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[emptyknow]

Hello all, I recently made a short three day two night trip to the Grand Canyon, Arizona. When I looked up at night, almost accidently it was the most amazing thing I had ever seen. I saw stars like I had never seen before. It was a sight that was so beautiful it almost brought tears to my eyes. Living in light polluted and cloudy Chicago, it was a good night for me if I can identify even 1 costellation. Here I could see the Milky way for the first time. It was unmistakable and beautiful. I saw shooting stars shooting accross the heavens every 5 minutes. I was so overwhelmed by its sheer vastness and beauty, I didnt even pick up my binoculars or my star chart. I simply stared up. This trip truely inspired me to continue learning about the heavens and how it came to be and mankinds place within the heavens. I hope all of you witness a site like this sometime in your life.

[stargazer]

Emptyknow,

It os amazing what you can see when you get away from all the city lights. I know what you mean about seeing the Milky Way for the first time. Last year when I went to Pittsfield Ill I saw it again and I was just amazed. Now as I always say to Joe you have to come out to the Suburbs to see some darker skies then the city can give you. We have some spots out here that are nice. Better then in the city.

B

[Chicago Astronomer - Astro Joe]

Empty,

I am pleased to read about your star filled sky on your trip. What a time we would all have with our equipment and each other there at the Grand Canyon. It would be like being deaf or blind and hearing or seeing for the first time for me. If I were there with you Empty, I'd be jumping up and down, looking here and there, pointing and grabbing the binos...all the time wiping tears of joy from my eyes.

The best I ever got was in Lake Geneva three years ago. While on a conference, I took the time to gaze upwards and saw countless stars, (by Chicago standards), I grabbed my binoculars and was totally amazed. This was during October, so the fall constellations were out and it was cold. My ex-fiancé did not appreciate the stars or temperature, (too delicate), as I do, and went inside the hotel while I stayed out to observe. An argument ensured afterward.

If that is any indication on the skies you saw, then you are indeed a lucky man. I wonder if the people who live there all year long, just get used to it, and not marvel at it like we do. They probably think we are all weird. Imagine the ancients with clear dark and deep skies.
Like Sarwat says, damn the Mercury and the vapor.

Becky, I will get out to your soon, and we will spent a good time picking out targets. I'll bring along the 4.5" as a comparison to your 10" cannon. The contrasts will be amazing!

Too cool, thanks for sharing that trip with us.

[Al Degutis]

I had the pleasure of being at the Grand Caynon last year in September. My wife and I were celebrating our 5 year anniversary. We has just watched the sun set over the west rim of the Canyon so obviously it was dark. We walked back to the lodge where we were staying (on the south rim) and it was getting darker. I was looking up at the sky and stars so my wife literally held my hand so I'd stay on the path as we walked. When we got to the lodge, it wasn't light polluted as they had dim ground-level lights. I didn't want to go inside so my wife sat on a cement parking block while I just layed there in a parking space looking up. I could have stayed there all night.

If I were there with you Empty, I'd be jumping up and down, looking here and there, pointing and grabbing the binos...all the time wiping tears of joy from my eyes.

Joe,

Maybe, but my guess is that you would just be standing (or laying) there speechless, just staring at the stars. You might break out of the trace and grab the bino's but it wouldn't be right away. It's just amazing to see it all in such detail in a wonderfully wide field.

We're planning to go back, maybe next year. When we were there, we didn't get to hike into the Canyon. Our trip back will be to hike down, spend a day and night (I want to see Havasu Falls), and hike out. I'm still negotiating the following two nights where I can stay up star gazing...

Al