If it's happening in the North Valley, or has anything to do with astronomy, you can read about it here. We maintain this page for the benefit of area residents who value the precious resource of dark night skies. If you have any questions, or need more information on any related topic, please contact us. Many of us moved here to enjoy the rural lifestyle, spacious desert, and night sky. DFAC is committed to preserving your view of the stars. If you have any relevant news you'd like to see here, please contact us.
Contents: [Most recent postings are at the top. Scroll down for history.]
Aug 24, 2011: Sky Lights Now Online
May 11, 2011: Letter
to the Editor of Foothils Focus
Mar 15, 2011: Desert
Cove Elementary Solar Viewing
Jan 01, 2011: Mercury
Vapor Lights Now Illegal
Mar 01, 2010: Gavilan
Peak Estates Development Update
Nov 07, 2009: DFAC
Presents Mr. Sun at Anthem Veterans Day Event
Oct 24, 2009: Astronomy
Night at Desert Arroyo Middle School
Apr 04, 2009: 100
Hours of Astronomy — A public event at the New River Kiwanis
Community Park
Mar 02, 2009: Anthem
Cub Scouts View the Stars at Heimhenge
Nov 08, 2008: DFAC
Presents Mr. Sun at Anthem Veterans Day Event
Sep 05, 2008: Local
Resistance to the Gavilan Peaks Estates Development
Aug 28, 2008: MCDOT Meeting on New River Road
Corridor
Aug 21, 2008: New
Astronomy Shop in Town
Aug 15, 2008: DFAC Registered as "Area
of Interest" for Section 35 T7N R2E
Aug 11, 2008: Curious Relocation of Public Notice for Gavilan
Peak Estates Development
Aug 03, 2008: NRDHCA and the Gavilan Peak
Estates Development
Jul 30, 2008: The Gavilan Peak Estates
Development
Jan 01, 2008: Imminent Demise of the
Dusk-to-Dawn Mercury Vapor Yard Light
Dan Heim, President of the Desert Foothills Astronomy Club, has now published Sky Lights as an online blog. Sky Lights originally ran in the Desert Advocate newspaper, and more recently in the online Foothills Focus. He covers topics of general interest in astronomy and meteorology, and solicits questions from readers. Visit his blog at: http://heimhenge.com/skylights.
Letter to the Editor of Foothills Focus
The April 28th edition of The Foothills Focus featured a press release by Arizona Game and Fish regarding increased nocturnal wildlife intrusion of properties. Its title was "Warmer Temps Mean More Wildlife Activity." It quoted Darren Julian, Urban Wildlife Specialist, as recommending outside lighting left on all night to dissuade wildlife. That didn't sound quite right to us, so we investigated. Our letter ran in the May 11th edition of The Foothills Focus. DFAC ... always working hard to protect your night skies.
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Desert Cove Elementary Solar Viewing
On March 15, at the request of Diana Flores, Science Teacher, DFAC members Dan Heim and Roger Serrato traveled to the Desert Cove Elementary School in Phoenix for a demonstration of solar viewing. The target audience was a group of gifted students from grades 3-5. Dan brought his 5" Takahashi with a hydrogen alpha filter, and Roger his 8" Celestron with a neutral density mylar filter. The Sun cooperated, showing both sunspots and prominences. The first image shows Dan giving his mandatory "don't try this at home with daddy's binoculars" safety lecture. What always grabs their attention is the fact that, without these special filters, you could roast a marshmallow where you position your eye.
Roger followed with an explanation of how large the Sun is, using a basketball as a visual aid.
Here Dan and Roger collaborate using a small marble to represent the size of Earth relative to the Sun.
Having explained what they were about to see, which is necessary for a successful educational experience, we moved on to the fun part ... seeing sunspots and solar flares. Here Dan is shielding a students eyes from sunlight to improve the contrast of the view. Of interest is the fact that young eyes are more sensitive to the far-red light of hydrogen alpha, and several students spotted additional solar flares that Dan had missed.
