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Dark-Sky Sites:

Idaho

 

 

 

 

Sites:

Town:  Arco

Observing Site:  Craters of the Moon National Monument   

Address:  P.O. Box 29

Zip: 83213

Phone:  (208) 527-3257

URL: http://www.nps.gov/crmo

Restrictions:  A Federal Park.  Entrance fees are vehicle: $4, Individual: $2.  Camping: $10

Directions:  Craters of the Moon is located on Highway 24 between Arco and Carey.  Follow the signs into the Monument.   Click here to create a map using Mapquest.

Current weather:   Click for Arco, Idaho Forecast

Sky Conditions:

 

Typical naked-eye magnitude limit on a clear, moonless night:

     At the zenith:

6+

     East:

6+

     West:

6+

     North:

6+

     South:

6+

 

Best Horizon is to the East.  There are no bad horizons.

Comments from contributor:  Craters of the Moon is high elevation, desert climate, low humidity, and FAR AWAY from any city of any kind.  The closest town is Arco (pop 2000) 18 miles away.   Pocatello (pop 50,000) is 110 miles away.  Few towns, if any, lie in between.  The best observing site is in the Caves area, about five miles inside the park.  Easy to find and the Rangers can direct you.  Little or no tree obstruction since Craters of the Moon is a huge volcanic field.

The Magic Valley Astronomical Society and the Idaho Falls Astronomical Society sponsor a star party there the weekend of the new moon in June and September. Dates and other information can be found at http://www.mvas.net/members/Craters_of_the_Moon/index.html.

Errors in this listing?  Click here to submit corrections.

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Town: Mountain Home

Observing site: Bruneau Dunes State Park                   

Address: HC 85, Box 41

Zip Code: 83647

Telephone number: (208) 366-7919 (ask for Rich)

URL: 

Restrictions: ID state park pass or daily entrance fee for each car. Camping fees if you stay overnight. Public access Friday and Saturday, groups by special appointment Thursday, Sunday-Wednesday Boise Astronomical Society members only, reservations required.

Directions:

  • From West of Mountain Home

Exit I-84,US-30 via ramp at sign reading "Exit 95 US-20 to Mountain Home / Fairfield" and go southeast for 0.3 miles. Turn right on ID-51 and go south for 22 miles. Turn left on Hot Springs Rd. and go southeast for 8 miles. Turn left on Clover Three Creek Rd and go southeast for 24 miles. Turn right and go south for 1.7 miles.  The Observatory Building  is located in the picnic area, ¼ mile past the campground.

  • From East of Hammett:

Exit I-84 via ramp at sign reading "Exit 114 I-84-BL to Cold Spring Rd. /Hammett and ID-78 and go northwest for 0.3 miles. Turn left on I-84-BL and go west for 2.1 miles. Turn left on ID-78 and go west for 16 miles. Turn left on ID-51 and go southwest for 22 miles. Turn right and go west for 1.3 miles.  The Observatory Building is located in the picnic area, ¼ mile past the campground.  Click here to create a map using Mapquest.

Current weather:   Click for Mountain Home, Idaho Forecast

How are the sky conditions? A little sky glow in the North, Over 100 miles to the next town in the south, even further west.

Typical naked-eye magnitude limit on a clear, moonless night: The contributor didn’t know for sure, but stated that he has seen M33 in Triangulum naked eye. From that, naked-eye limiting magnitude must be at least 6.5

Best horizon: South

Worst horizon: North, glow 30 degrees

Comments: The Boise Astronomical Society usually holds one or two shows of an astronomical program on Friday and Saturday night. The observatory is open to the public and quite crowded early on. We often stay open all night for hard-core observers. Telescopes include a 25" Obsession, two 10" Orion Dobsonians, an 11" Celestron Schmidt-Cassegrain, 8" Celestron Schmidt-Cassegrain, 4" Unitron refractor, 5" Celestron Schmidt-Cassegrain, and Big Eyes Naval binoculars.

Errors in this listing?  Click here to submit corrections.

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