Having been a long time Bay
Area resident, I've gotten used to the rainy days of January. It's a good time
to catch up on videos or books that got left by the wayside. However, this
January, and into February, I was required to go to Phoenix for a department
sales meeting. The idea of getting away from the rain, fog and generally messy
conditions appealed to me and the thought of clear Arizona skies at night made
it downright necessary. Now on the other hand, to sit through meetings and
endless presentations ranks right up there with watching grass grow. I did
decide that was a small price to pay if I could get my photon fix. The Arizona
skies were lovely and less light polluted than the Bay Area. While I was not
able to fit my 80mm Short Tube refractor (dubbed "The Delta Flyer")
into my suitcase, I did manage to fit in my binoculars (no name yet,
suggestions welcomed). I held mini-star parties for anyone who even glanced at
the evening sky. All this taken together made sitting through those endless
presentations more bearable.
However, I realized that by indulging myself to our sister state's almost
pristine nightly show, I had become more than just rabid about getting out to
some slightly dark sky site here in the Bay Area when I returned from this
business trip. It just wasn't a need; it had become an obsession. Having
returned on a Thursday, with a sprained ankle no less, and a full, crazed and
mostly horrendous Friday trying to catch up on back logged work, I found
sitting in my email box was a message from the TAC observers group. Now TAC is
an acronym for The Astronomy Connection. It is an online observers club made up
of mostly Bay Area observers who go out at any time conditions present
themselves for a night of stargazing. What's neat about TAC is that there are
no dues because there is no overhead. Members keep in touch by email and the
email discussions are archived on the TAC website located at
www.observers.org. Anyone can join (and
if you like active observing, you are encouraged to do so) and the only
requirement is a love of observing. So, it seems that people were planning on a
night of observing the first Saturday night in February. The weather reports
looked promising. Most of the TAC members were planning on going to Henry Coe
State Park south of Gilroy. While I have not been there and plan on going in
the future, having just gotten back from said arduous business trip; I was
looking for something a little closer. Then someone posted a question asking if
anyone was going out to Del Valle, south of Livermore for observing. So rather
than bore you dear reader, I will skip the details on how I ended up at this
great little place. Suffice it to say, that was my destination.
Saturday at 5.30 PM I decided it was a go after checking the satellite
pictures. A TAC member called me and told me he was going also, so while small,
we were none-the-less an eager group. So I threw my gear (120mm refractor
dubbed "Voyager") into my truck, dubbed "Babe" and headed
out. It took me 55 minutes from the freeway as you get on the Bay Bridge to get
out to Del Valle. Not bad considering the large amount of traffic leaving SF at
that time of day, on a weekend! Actually, it looked like a mass exodus as if
some giant Gila monster was attacking our fair city. Oh the horror…
Having reached Del Valle, I spied my fellow observer's car and proceeded to
follow him through the gate to the observing site. It was a little muddy
following the previous week's rain (missed that, darn!). About a half an hour
after arriving and setting up, the sky miraculous cleared and all I saw was
dark sky and the light from hundreds of stars. I also noticed a bit of sky glow
from the west and south but it really wasn't too bad. It wasn't even annoying.
So for almost three hours, I indulged in what the wintertime sky had to offer.
Orion was incredible as always. Jupiter and Saturn looked stunning. Mizor and
Alcor were easily split. I then found myself hopping from one open cluster to
another. I just couldn't get enough! Canis Major holds M41, Gemini has M35,
Auriga contains M36, M37 and M38. The Trapezium at the core of M42 held my
attention as we switched out eyepieces to see the different properties of each.
The Beehive cluster, M44, is made up of various stars at different stellar
stages, giving off splashes of color that take your breath away. The Pleiades,
M45, garnered quite a bit of time with me also. While this list doesn't seem
extensive (and believe me I had made a list longer than this), taking the time
to look at the detail and the beauty of these few objects took up most of my
time and made the trip out quite fulfilling.
Toward the end of our observing session, or more accurately, the end of our
observing session came when the wind started to pick up and fog from the valley
slowly climbed nearer as if to tell us politely, that while we were welcomed,
it was time to go. Even the frogs and coyotes who had serenaded us earlier with
their songs, had become quiet.
In my opinion, this is a great site within the immediate Bay Area. Visitors are
welcomed to the observing site, however, a TAC member with the permit is the
official host and his/her presence is mandatory per the agreement between the
park and TAC. Please check the TAC website for guidelines. If you find yourself
wanting to go out there and there is no "planned" observing session,
you can set up outside of the gate near the road. While this does leave you
vulnerable to car headlights, it seems it would also offer a pleasant observing
experience.
The best way to see if there is a planned observing session is, again, to check
out the TAC website listed above. The website also offers directions to Del
Valle, which are incredibly easy. 580 East to Vasco Road south. Take South
Vasco road until it deadends at Tesla, make a right on Tesla, take a left on
Mines Road, drive for about 3 miles where you will see Mines Road make a 90
degree angle turn. Don't turn!, head straight a little ways just to over the
crest of the hill and on your right, you will see a gate and a very small dirt
parking lot. This is the entrance to the observing site. If you find yourself
heading down the hill, you've passed it.
I think I will become a fixture out at Del Valle for future stargazing
excursions. Once you've been there, you'll know why.
Overall Rating is 8, based on this site being a "close" site to SF.
Please note that observing site is a SMALL area in a
state park. Please check out the TAC website email archive to see how many
people may be planning on going to Del Valle. If you see at least four people
planning on going, please choose another night. The environment of Del Valle
cannot handle a group more than four vehicles due to cattle gazing and the
small parking area for cars beyond the gate. Amateur astronomers are some of
the best environmentalist I know and we realize the value of ecological
delicate areas. Please be a responsible observer!
Del Valle is not high in altitude so dewing will occur!
Plan on this factor so your night observing is not cut short by the moisture in
the air. I bit the bullet and bought a Kendrick Dew Removal System, which after
using it my first night at Del Valle, provided that extra nth of enjoyment.
Now, the inside of my truck did not fair so well after my observing session.
Needless to say, I should have had windshield wipers on the inside!