The sunspots, by comparison, are much higher contrast features. Still, Roger provides some overhead shading to improve the view as a line of eager students queue up.
The students asked some great questions, and took notes during our introductory talks. Here's a page from one of those notebooks.
Diana Flores wrote the following on her classroom blog page: Wonderful volunteers from the Desert Foothills Astronomy Club came to Desert Cove to share their telescopes with the students in the self-contained gifted program. Through the use of special filters, we were able to see sunspots and solar prominences on the Sun! A big thank you to Dan and Roger for sharing their time and telescopes with us!
She also sent us a personal card, thanking us again, and writing: Thank you for coming to Desert Cove to share your time and telescopes with my students. I appreciate that you provided an opportunity for learning that they otherwise would not have had.
In addition, the students wrote personal thank you letters which were mailed to us later. To give some appreciation for why we take the time to do these volunteer events, we'd like to share the text of some of those letters. Names have been removed for privacy, and needed explanatory notes include in [square brackets]. We hope you enjoy these as much as we did. Some are cute or unintentionally amusing, some amazingly eloquent (even for gifted students), but all were sincere ... and that's one of the reasons we keep doing these events.
1. Thank you for showing us the telescopes. It was fun, although I couldn’t see much, but it was interesting. Did you get the idea about trying to show us the Sun? Where did you buy the lenses?
2. Thank you for letting us use your telescopes. It was a unique experience seeing the solar flares and sunspots. Thank you very much!
3. Thank you for coming out and showing us the telescopes. I’m sure they are valuable to you and it was hard to watch us use them. That is why I am in so much gratitude to you for letting us use them. The Sun was amazing to look at with both of them. And to Roger, the sunspots were so cool because sometimes you could see them move. And to Dan, the solar flares were absolutely amazing. And thank you for telling me not to look at the Sun because I’m sure if I did one more time I would have been blind. You are very kind.
4. Thank you for your time. I learned that the sunspots are larger than the Earth. They can fit 100 Earths! I thought they were little like a regular dot.
5. Thank you for sharing your telescopes with us. The solar flares looked cool. I was surprised nothing shot out of the Sun. To me, the sunspots were not on the Sun. All I could see was an orange ball. The solar flares looked like an orange ball with tiny black things [these were atmospheric refraction effects] running all over the place.
6. Thank you for all the cool telescopes. I liked the small one the best. The thing is, I could not see anything in either telescope.
7. [this was addressed “Dear Scientists” instead of the usual “Dear Dan & Roger”] Thank you. You are very nice. I’m sorry that you had to spend so much money for us, but I so much thank you I couldn’t believe it. [we told them how much our scopes cost] Did you know I knew from the first place that the Sun is very small in space? But it was really fun.
8. Thank you both so much for bringing the telescopes to our school. The Sun looked exquisite through the telescopes. I didn’t see very many sunspots but I did see a lot of solar prominences. There were a lot of flares on the right side of the Sun. I would also like to apologize for my class’s behavior. [they were fine, but occasionally rowdy like any young students] Thank you again.
9. Thanks for coming to our school and letting us look at the Sun. It was really amazing and fascinating. I saw a lot of sunspots. If you guys can come back, please do … it was enjoyable. I never thought the Sun was actually a rainbow, that’s phenomenal. [we also showed the sunlight through a spectrometer] You guys are really funny and amiable. You are truly amazing.
10. The Sun was hot that day because it looked cooler than lava. That day the Sun was boiling. [again, atmospheric refraction effects] The telescopes were made exquisitely. Sorry that me and my class were obnoxious and loud. [loud yes, obnoxious no] I was very pensive of you to take your time to go to our school and teach us about it.
