The years I lived in the Fancy Gap postal zone at 3000 feet I enjoyed the dark skies. I built a 50'X50' outdoor open garden ringed by eastern hemlocks so that if anyone drove by on the dirt road, not common, my night vision would not be hurt by the headlights. I used to go out with 15X50 binocs and scan the skies(I once found a nova next to Deneb that I reported but was not the first) and watch for meteors. I seldom missed a shower if the sky was clear(not all that common) and enjoyed looking for the October fireballs. I was able to identify 4 asteroids.

I lived at 7200 feet in SW Colorado and the skies were exceptionally clear and dark. Like at Fancy Gap, I had a clear view of the whole skydome.

A lawn chair and warm clothes is all the equipment you really need to see some exceptional things like the Zodiacal light and the northern lights(which aren't nearly as good as they are much farther north but are welcome when they appear).

But moonbeams through clouds this morning, western exposure. Any sort of solar storm seems to call in the clouds.

the bank. Done yesterday. A partial payment to me (other is held up with bizarre Ontario accounting stuff). Got a call from the bank in Canada that said I could not use funds until 12/20. Nice float, HSBC. I am still not sure that I can transfer a lump sum of more than $5K. Unless I appear in person to close the account and repatriate $$CDN to $$US. I know just enough about international banking to know that fees are everywhere. Bastards.

[video:https://youtu.be/q_m0-f7N9hM]

Thanks all, for the moonlit nights, and starry listening.