Cool. I think the overflow parking lot of Camp Opemikon deserves to
have a clear sky chart:
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attilla danko, , danko@...,
attilladanko@...
On Mon, Apr 17, 2023 at 12:02?PM Tony Kourlas via groups.io
<tonykourlas@...> wrote:
"This is an intriguing site as it is only 30 minutes from my home, vice 70 minutes to the North Frontenac Dark Sky Preserve. Can you tell us more about the site? Is it private property? Do you need permission to observe there? Is the site still useful once camping season is in full gear?"
Its the overflow parking lot across the street from Camp Opemikon owned by Boy Scouts Canada. Its used by buses to drop off campers but otherwise empty since parents/leaders park in the regular parking lot instead. I asked and was granted permission to observe there years ago. I'm confident they will grant you permission as well, especially if you offer to give interested scouts/beavers a brief tour of the night sky before their bedtime.
I like it because its only a one hour drive from Manotick to 5.0-5.5 skies, its plowed in the winter, and its next to phone/help in case of emergency. The downsides? There are trees around so you're not going to get many views lower than ~20 degrees unless you like playing peekaboo with branches :) There are passing cars with highbeams that trigger camp security lights lasting a minute or so, but traffic pretty much stops around 10PM.
The spot really works for me, but if I lived 70 mins from Frontenac as you do, I would probably go there instead unless I was really pressed for time. That said, I don't know if they plow Frontenac during winter.