11. Thank you for showing us the Sun through your high powered telescopes and filters. The solar flares were very interesting and the sunspots really showed on the yellow filter. Sorry me and my class were so obnoxious and rude. [really, they weren’t]
12. Thank you for showing us the Sun through your telescopes. It was breathtaking seeing the solar flares in the red filter. [H-alpha] I’m very grateful for you to travel all the way out to our school. My favorite part was looking through the red filter. In class, we learned all about the Sun. One thing we learned is that the Sun is 4.5 billion years old. Another thing we learned is that the Sun is 870,000 miles in diameter. [close enough]
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Mercury Vapor Lights Now Illegal
According to ARS 49-7 Article 1 (The Environment / Light Pollution / General Provisions) as of January 1st, 2011 the use of mercury vapor light fixtures is prohibited. Section 49-1104 reads:
A. No new mercury vapor outdoor
light fixtures shall be installed after the effective date of
this section. No replacement equipment other than bulbs for
mercury vapor lighting fixtures shall be sold in the state after
January 1, 1991 and the use of mercury vapor light fixtures is
prohibited after January 1, 2011.
B. The provisions of this section shall not apply to outdoor
light systems erected prior to 1950.
Except for pre-1950 fixtures, which are grandfathered in by paragraph B, this seems to say that one can now file a complaint with local planning and zoning authorities to seek relief from inconsiderate or uninformed neighbors who are using that bane of astronomy: the dusk-to-dawn mercury vapor yard light. Of course, it's always better to solve these problems via civil discussion. The document below is titled "How to Talk to Your Neighbor Who Has a Bad Light." It is provided by the International Dark Sky Association. The two versions contain essentially the same information, with version 2 being a bit more analytical.
neighbor-1.pdf (425k)
neighbor-2.pdf (1372k)
But for those who stubbornly cling to the erroneous idea that these fixtures provide security, there is now a means to force compliance. Simply contact zoning enforcement. Information about how to do that can be found on our Light Pollution page, along with many other resources on that topic.
The mercury vapor light is particularly onerous, since its bluish light scatters easily in air, and dusk-to-dawn fixtures are rarely properly shielded. We provide here some resources for those who want to know more. This first document is titled "The Top 10 Reasons for Not Installing a Dusk-to-Dawn Mercury Vapor Yard Light." It was written by DFAC President Dan Heim, published several times in local newspapers, and is provided copyright-free for distribution.
badlight.doc (32k)
badlight.pdf (106k)
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Gavilan Peak Estates Development Update
An area resident brought it to our attention that the "rezoning request" signs for the Gavilan Peak Estates (GPE) subdivision had been removed as of February. With the economy such as it is, I was not surprised to learn that this development project had lapsed into "inactive" status. A communication with Maricopa County Planning & Development confirmed that there has been no activity on this project for some time. The signs were first posted back in 2008, as is required for rezoning requests. If this is all new to you, you might want to read our original report here.
So what exactly does the removal of the signs portend? An email to Rachel Applegate (rachelapplegate@mail.maricopa.gov) at the County Planning Division brought this response:
"The applicant has not resubmitted plans from the original application for the requested zone change and preliminary plat. The cases are considered inactive at this stage. If the property owner/applicant decides to proceed with a resubmittal or submit a new case, the site will have to be reposted."
So it appears that GPE has allowed the project to lapse into an inactive status. Not surprising, considering the original local resistance to their rezoning request, and the current state of the economy (especially as regards the real estate market). But they do still own the land. In fact ... they own a lot more land than we originally thought.
We started our investigation on the Maricopa County GIS (Geographic Information System) interactive database at: http://www.maricopa.gov/Assessor/GIS/javamap.htm. There we verified that GPE (the owners) had not only acquired the parcels for the subdivision (pending rezoning) proposed in 2008, but they had also acquired additional parcels, essentially surrounding Gavilan Peak, at a later date.
We then conducted an online search at the Maricopa County Assessors Office: http://www.maricopa.gov/Assessor/ParcelApplication/Detail.aspx. There we verified the owners and deed dates of the relevant parcels.
The image below shows the original parcels, highlighted in yellow, listed for the rezoning request for the subdivision. The red ellipse marks the summit of Gavilan Peak. The three parcels immediately west, southwest, and south of the peak are difficult to develop because of the Hillside Development Zoning Overlay. The yellow parcels were purchased in 1991 and 1993. You can click on the image to download a larger version. It was only these parcels that comprised GPE's original rezoning and subdivision requests.
