Some of the images shown in this site are taken from my back yard in Vista, San Diego County, California. However, I don't have a permanent observatory at home nor would I want one because of the light pollution which limits exposure times and interferes with the subtle details of celestial objects. Therefore, my photography setup is portable and I travel to dark sky locations. Although the time involved in setting up my equipment is sometimes burdensome, the benefit is that I spend time at some of the most scenic locations that California has to offer. Below are some photographs of locations at which I have taken the images on these pages.
Laguna Campground, Cleveland National Forest, San Diego County, California
(32 degrees 53.19 minutes north latitude, 116 degrees 27.01 seconds west longitude)
The above photo shows the nice southern exposure of this campground located about 90 minutes from San Diego. The altitude is 5,500 feet and skies here are moderately dark but can get very good if a thick marine layer moves in over metropolitan San Diego. There are only three sites which allow the unobstructed southern views with lots of trees blocking the northern and western exposures.
Jumbo Rocks Campground, Joshua Tree National Park, Riverside County, California
(33 degrees 59.542 minutes north latitude, 116 degrees 04.127 minutes west longitude)
Joshua Tree National Park is a very interesting place to visit. It is a high desert environment with unusual vegetation and spectacular scenery. The Jumbo Rocks campground is appropriately named and is situated at about 4,300 feet in elevation. This campground is only 30 miles or so as the crow flies from the Palm Springs area and less than 10 miles from Twenty-Nine Palms. However the light pollution from these areas is limited. There is no light pollution to the east and to the south. Consequently, the skies here are very dark. As with all desert sites, wind is sometimes a problem. However, on a still night this place is a great place for observing or photography. The down side is that this place is very popular and the campground is nearly always full during the more temperate times of the year. I recommend visiting during the week. On a scale of 1 to 10, I rate this site as a 10 not only because of its dark skies but for its spectacular scenery as well.
Vallecito County Park, Anza-Borrego Desert, San Diego County California
(32 degrees 58.557 minutes north latitude, 116 degrees 21.019 minutes west longitude)
This San Diego County campground is only open from September to May. The rest of the year is blazing hot. The elevation here is about 1,400 feet.
Observatory Campground, Palomar Mountain, San Diego County, California
The Observatory Campground is located at about 4,800 feet on Palomar Mountain, literally within sight and within walking distance of the 200 inch telescope at Palomar Observatory. This campground is a favorite of local astronomers and is the summer site of the Explore the Stars program which is jointly sponsored by the Orange County Astronomers and the U.S. Forest Service.
The north end of the campground is designated as "telescope friendly" and bright lights, such as Coleman lanterns are not allowed. This rule is actually enforced. Campers are generally very accepting of the light policy and cooperate. Additionally, three camping sites have concrete telescope pads. Electric power to the pads has been contemplated but has not been installed yet.
This site is a very nice observing site and is located close to the major population enters of San Diego County. There is a moderate amount of light pollution here. The observing conditions here can be good when the local weather conditions create a thick cloud cover over the coastal communities, including San Diego. This site is a moderately good photography location. Weekends are busy with cars driving through the campground at all hours of the night. Photographers are advised to visit during the week when the campground is nearly always empty.
Grandview Campground, Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest in Inyo National Forest
Grandview Campground is located approximately 15 miles east of Big Pine in the White Mountains. Although the White Mountains are only about 30 miles east of the eastern Sierra Nevada, the climate could not be more different. The picture above was taken of the campground which is located at 8,600 feet. As you can see from the picture, the climate here is a desert with very little rainfall. The skies at this site are the darkest I have ever seen. There are no large cities within 100 miles. Light pollution is essentially non-existent. The down side of this site is that it is extremely dry and dusty. One does not need to worry about dew ruining an observing session here.
There is no water available in the campground. There are no camping fees, a positive. However the facilities are very primitive. Very few people come here. However, don't be surprised if you see other astronomers as this site is known to the California astronomy community.
Saddlebag Lake, Inyo National Forest
Saddlebag Lake is located in the eastern Sierra Nevada approximately 13 miles up the Tioga Pass (Highway 120) road from U.S. 395. This is a spectacular campground located at approximately 10,200 feet, literally at the timber line at this latitude. On a scale of 1 to 10, I rate this campground as a 10 because of its excellent amenities as well as for the scenery. The down side of this location is its susceptibility to bad "mountain weather" such as summer thunderstorms as well as the occasional summer snowstorm. Also, a lot of people come here and it can be difficult to find a camping spot. This is strictly a summertime only site. The lake shown in the picture is full of trout and the fishing draws many campers as well as day users. Fairly well maintained gravel roads allow access for all types of vehicles.
All the images in this site are © Copyright 2001 by Dean Jacobsen.
Any use of these images without the prior written consent or knowledge of the author is strictly prohibited.
Contact Dean at dean@astrophoto.net for more information.
