As you may have heard, the Leonid Meteor Shower occurs this weekend. They’re saying this is the best showing in thirty or show years. I want to know where there is a good place to view this shower. I’m guessing I’d have to head out to the western counties of Virginia or Maryland (or possibly the West Virginia panhandle) to escape the city lights. Where would be a good place to view this?
[This might be a “General Question” thread, but I’d guess the subjectivity and geographic specificity would nudge me into thinking that IMHO would be a better fit for the thread.]
Yeah, that’d be cool- I’m staying out in Herndon tonight and tomorrow night, and I’d love to see them.
I came through Bull Run (ok, I’m just not sure I can spell Manassas(?)) today- what about that area? Would it be dark enough?
It’s doubtful that I’m going to manage to see them, with this dinner tonight and the wedding tomorrow, but I’d love to know where a good place would be, just in case I get a little bit of time (and don’t come back to the hotel with someone…
Call a local astronomy club, or a local telescope store. Chances are they’ll give you some great suggestions. Also, if you go where there’s some astronomers, chances are there’ll be scopes set up, and you’ll have a chance to look at some other stuff, too. It’s a lot of fun to take a look at some nebulae, and Jupiter/Saturn are quite nice lately, too.
If you can get up to Cecil county, Fair Hill should be pretty good. Lotsa room to park, and you can walk just a short distance from the road and be isolated from any stray passing cars. That’s where I’ll be at 4am, Sunday morning.
Before I go to sleep, I’m posting a link to the Northern Virginia Astronomy Club. There appears to be a list of some places that are open to the public. (Savage Site and Sky Meadow Park are closed except to NoVac members).