But the image below shows additional parcels, highlighted in green, purchased in 2006. You can click on the image to download a larger version. Note that GPE has now encircled Gavilan Peak, including access to 27th Avenue and Jenny Lin Road. These parcels were not part of GPE's original rezoning and subdivision requests.
So what's exactly happening here? Good question. Our online search of all contiguous parcels shows that the above map is the extent of the GPE venture. The blank territory to the south and east is Arizona State Trust land. Other contiguous parcels are privately owned. Where GPE will go from here is anyone's guess. But the acquisition of these additional (green) parcels raises some interesting questions:
1. Were these additional parcels intended for a
second subdivision project contingent on the success of their
first project?
2. Is this where GPE intended to locate the infrastructure (two
deep wells, water storage tank, sewage treatment plant) for the
original subdivision?
3. Could this be the future site of a private golf course
intended for the original subdivision? The topography of the area
would indeed allow for this option.
We were unable to obtain answers to these questions, as the proposed subdivision plat is not a matter of public record. We were also unable to reach Theresa H. Evidente, the GPE contact at Coe & Van Loo Consultants listed on the site postings. Of course, Coe & Van Loo are now under no obligation to provide information regarding GPE, a privately contracted client.
Bottom line is this: The current economy does not support this proposed development. But, hopefully, the economy will recover. When that occurs, it remains to be seen what will happen to Gavilan Peak. The potential for a community-changing project is still there. This would impact local traffic, the water table, light pollution levels, and, not the least, dramatically alter the appearance of a prominent New River landmark. Trust that DFAC will stay on top of this matter. Check back any time for updates.
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DFAC Presents Mr. Sun at Anthem Veterans Day Event
On November 7th, 2009, DFAC returned for another solar observing session at the Anthem Veterans Day Parade and Festival. This event was at the request parade organizers, who received much positive feedback after last year's event. It appears this will now be an annual booking for DFAC, as well as a potential fundraiser. Given this is still IYA2009, the 400th anniversary of Galileo's invention of the telescope, we could hardly refuse. We had 5 DFAC members working this event: Roger Serrato, Jim & Jean Renn, Raul Espinoza, and Dan Heim.
Roger brought his 8" CAT with a neutral density filter. Dan had his 5" refractor with an H-alpha filter. Raul had some 10x40 binocs outfitted with mylar filters on both objectives. Jim had his 8" CAT set up for terrestrial observation, and his 200x view of a saguaro at the top of Circle Mountain seemed most impressive to our visitors, as it provided more tangible demonstration of just how much a scope can magnify. Jean ran our info table, answering questions and handing out DFAC brochures. The Sun, unfortunately, showed no spots and only a couple very tiny flares. Even through the H-alpha filter, minimal granularity could be seen on the solar disc. The sky was clear, but a slight haze limited resolution. We're still on our way out of a solar minimum, so hopefully next year there will be more to show.
All photos courtesy of Roger Serrato.
We had Roger's tent for shade again, which
significantly improved image contrast, not to mention comfort. It
was a warm day for November,
This was Roger's view, showing the featureless solar disc. Even
with no spots, visitors remarked that it was "amazing to
just see the Sun safely."
One of our visitors strains to see the tiny, low-contrast flares
that are often difficult for adults. Dan explains how the eyes of
children are more sensitive to these red wavelengths.
Raul sits comfortably in the shade with his mylar filtered binocs
and a bottle of water.
As you can see, we had a different setup area than last year's event, far from the dust of the baseball diamond. Our optics appreciated that. Located between the main entrance to the park and the food court, it was a higher visibility position. We estimate some 200 people filed through for a view of the Sun. Comments, as with last year, were very positive.
