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Dark Site Introductions
Florida / Georgia Imagers •15 replies•111 views
Robert Huerbsch avatar
Robert Huerbsch avatar
Hello, this is Rob who created this group. Let’s use this thread to introduce ourselves and share great spots to do visual and AP work! 

so I’m based in St Augustine FL, and have a sales job covering North FL and South GA. 

Near Valdosta GA, I setup at Oris Blackburn Memorial Park just S of Clyattsville 

West of St Augustine, our club has access to the overflow parking field at the St Johns County Fairfrounds in Elkton, Bortle 4 mag 21.3ish skies 

Between St Augustine and Palm Coast, the area around Matanzas Inlet is great for DSO’s rising out of the east, it’s Bortle 4 around mag 21.4 skies if I had to estimate 

my fav spot in mainland Florida is Shired Island, you can camp there for like $10 a night, it has some power, but it’s mostly primitive camping. Last time I was there it was nearly Bortle 1 sky.
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Doug Lozen avatar
Doug Lozen avatar
Hi Robert.  I’m in Fort Myers, doing 3nm narrowband exclusively with a permanent setup in my backyard (under a Telegizmos 365 tarp).  Bottle 7 here and getting worse.  I have imaged from Sanibel Island under Bortle 4 or so, but am intrigued by Shired Island.
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Brian Diaz avatar
Brian Diaz avatar
Hi , Robert. I'm in Miami Gardens FL my SQM 16.84 average.( live reading )
Icharuss avatar
Icharuss avatar
Well…I'm just over the border in Foley Alabama, but I work in Pensacola and I'm a member of the astro club there.  I hope that's close enough to Florida/Georgia.
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Robert Huerbsch avatar
Robert Huerbsch avatar
Brian Diaz:
Hi , Robert. I'm in Miami Gardens FL my SQM 16.84 average.( live reading )


hey Brian! When I used to work in Miami & at the Cleveland Clinic in Weston, I had some great sessions west at this location 

https://maps.app.goo.gl/A8Vpj6WiXLqAsqQL6?g_st=ic
Robert Huerbsch avatar
Robert Huerbsch avatar
Well...I'm just over the border in Foley Alabama, but I work in Pensacola and I'm a member of the astro club there.  I hope that's close enough to Florida/Georgia.

That definitely counts! I’ve camped at the top of Cheaha State Park and done astro, it was a fantastic experience 🤠

havnt imaged or done visual west of Tallahassee yet but looks like there are some great spots
Robert Huerbsch avatar
Robert Huerbsch avatar
Doug Lozen:
Hi Robert.  I’m in Fort Myers, doing 3nm narrowband exclusively with a permanent setup in my backyard (under a Telegizmos 365 tarp).  Bottle 7 here and getting worse.  I have imaged from Sanibel Island under Bortle 4 or so, but am intrigued by Shired Island.

Hey Doug, Big Cypress or Kissimmee Praire is a lot closer to Ft Myers…. not sure it would be worth the additional drive time to Shired Island because you have to drive to Gainesville then head west, it would be pretty far
Brian Diaz avatar
Brian Diaz avatar
Robert Huerbsch:
Brian Diaz:
Hi , Robert. I'm in Miami Gardens FL my SQM 16.84 average.( live reading )


hey Brian! When I used to work in Miami & at the Cleveland Clinic in Weston, I had some great sessions west at this location 

https://maps.app.goo.gl/A8Vpj6WiXLqAsqQL6?g_st=ic

hi Robert, thank you  ,i will go next time and  i will read the SQM  and let you know .thank you again for the info .

one question is it a safe place ,
Doug Lozen avatar
Doug Lozen avatar
Robert Huerbsch:
Doug Lozen:
Hi Robert.  I’m in Fort Myers, doing 3nm narrowband exclusively with a permanent setup in my backyard (under a Telegizmos 365 tarp).  Bottle 7 here and getting worse.  I have imaged from Sanibel Island under Bortle 4 or so, but am intrigued by Shired Island.

