during the Autumn or Spring, to find peace, cheaper accommodation, peace and darker sites, I believe.

[Fred Ley]

I havn't been to Spetses in years, first time there was in 1968 and the last time I was there was in 1977. The only place in Attica that is suitable for observing, that I have discovered, is at Rhamnous. The Eastern sky in 1995 was nice and dark. Of course if you looked to the west, you were blinded by the light pollution of Attica. I find Mt. Kitheron to not be very good due to the light pollutiuon from the greater Athens area.

 

The best area that I know thus far is in the middle of the Peloponnese. Looking through a 16-inch Dobsonian with a 24mm wide Field eyepiece, the Horsehead Nebula looked as bright as M42. Also, looking at galaxies was interesting. Expecting to see three galaxies I ended up seeing quite a few more. All this with no filters of any kind.

 

Actually, the creation of a group that could purchase and maintain a true "dark sky" site, perhaps with a donation of land usage from the government, and maintained by a membership amongst us amateurs would go a long way in bolstering and maintaining an interest in astronomy among individuals. One would have a place to go anytime that one would want to go when the observing bug bites.

 

Having a building to shelter people, electricity could be brought in or provided by a large generator, small observing pads could be constructed too. It is just an idea, but it may be possible to bring it fruition, just the rounding up of persons that would be willing to roll up their sleeves and get to work. I would be willing to help to the best of my ability.

So, any takers?

 

Fred