There were several other non-profit organizations set up along this walkway, such as the Phoenix Herpetological Society and a local birding group. They had "donation boxes" and seemed to be taking in a fair amount of cash. Next year, DFAC will do the same. The crowd is generous, interested in what we do, and grateful for the obvious effort we put into setting this all up. It makes sense to take advantage of this good will and raise some funds for our treasury. But we'd feel better about it if we could actually show them some sunspots and large flares. Keep your fingers crossed for 2010.
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Astronomy Night at Desert Arroyo Middle School
On October 24th, 2009, 6-8 pm, DFAC hosted an Astronomy Night at Desert Arroyo Middle School, Cave Creek. This event was at the request of Sherlyn Halloran, who teaches 7th grade science, and was just finishing a unit on astronomy. It was the perfect time to show her students the actual objects they'd been studying. The date was selected to provide a nice view of the 1st Quarter Moon, with additional targets including Jupiter, Alberio, Mizar/Alcor, M13, M31, and M57. DFAC has done more public events than usual this year, in concert with IYA2009, the 400th anniversary of Galileo's invention of the telescope. We had 6 DFAC members working this event: Roger Serrato, Scott Loucks, Jim Renn, Ron Walker, Raul Espinoza, and Dan Heim.
The sky was clear and dark for the first hour of observing, with intermittent clouds after that. We were able to show the students everything that was up, but there were occasional delays as clouds passed through the field of view. Approximately 80 people attended, including students and parents. All of us were constantly engaged with observers at the scopes. The students were very well prepared for the event, understood what they were seeing, and asked some really good questions. Their teacher obviously did a great job on the astronomy unit, as her students were excited and curious about all things astronomical. There were many questions from parents too, who confessed that their children probably knew more about astronomy than they did. Photos were provided by Sherlyn Halloran.
Scott Loucks explains the physics of globular clusters, and shows
the crowd M13 as a prime example. Individual stars were resolved.
Jim Renn is on the Moon. Well ... at least his scope is. Here he
explains why there are such strong shadows near the lunar
terminator.
Dan Heim used 10x80 binocs to show earthshine on the Moon. He
also explained the nature of maria, pointing out the Sea of
Tranquility to students born after the Moon landings.
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100 Hours of Astronomy — A public event at the New River Kiwanis Community Park
On April 4th, 2009, 7-9 pm, DFAC hosted a public astronomy event at the New River Kiwanis Community Park (NRKCP). 2009 is the 400th anniversary of Galileo's invention of the telescope. Professional and amateur groups worldwide have declared 2009 the International Year of Astronomy, and hosted public events in a 100 hour marathon from April 2-5. The date was selected to provide a good view of the Moon, one of the many objects observed by Galileo, and a key part of his argument for the Heliocentric Theory of Copernicus. To read more about this global celebration, click here.
The sky was clear and dark, but it was a bit windy and cool, so turnout was less than expected. We were also "competing" with the Anthem Days celebration, which, through an inopportune coincidence, was held this same weekend. Still, those who attended were greeted with fine views of the Moon, Saturn, and other astronomically significant objects.
Our welcome table provided guests with DFAC info brochures, and
instructions for participating in the evening's event.
We had a total of eight telescopes deployed, each targeting a
specific object. Lines were short and all our guests had great
views.
One young observer was thrilled by her first look at the Moon,
magnified 100 times larger than what the eye can see.
We expect this public event to become a yearly DFAC offering. One of the best ways to fight light pollution is to show people what they're missing under brighter skies. And the NRKCP is one of the darkest sites in the New River area. DFAC would like to thank the New River Kiwanis for the use of their park. It's a great dark sky location. Also thanks to the Larking Memorial Arena equestrians for accommodating us with an early "lights out" for their riders that evening.
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Anthem Cub Scouts View the Stars at Heimhenge
DFAC hosted an Astronomy Night for the Alligator Den of Anthem Cub Scout Pack 432 on March 2nd at Heimhenge, the residence of DFAC President Dan Heim. 12 Scouts and 6 parents (including Den Master Mike Setto, who coordinated this event for his group) were in attendance. DFAC members Dan Heim, Roger Serrato, Ron Walker, and Scott Loucks worked the scopes.