Hey Doug, Big Cypress or Kissimmee Praire is a lot closer to Ft Myers…. not sure it would be worth the additional drive time to Shired Island because you have to drive to Gainesville then head west, it would be pretty far

Yes, those are pretty good skies for south FL, but I really would like to see a Bortle 1/2 from FL.  The closest I've ever been is the Keweenaw Peninsula in the Upper Peninsula of MI.
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Robert Huerbsch avatar
Robert Huerbsch avatar
Brian Diaz:
Robert Huerbsch:
Brian Diaz:
Hi , Robert. I'm in Miami Gardens FL my SQM 16.84 average.( live reading )


hey Brian! When I used to work in Miami & at the Cleveland Clinic in Weston, I had some great sessions west at this location 

https://maps.app.goo.gl/A8Vpj6WiXLqAsqQL6?g_st=ic

hi Robert, thank you  ,i will go next time and  i will read the SQM  and let you know .thank you again for the info .

one question is it a safe place ,

it’s been a while but I only recall maybe a single car pulling thru there when I last went. People fish the canal in the daytime 

also none of the lights in the parking lot were working at that time, if you go, hopefully that is still the case.

I setup in the field marked in green

Brian Diaz avatar
Brian Diaz avatar
thank you  , next week i will go there.
Harold Soto avatar
Harold Soto avatar
Hello, Robert and members of this group. I am currently retired from the military and have been doing astrophotography for only two and a half years. Currently a member of the Northeast Florida Astronomical Society. I've just lived in Jacksonville for four years and am continually learning about different dark site locations. I frequently travel to Sanderson Astronomy Lookout Point (Google Maps) Sanderson, FL Bortle 3 and St Johns County Fairgrounds overflow parking lot in Elkton, FL Bortle 4.

Thank you, Robert, for allowing me to join this group.
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Robert Huerbsch avatar
Robert Huerbsch avatar
Brian Diaz:
thank you  , next week i will go there.

nice, I hope you have clear skies! We will have the moon next week as an issue tho, unfortunately the new moon was yesterday / today. Sunday might clear and worth checking out. I’m showing its around mag 21.5 which is good Bortle 4 with the light pollution map.
Robert Huerbsch avatar
Robert Huerbsch avatar
Harold Soto:
Hello, Robert and members of this group. I am currently retired from the military and have been doing astrophotography for only two and a half years. Currently a member of the Northeast Florida Astronomical Society. I've just lived in Jacksonville for four years and am continually learning about different dark site locations. I frequently travel to Sanderson Astronomy Lookout Point (Google Maps) Sanderson, FL Bortle 3 and St Johns County Fairgrounds overflow parking lot in Elkton, FL Bortle 4.

Thank you, Robert, for allowing me to join this group.

NP Harold! Thanks for introducing yourself 👍🏽
Icharuss avatar
Icharuss avatar
Robert Huerbsch:
Well...I'm just over the border in Foley Alabama, but I work in Pensacola and I'm a member of the astro club there.  I hope that's close enough to Florida/Georgia.

That definitely counts! I’ve camped at the top of Cheaha State Park and done astro, it was a fantastic experience 🤠

havnt imaged or done visual west of Tallahassee yet but looks like there are some great spots

There are a couple.  My club usually goes to Big Lagoon State Park that's very near the Gulf (so very good southern horizons).  Farther north there are some Bortle 2 spots near a town called Munson.  I've only ever done visual up there. but I'll have to make an EAA trip up there when the weather gets a little warmer.
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Rob Martin avatar
Rob Martin avatar
Hey all, I'm in the fabulous (People's Republic of) Port Saint Lucie, FL. I'm shooting mostly from my Bortle 4/5 backyard and occasionally from Alapattah Flats WMA in Martin County about 15 minutes away as well as Kissimmee Prarie. I'm a member of the Treasure Coast Astronomical Society, and have been teasing data for a few years now.
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