Midwest

I always wondered how the observing is in the Midwest. Like Kansas, Nebraska, and Oklahoma. I never read much about amateur astronomers from those areas. I would think that they have some of the darkest skies around.

Being from Tulsa, we have our share of light pollution as any metropolitan area. We do have access to some very dark skies within reasonable driving distance. Areas along the Kansas Oklahoma border 2-3 hrs. drive time are very dark. The Tallgrass Prairie Preserve is a great place to observe. There are areas flat as a pancake with no trees from horizon to horizon. It's very breathtaking and you might even get to drive through a heard of bison on your way in. Oklahoma hosts the Okie-Tex Star Party in the very distant corner of the panhandle at Kenton Ok. These are some of the darkest skies left in the US. I attend it each year. Our greatest nemesis here is the wind. It is nearly a constant companion except in the dead of Summer when the slightest breeze is greatly appreciated.

DanL

I agree with Dan and Pete. Oklahoma does have a few good areas for observing, especially in the Black Mesa/Kenton area. I go to Okie-Tex every year and have a blast. In fact, I need to join the OKC astronomy club so I can take advantage of their members-only spring observing trip to Black Mesa.

Dan, my folks have a farm north of Beggs where I do a lot of observing. Are you in the area?

The Nebraska and Okie Tex star parties are supposed to be pretty dark.....and there certainly are other examples of good places to observe in the midwest.

However, amateur observing and professional observatory building are two different things. And darkness alone is not the chief factor.

ONe build observatories on mountain tops so there is less atmosphere to peer through. Not a lot of mountaintops in the midwest.

One builds observatories closer to the equator so there is more sky to see. Midwest does not qualify here.

One builds observatories where the air is more stable. Extensive "seeing" studies precede the construction. This favors mountaintops, where the laminar flow of the air has not been disturbed as it moves across the continent. And it favors being near the ocean, which has fairly stable temperatures compared to land. Midwest tends not to have these mountaintops, and large bodies of water. And it has other seeing problems with the jet stream and the gulf air mixing with the continental air mass.

One builds observatories where the air is more clear. The midwest has more clouds, and even when it is not cloudy the heavy humid air has lots of water vapor to cut down on transparency. In the winter it may be more transparent, but not enough to make up for the loss at other times of the year.

I am sure there are other things to think about also. But, if my institution is about to build a mega dollar observatory, I would rather pay for travel to a naturally favored site than fight the elements in the midwest.

Alex