The large orange scope is Dan's 17" Dobsonian. It's simple design invites viewers to take a look, even when its owner is busy elsewhere (like shooting photos).
When this 8-foot long Dobsonian scope is pointing upward, the "height challenged" often require use of a ladder to get to the eyepiece.
The long climb to the top is rewarded with an amazing view of the Moon at 80x magnification.
Dan explains what made the craters on the Moon to one curious Scout. These smart kids asked a lot of good questions.
Roger's 8" CAT showed a great view of crescent Venus, which was just past greatest elongation.
Only a small step stool was required for the CAT. Here, the Scout is exclaiming how crescent Venus looks just like a tiny Moon. It really does.
Ron had his laptop connected wirelessly to Scott's LAMP Observatory, also in New River, and was receiving live remote images of Comet Lulin every 10 minutes. The comet's rapid motion relative to the stars was clearly visible. This wireless linkup worked so well we expect to use it again at future public outreach events.
Towards the end of the evening, a strange object appeared to the north. Actually, Ron was showing them where the North Star was located. But since it wasn't visible to the camera, I thought I'd make this photo more interesting with a little digital editing. Several people asked what we thought about UFOs, so it seemed appropriate.
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DFAC Presents Mr. Sun at Anthem Veterans Day Event
Anthem held its annual Veteran's Day Parade on Saturday, November 8th. Following the parade, from noon to 4 pm, they had a community celebration in the park. DFAC was there. So were the usual assortment of vendors, free and paid activities, and probably 5000 people. We had three telescopes there: Roger's 8" CAT with a neutral density solar filter, Jim's 8" CAT (aimed at a distant mountain peak), and Dan's 5" refractor with an H-alpha filter. Images from the event follow ...
ALL PHOTOS BY ROGER SERRATO
The sign was supposed to attract attention. After several people asked us "How much does this cost?" we added the word "free" in big red letters. It worked.
After we made it clear we weren't charging anything, business picked up nicely. We had maybe 75-100 viewers come by to check out Mr. Sun.
Roger snagged this cool canopy on Craig's List for $35. It provided some much-needed shade. This was a hot day. It also allowed viewers to get better contrast, since they were in the shade while viewing.
We weren't the only attraction, but we had a good spot along a major traffic path. And ... we were free!
Good thing you can't hear him, because he wasn't too happy with Mr. Sun. Due to a lack of any sunspots, Roger's neutral density filter showed no more than a white disc. People said they thought that was cool anyway, but they'd have been more impressed if we could've shown them some spots. Anyway, like they say, a bad day fishing is better than a good day at the office.
There was this annoying "toy train" that kept driving by our spot. On grass, it wouldn't have been a problem, but we were set up on a baseball diamond, and this train raised a lot of dust. Had to clean all my optics when I got back home. Next year we'll anticipate this joker, and set up where there isn't as much dust.
Dan shows some kids what a solar flare looks like. There weren't any sunspots, but there was a prominent prominence made up of two distinct filaments, with a length of maybe 5% the solar disc diameter. Adult eyes had a harder time with this low-contrast feature, but the kids all saw it easily.
DFAC member Howard Grodsky wasn't participating, but he dropped by to see how we were doing. He's chatting here with VP Jim Renn.
Speaking of which, Jim & Jean Renn generously provided a nice color ad for DFAC in the November 8th issue of In&Out magazine. DFAC thanks you!
We also got this free spot in the official schedule, just because were were one of the events. The more publicity, the better. Scott Loucks was there to hand out club brochures and answer questions. We gave out 50 brochures. Hopefully, some will generate new members. It was a great day, sunny and clear, and fun to do. I can see this becoming an annual event for DFAC.
Veterans Post 128, the Anthem group who hosted the event, later presented to DFAC this fine certificate acknowledging our participation.
