Observing sites near Dublin

hi everyone,

the main site we generally seem to use for observing session is Djouce Wood car park but the IAS also have use of a site in Glencullen, Co. Wicklow.

I know the IAS are keen to find somewhere a bit darker yet still accessible to Dublin and I was wondering if anyone has been down at the car park at Cloon Wood near Enniskerry? It's only five miles further than Glencullen and I stumbled across it last Sunday night -- very dark! Only a few houses in the valley and the mast on Kippure interferes very little.

the aspect is mostly slightly west of South but it's easy cart a scope past the barrier on the forest track and this gives you a great east/south/west sweep of sky. Lots of car park space. Worth a shot some clear night?

John F.
SDAS

Definitely. Let's try Cloon next time there's a good, clear evening.

Hi John

The car park at the back of the Big Sugarloaf Mt., also near Enniskerry and Bray (also 2 mins off the M11) is now clear of tinkers caravans. There is just one caravan parked down the road from the entrance to the car park and they seem to be behaving themselves. I was up there for the Aurora on the 20th and had no problems.

The last time I was up there to observe, back in 1998, we swung into the car park only to discover that they'd "circled the waggons" and were keeping warm by burning a '98 reg car. We retreated double-time!

The Sugarloaf is more exposed than Djouce Wood but offers a much better view of all the horizons. The worst of the sky-glow from Dublin is blocked by Kippure and Three-Rock, while Bray is hidden behind the Sugarloaf itself. It's a good site as long as there isn't too much wind. There are also several relatively flat fields with short grass nearby (used by the radio-control model plane people) which are useable.

Philip