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shadetreemech Samba Member
Joined: October 05, 2005 Posts: 777 Location: Claremont, CA
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Posted: Wed Dec 23, 2020 4:52 pm Post subject: Death Valley & The Great Conjunction |
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This year the Winter Solstice (Shortest Day of the Year) coincided with the Great Conjunction, the closest Jupiter & Saturn would align, from our perspective, since 1263. One of the nearest Dark Sky Places to Southern California is Death Valley.
I paid some attention to the Van, Cindy prepped meals for a couple days. We packed the telescope and headed East. I had already been to DVNP in 2018 solo, through Ridgecrest, up 395 and East on 190 through Stovepipe Wells. This time, we stayed on the 15 towards Vegas, jumping off on 127 North out of Baker. Hour and a half or so to Shoshone, then West on 178 into the Park.
Off 178 East of Death Valley. The camera's level. We'd pulled a u-ey to climb up to a cave.
Campgrounds in Death Valley are closed due to Covid-19. Our plan was to dispersed camp on BLM land outside the Park Boundary. I had downloaded info for a few sites from freecampsites.net. One referred to dispersed spots inside the Park. Turns out there's a gravel road, West Side Road, about 40 miles long that runs, oddly enough, on the West side of DV. There are gravel trails, some requiring high clearance vehicles, that run West up into side canyons. The signs say, "No Camping Within One Mile of Road, No Open Fires". Prime Westy country.
First night, we set up the telescope and had a good time tracking our two target planets off to the Southwest just up from the horizon.
The shot's from my Galaxy S8 phone camera. Little bit of "shutter" lag stretches the planets. Both are clearly visible. Through the telescope, you could see the rings of Saturn and 3 of Jupiter's moons.
Next day, Winter Solstice, was ,for me, New Year's Eve. Shortest Day of the Year, the days start getting longer up to Spring Equinox. Happy Winter!
We toured the Park, starting with a drive-thru at Badwater Basin, Lowest Spot in the US at 282 feet Below Sea Level. Too many people too close. We got out of the Van and took a hike at the first pull out on Artist's Drive.
Artist's Drive. Death Valley in the background.
We drove around to various stops in the Park, making our way up to Dante's View.
Dante's View looking Northwest. Badwater Basin in the foreground.
The night of the 21st we set up the scope again, tracking the conjunction. When we climbed into bed, I could see Orion rising in the East. I woke up periodically during the night, watching Orion's progress across the night sky out the back window of the Van.
A Great Two-Day Trip. I wear a mask and gloves when we stop for gas, Cindy stays in the Van. That's as close as we get to people on the Road. Hand sanitizer and wipes as needed.
Jupiter & Saturn are still visible in the night sky to the Southwest as of this writing. Refer to my photo for position above the horizon about 6 pm.
Happy Trails and Be Safe
Dan _________________ '84 GL 1.9
'01 Volvo V70 T5
'88 Westy - "MZDRTHY"
Last edited by shadetreemech on Wed Dec 23, 2020 5:02 pm; edited 2 times in total |
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thatbaldwinlife Samba Member
Joined: August 01, 2011 Posts: 759 Location: Out exploring
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Posted: Wed Dec 23, 2020 4:56 pm Post subject: Re: Death Valley & The Great Conjunction |
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Man I want to explore the Death Valley area so bad! Jealous.
Thanks for taking the time to write this up.
nate _________________ 1987 Westy
Insta: @Thatbaldwinlife
Vanagon Adventure and DIY videos:
That Baldwin Life YouTube Channel |
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GreggK Samba Member
Joined: May 17, 2008 Posts: 890 Location: Colorado/Philidelphia
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Posted: Wed Dec 23, 2020 5:33 pm Post subject: Re: Death Valley & The Great Conjunction |
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What a wonderland! I've done many century and double century rides through there. Also attempted the Furnace Creek 508 a few times, anyone know of it?
