[Friends_of_SSASTROS] Your Help is Needed to Give This Thread Life

Wed Sep 13 13:19:42 EDT 2023

Two sites in Hull come to mind as far as a low western horizon.  Pemberton
Point at the extreme western point of the peninsula has a low horizon from
due west northward to about NNW, including the Boston skyline, so you can
see behind which building(s) the Sun, Moon and planets set between the
spring and fall equinoxes.  Another advantage is a large gravel parking
area and spaces along the fence surrounding the sports field.  Drawbacks
include stadium lights around the field that are usually on (but don't
hamper west viewing too much), and a large island hill about 7 degrees high
south of west.

      The second site in Hull is nearly under the WBZ Radio transmission
towers at the levee if you take Revere Street westward off Nantasket Ave
(the main road running the length of Hull) and look for the stacks of red
aircraft warning lights on the towers.  At the shoreline you will see a
seawall too tall to look over from in a car.  Facing the wall is enough
space for several cars lit by a single street light.  Looking south toward
the WBZ towers, is a short path to the levee (a short vehicle-free road.
Advantages here are a lower west horizon nearly south to north, farther
from Boston, and darker skies.  Drawbacks are less parking space and
mosquitos (long sleeves, pants and bug spray).  I have had good success
spotting setting planets and the Moon here.

     I hope these suggestions are helpful.

Vernon.

On Wed, Sep 13, 2023 at 11:53 AM Mike McCabe <cartech2000 at yahoo.com> wrote:

> Greetings Members and Friends of the SSAStros,
>
> This particular email has a purpose, and that purpose is to help build a
> database of sorts of favorable local locations that offer low western
> horizon sky viewing opportunities.
>
> In case you haven't noticed, there are frequently events in the sky that
> to be seen by us need to be viewed very close to a low horizon. Most of us
> don't have access to very low horizons from the places that we live, so we
> often get in our cars and travel to locations that will meet our needs.
> While I can easily tell you where to go in my area, if I happen to be
> outside of the area I'm probably at a loss, at least in an immediate sense
> as to where to go. If we all give up our "secret spots", we might help each
> other catch more of the spectacular things that go on the sky all the time.
>
> At this point you might be questioning my sanity for only focusing on the
> views to the west, and while questioning my sanity is fair I would add that
> for most of us if we really need a low eastern horizon we can just head for
> the shoreline. It's usually not that simple for western views. I mean we do
> have the Rocky Mountains out there and everything, so how do we look low to
> the west? That's what I want to answer in this thread.
>
> [image: Inline image]
> *Here's a prime example of what I'm talking about. This coming Saturday,
> the 16th, if that foolish Edward will take his leave we may get the
> opportunity to view a slender 3% waxing crescent Moon pairing up with the
> planet Mars and the apparition that never stops giving. But only if you can
> see WAY down low, like down to less than 3° or lower. I cannot do that from
> my yard, and probably neither can you.*
>
>
> *[image: Inline image]One of my favorite low western horizon haunts is
> Lake Nippenicket in Bridgewater. It's insanely picturesque, offers views
> down to about 1°, is a favorite of local sunset seekers nearly every day of
> the year, and is easy to get to. I'm here many times a year for various
> things that happen in the sky.*
>
>
> *[image: Inline image]"The Nip", as the locals call it, is conveniently
> located immediately off of Rte. 24 south, just a couple of hundred yards
> from the highway off ramp. Easy for you maybe, but I live as far away
> across town as one can get and still be in the town. It takes me 20 minutes
> + to get there, but it's usually worth the drive.*
>
>
> *[image: Inline image]Much closer to me but a bit more bland as scenery
> goes are the Pine St. Bogs in Halifax. Super convenient at just 5 minutes
> from my house, this location offers an even lower horizon than the Nip when
> the skies are clear. It doesn't have nearly the parking capacity of the
> Nip, but nor does it attract as many visitors. Just mainly fisherman who
> are fond of the irrigation pond but couldn't care less about the horizons.*
>
>
> *[image: Inline image]You can find Pine St. in Halifax off of either Rte.
> 106 or Rte. 105, but at the moment they're replacing a bridge on the street
> so only 106 works for accessing the bog road.*
>
> There, see how this works? I just shared with you two very good sites for
> seeing things that might be happening very low in the western sky. Now it's
> your turn to help out fellow club members and share with everyone your
> sites for doing the same. I know you have 'em, and if you don't give them
> up voluntarily we have our ways. Don't make us use them!  [image: Emoji]
>
> Keep Looking Low!
>
> Sincerely,
>
> Mike McCabe
>
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