-- Stargazing --
Because We Have a Dark, Clear Sky.
The PPR is a posh desert retreat in Rodeo, NM built to the finest specification and served as the exclusive getaway for a well-known Silicon Valley Software Entrepreneur. This was a place to entertain large gatherings in the serenity and natural beauty of the isolated high New Mexican desert. This now can be your private playground in the desert of New Mexico for your friends, family, and business associates. Under new ownership, you too can enjoy a destination that was envisioned and built for leaving the rest of the world behind.
Why All-Star Telescope Comes to PPR
Skies free of light pollution a component of atmospheric transparency, astronomical seeing, and weather, on earth or in space, all play a role in the ability to view and enjoy the night sky. The San Simon Valley combines excellent conditions and is the home to numerous private, educational, and commercial observatories in addition to 2 communities dedicated to amateur astronomy, Arizona Sky Village and Rancho Hidalgo.
The closest city, Douglas, is over 50 miles to the southwest on the west side of the Pedragosa Mountains and the valley with a population density of less than 1 person/ square mile combine to result in a valley with exceptionally dark skies.
Sitting at an average altitude of 4000’ the valley floor ranks seventh in the nation when compared with the average elevation in the 50 states and is above much of low level atmospheric perturbations. The high open desert is free from heat islands meaning uniform heating and cooling improving viewing conditions.
Finally, the direction of wind in the valley is from 195 degrees, along its length, increasing laminar airflow and decreasing rotors and other factors that can mix the air mass and reduce the viewers ability to see that is frequently the result of air masses of different densities moving over mountain ranges.
All-Star Party 2011 / 2012 at The Painted Pony Resort
Report on All-Star Alberta Party at Painted Pony Resort
All-Star has come for two years to the PPR with around twenty participants along with hosts, Bev & Ken From enjoying six days and five spectacular nights under the clear dark skies of southwestern New Mexico. Situated fifty miles north of the Mexican border and only a few miles from Arizona Sky Village and from SkyBuckets, the location offered some of North America's darkest skies that are readily accessible. All five nights were clear all night long - offering almost 50 hours of exceptional viewing and imaging. Participants brought a variety of telescopes including Dobsonians and imaging systems. In this first section of the report we will focus on the night sky and in the next section we will report on the facilities and daytime activities.
For all the details, more Stargazing pictures from PPR and to participae in an All-Star Party contact All-Star Telescope.
Trifid Nebula by Ken From (Celestron C-11 CGEM with HyperStar)
Messier 4 Wide Field (Scorpius) by Dalton Wilson. To see more of Dalton Wilson's Photos from the All-Star Alberta Party, please see his website
Evening Star Trails at PPR - by John MacDonald. Watch this time lapse video by John MacDonald of the Milky Way rising in the morning hours.