Love the pictures1 Thanks for sharing. _________________ '86 2wd Poptop transplant
FAS TDi engine swap. Peloquin LSD
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=692188&highlight=slow+but+steady |
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thatbaldwinlife Samba Member
Joined: August 01, 2011 Posts: 759 Location: Out exploring
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Posted: Wed Dec 23, 2020 7:42 pm Post subject: Re: Death Valley & The Great Conjunction |
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GreggK wrote: |
What a wonderland! I've done many century and double century rides through there. Also attempted the Furnace Creek 508 a few times, anyone know of it?
Love the pictures1 Thanks for sharing. |
I've done a double century years ago but not in Death Valley! I rode from Seattle down to Portland in a day.
nate _________________ 1987 Westy
Insta: @Thatbaldwinlife
Vanagon Adventure and DIY videos:
That Baldwin Life YouTube Channel |
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dhaavers Samba Member
Joined: March 19, 2010 Posts: 7733 Location: NE MN (tinyurl.com/dhaaverslocation)
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Posted: Wed Dec 23, 2020 10:00 pm Post subject: Re: Death Valley & The Great Conjunction |
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Also jealous...it's been overcast here for most of a week, plus 11" snow just today...
Nice little report!
- Dave _________________ 86 White Wolfsburg Westy Weekender
"The WonderVan"
<EDITED TO PROTECT INNOCENT PIXELS> |
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Wildthings Samba Member
Joined: March 13, 2005 Posts: 50260
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Posted: Wed Dec 23, 2020 11:07 pm Post subject: Re: Death Valley & The Great Conjunction |
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Here is a picture I took from near Oatman, AZ on the evening of the 18th after a hike in the Black Mts.
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shadetreemech Samba Member
Joined: October 05, 2005 Posts: 777 Location: Claremont, CA
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Posted: Wed Dec 23, 2020 11:38 pm Post subject: Re: Death Valley & The Great Conjunction |
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There ya go.
Nice Shot. _________________ '84 GL 1.9
'01 Volvo V70 T5
'88 Westy - "MZDRTHY" |
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Wildthings Samba Member
Joined: March 13, 2005 Posts: 50260
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Posted: Wed Dec 23, 2020 11:43 pm Post subject: Re: Death Valley & The Great Conjunction |
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Thanks |
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bobhill8 Samba Member
Joined: June 09, 2017 Posts: 734 Location: MA
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Posted: Thu Dec 24, 2020 6:21 am Post subject: Re: Death Valley & The Great Conjunction |
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Great trip and photos- love the Westy/Astronomy Conjunction |
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lcolon Samba Member
Joined: July 26, 2006 Posts: 57 Location: SF Bay Area
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Posted: Thu Dec 24, 2020 9:20 pm Post subject: Re: Death Valley & The Great Conjunction |
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Been to death valley many times. One of my favorite places in CA. Highly recommended. Although every time I have been there it has been with my toyota land cruiser so I could pound all the off road trails. |
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markz2004 Samba Member
Joined: November 13, 2007 Posts: 944 Location: Portland, OR
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Posted: Fri Dec 25, 2020 4:47 pm Post subject: Re: Death Valley & The Great Conjunction |
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Cool!
What type of telescope you running ? _________________ 87 Westy, 250k GW 2.4 - 2.0 , 16" wheels |
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Irishcalifornian Samba Member
Joined: September 08, 2016 Posts: 167 Location: CaliWestyfornia
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Posted: Fri Dec 25, 2020 4:50 pm Post subject: Re: Death Valley & The Great Conjunction |
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Beautiful!
Amazing how similar the terrain looks just like Borrego Springs, where I live. _________________ One Life, Live It |
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shadetreemech Samba Member
Joined: October 05, 2005 Posts: 777 Location: Claremont, CA
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Posted: Sat Dec 26, 2020 8:23 am Post subject: Re: Death Valley & The Great Conjunction |
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markz2004 wrote: |
What type of telescope you running ? |
We've got an "entry level" Celestron Travel Scope 70 Portable.
https://www.celestron.com/products/travel-scope-70-portable-telescope
Comes in a day pack.
