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Stargazing; where the dark skies are

Just received an alert from my Clear Sky Clock, letting me know that skies will be clear enough tonight in the Baltimore area some fine stargazing.

If you're looking for a good place to go, within reasonable driving distance of Baltimore, for some reasonably dark skies and decent stargazing, consider this map. It shows where the worst urban light pollution is, and isn't. You can click on the Google Earth overlay feature for a more detailed map. Good luck.

If you're into this stuff, consider the Clear Sky Clock. You can use it to email you an alert when skies in your location look clear enough for stargazing. Works for me.

While we're on the subject, be sure to visit the new Science Matters blog for some marvelous photos of Comet 8P/Tuttle, which just slid past the M33 spiral galaxy this week.

Posted by Frank Roylance on January 2, 2008 3:10 PM |
                    

Comments

Hi Frank, just getting the word out about the Quadrantid meteor shower; it is supposed to peak in the predawn hours of Jan 4th.

Posted by: MikeinCrofton | January 3, 2008 1:02 PM

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About the blogger
Frank Roylance is a reporter for The Baltimore Sun. He came to Baltimore from New Bedford, Mass. in 1980 to join the old Evening Sun. He moved to the morning Sun when the papers merged in 1993, and has spent most of his time since covering science, including astronomy and the weather. One of The Baltimore Sun's first online Web logs, the Weather Blog debuted in October 2004. In June 2006 Frank also began writing comments on local weather and stargazing for The Baltimore Sun's print Weather Page.
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