Welcome to City-Data.com Forum!
U.S. CitiesCity-Data Forum Index
Go Back   City-Data Forum > U.S. Forums > Texas > Austin
 [Register]
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
View detailed profile (Advanced) or search
site with Google Custom Search

Search Forums  (Advanced)
 
Old 11-02-2013, 09:26 AM
 
701 posts, read 2,484,455 times
Reputation: 207

Advertisements

Help wanted: I am looking for a place to do both stargazing and camping near Austin. Because of work schedules, I need a place that's no more than 2 hours (maybe 2.5) away from south Austin. If we can see just one of the Geminids, it would be amazing.

Thanks!
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message

 
Old 11-02-2013, 11:23 AM
 
2,269 posts, read 7,339,209 times
Reputation: 1839
Enchanted Rock.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 11-02-2013, 12:37 PM
 
Location: Austin, TX
16,787 posts, read 49,113,557 times
Reputation: 9483
Quote:
Originally Posted by AustinTraveler View Post
Enchanted Rock.

I second that. 1.5 hour drive. It is really nice this time of year. Nice campgrounds, hot water showers at the restrooms. When you hike to the top of Enchanted Rock, bring a flashlight for each person. There are caves at the top of the rock you can explore, the path winds through large cracks inside the granite mountain.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 11-02-2013, 03:14 PM
 
Location: Central Texas
20,958 posts, read 45,447,633 times
Reputation: 24745
Absolutely Enchanted Rock. There was a time when Pedernales Falls would have fit the bill, we used to camp and stargaze there all the time, but I'm pretty sure Austin has grown out far enough to make that not so satisfying these days.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 11-02-2013, 03:54 PM
 
Location: Austin, TX
16,787 posts, read 49,113,557 times
Reputation: 9483
Enchanted Rock State Natural Area


Enchanted Rock State Natural Area, Texas [Official] - YouTube

They have tent camping spaces with picnic tables in the main camping area near the restrooms. They also have a limited number of primitive camping sites that you have to hike into, North of the Enchanted Rocks.

Map of park http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/publicat...p4507_119c.pdf

Last edited by CptnRn; 11-02-2013 at 04:43 PM..
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 11-02-2013, 04:33 PM
 
Location: central Austin
7,228 posts, read 16,119,814 times
Reputation: 3915
Do you have a telescope? We live in the city about 20 blocks from downtown and close to I35 too. But we can see the Geminids from the top of our driveway with a filter for city lights on a 6 inch Dobsonian telescope.

The Austin Astronomical Society has star parties out at Canyon of the Eagles.
http://www.canyonoftheeagles.com/
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 11-02-2013, 05:33 PM
 
Location: Central Texas
20,958 posts, read 45,447,633 times
Reputation: 24745
We have a Dobsonian telescope out here on the ranch, too! It's great, but we don't use it as much as we used to due to light pollution that's grown dramatically in the last 10 years.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 11-02-2013, 05:44 PM
 
Location: central Austin
7,228 posts, read 16,119,814 times
Reputation: 3915
You need these filters!!
Orion SkyGlow Broadband Light Pollution Filters | Orion Telescopes

We are surrounded by lights -- neighbors' porch lights, a hotel with parking lights, I-35, a high school up the hill -- and these make a real difference!
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.

Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.


Reply
Please update this thread with any new information or opinions. This open thread is still read by thousands of people, so we encourage all additional points of view.

Quick Reply
Message:


Settings
X
Data:
Loading data...
Based on 2000-2022 data
Loading data...

123
Hide US histogram


Over $104,000 in prizes was already given out to active posters on our forum and additional giveaways are planned!

Go Back   City-Data Forum > U.S. Forums > Texas > Austin
View detailed profiles of:

All times are GMT -6.

© 2005-2024, Advameg, Inc. · Please obey Forum Rules · Terms of Use and Privacy Policy · Bug Bounty

City-Data.com - Contact Us - Archive 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37 - Top