Like a lot of other things, you can trade up as far as you want.
Dan _________________ '84 GL 1.9
'01 Volvo V70 T5
'88 Westy - "MZDRTHY" |
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4Gears4Tires Samba Member
Joined: October 08, 2018 Posts: 2982 Location: MD
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Posted: Sat Dec 26, 2020 9:01 pm Post subject: Re: Death Valley & The Great Conjunction |
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You should have put the camera up to the eyepiece of the telescope! Next time. It would have been cool to see the rings and the moons.
I've taken some decent pics of the moon that way. _________________ '87 Syncro
Ferric Oxyhydroxide Superleggera Edition |
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erste Samba Member
Joined: March 29, 2013 Posts: 1110 Location: San Francisco
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Posted: Sat Dec 26, 2020 9:57 pm Post subject: Re: Death Valley & The Great Conjunction |
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really nice trip report and pics shadetreemech! thanks for sharing
I’m glad to hear you were able to make it out to BLM land to see the conjunction. I thought public lands had closed with the last lockdown but that must have been wrong. |
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shadetreemech Samba Member
Joined: October 05, 2005 Posts: 777 Location: Claremont, CA
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Posted: Sun Dec 27, 2020 8:22 am Post subject: Re: Death Valley & The Great Conjunction |
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erste wrote: |
I thought public lands had closed with the last lockdown but that must have been wrong. |
I got my info from BLM California's webpage:
https://www.blm.gov/site-page/blm-california-covid-19-updates
Scroll down to see the separate District Office specific closures and guidelines.
Happy Trails & Be Safe.
Dan _________________ '84 GL 1.9
'01 Volvo V70 T5
'88 Westy - "MZDRTHY" |
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j_dirge Samba Member
Joined: August 08, 2007 Posts: 4641 Location: Twain Harte, CA
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Posted: Sun Dec 27, 2020 9:14 am Post subject: Re: Death Valley & The Great Conjunction |
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Was there over Thanksgiving week.
Went north from DV Junction out to Crankshaft Junction, over the top to Eureka Valley Dunes. Camped there, then north west to Big Pine.
I'll post a couple pics, later.
Great place to socially distance.
Love DV! _________________ -89 GL Westy, SVX.. finally.
-57 pan f/g buggy with a 67 pancake Type 3 "S"
"Jimi Hendrix owned one. Richard Nixon did not"
-Grand Tour, Season 1, episodes 4 and 5
danfromsyr wrote: |
those are straight line runs with light weight race cars for only 1/4mile at a time..
not pushing a loaded brick up a mountain pass with a family of 4+ inside expecting to have an event free vacation..
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dobryan Samba Member
Joined: March 24, 2006 Posts: 16474 Location: Brookeville, MD
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Posted: Sun Dec 27, 2020 11:49 am Post subject: Re: Death Valley & The Great Conjunction |
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j_dirge wrote: |
Was there over Thanksgiving week.
Went north from DV Junction out to Crankshaft Junction, over the top to Eureka Valley Dunes. Camped there, then north west to Big Pine.
I'll post a couple pics, later.
Great place to socially distance.
Love DV! |
Glad you are getting out. I'll check in with you next time I am out your way.... _________________ Dave O
'87 Westy w/ 2002 Subaru EJ25 and Peloquin TBD
"To travel hopefully is a better thing than to arrive." Robert Louis Stevenson
MD>Canada>AK>WA>OR>CA>AZ>UT>WY>SD
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=620646
Building a bus for travel in Europe (euroBus)
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=695371
The Western Syncro build
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=746794 |
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Abscate Samba Member
Joined: October 05, 2014 Posts: 22568 Location: NYC/Upstate/ROW
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Posted: Sun Dec 27, 2020 3:01 pm Post subject: Re: Death Valley & The Great Conjunction |
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See you again , Jupiter-Saturn in 800 years... _________________ .ssS! |
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dobryan Samba Member
Joined: March 24, 2006 Posts: 16474 Location: Brookeville, MD
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