Best observing sites in Peak District?

[Guest Gohan75]

I went to the peak district last weekend, to surprise view. I was pretty impressed with the sky but there was a surrounding glow from near by cities. Just curious if there are any other places with slightly darker sky within the peak district?

I use a 10" dob and it was the first time i had seen the Andromeda galaxy and was slightly disappointed. It was only barley visible as a very hazy patch, i couldn't see a distinctive core or any kind of structure. Is this normal through a 10" dob in skies of this quality? Is there something wrong with my scope or is it just that the sky was not dark enough? I also could not see the galaxy with the naked eye.

Having said that i could see the milky way emerging over head.... which i also had never seen before so it must have been pretty good skies.... confusing!?

Edited November 23, 2012 by Gohan75

[Daz Type-R]

With regards to Andromeda (M31), that's as good as you are going to get i`m afraid!!!

You may have a problem with collimation, or perhaps the seeing might not of been very good, but I have been up at our Belper dark site when the milky way was very visible and there were that many stars, finding constellations was tricky and even though I only have an 8" mirror compared to your 10", M31 is nothing but a fuzzy patch.

Personally, I don't see the point of going all the way to the peak district when Belper on a good night is truly awesome!!!!

To visibly see detail in M31 I believe you need a massive mirror in the region of 20" upwards to get the dust lanes, core etc etc. (`I`m talking to visibly see it, if you are doing astro photography then that is totally different.)

Edited November 23, 2012 by Daz Type-R

[Doc]

I used to have a 16" dob and I could clearly see dust lanes in M31, but it had to be from dark skies.

I would say the Peak district is perhaps the best place round here for dark skies, but our site at Belper on a good night comes a close second.

[Daz Type-R]

Doh - 4" out, close!!!!