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Local Resistance to the Gavilan Peaks Estates Development
When I stopped by the New River Mailbox today, I noticed a poster on their bulletin board (below) that was created by a group of people who pride themselves in being "long-time New River residents" with a concern for preserving our rural lifestyle. I spoke with one of them today, and will speak with others next week. I don't know much about them yet, but as I learn more I'll expand on this section. They don't mention "light pollution" on their poster, but from what I learned today, that is also a concern for them.
To see a larger version of this poster, click here.
More to come as I learn who this group is, and what strategies they have planned to resist this development. Obviously, they recommend contacting our District 3 Representative Andy Kunasek, even though this project has not yet reached the "public hearing" stage. It couldn't hurt to weigh-in with Andy at this time ... he's up for re-election this Fall. Let him know what you think.
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MCDOT Meeting on New River Road Corridor
August 28th, at New River Elementary School, MCDOT hosted the second of three planned public meetings for information and input on the New River Road Corridor Improvement Project. Two members of DFAC were present (Dan Heim and Scott Loucks) to provide our recommendations on development and lighting. We filled out the usual survey forms, and advocated the use of low-pressure sodium vapor or LED lighting at the new controlled intersections that are part of their improvement plan. As the New River area continues to develop, the need for additional lanes, and controlled intersections, appears to be inevitable. Further, traffic studies show that an increasing number of people are using New River Road (to Carefree HWY) as an alternate route into Phoenix, attempting to avoid the usual bottleneck on I-17.
We spoke with Douglas McCants, a consultant working for MCDOT, about our concerns. In a follow-up email, I reiterated those concerns, also mentioning the Gavilan Peaks Estates development project and its likely impact on traffic flow at the intersection of New River Road and 27th Avenue (something MCDOT's plan did not seem to account for). You can read that correspondence here:
MCDOT-1.doc (30 k)
MCDOT-1.pdf (68 k)
As the New River area (and other parts of the north Valley) continue to grow, we will see its impact on the darkness of our night sky. We can't do that much to stop the growth, but we can attempt to control it, and mitigate the effects of additional lighting. MCDOT wants to listen, but we need to talk.
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When I moved tp Phoenix back in 1978, there were 3-4 astronomy retailers in the area. Over the years the number has decreased, hitting zero about 5 years ago. Starizona in Tucson is a great store, and I've done business with them on a few occasions, but it's still a day-long event to get there from here. It's hard for a brick-and-mortar establishment to complete with the online giants, but Photomark , just east of 51 at the McDowell exit, is trying to do just that, leveraging their power as an established camera store. I learned about Photomark on the AZ-Observers forum (thanks to AJ Crayon of SAC and Niel Borque of EVAC for pointing it out), and had a chance to stop by yesterday. Here's what I found.
Here's their storefront. It's easy to get to, as I said, and has plenty of parking. They've been in business at this location for over 50 years, and are immediately adjacent to the originally co-owned Colormark photo processing lab.
Retail manager Judith Anderson proudly displays their wares, at present comprising a fine lineup of beginner scopes. Judith says they're hoping to get the word out before the Christmas shopping season starts, so if you ever get that common question "Where can I go in Phoenix to see some telescopes?" you now know where to point them. They will be running regular workshops to educate both their own staff (who are still learning) as well as potential customers. This Saturday the sales rep from Meade will be running a workshop on the basics of astronomy, astrophotography, what to look for in a new telescope, and how to use AutoStar. More astronomy workshops are planned for the future.
Here's another view of the scopes from a better angle. They stock both Celestron and Meade. With some 6000 square feet of retail space, they have the room to expand their offerings if the market is there.
Their current stock of accessories is limited to some basic eyepieces, the Meade Auto-Star imaging hardware and software, and the Meade mySKY GPS hand-held celestial object identifier. As with the scopes, they hope to expand their accessory offerings based on demand.
Here's a closer view of those accessories. Truth be told, I almost walked out with that Auto-Star package, but still need to do some research before jumping into CCD imaging. If you get a chance to stop by Photomark, take the time to look around, wish them well in this new endeavor, and maybe even buy something. It would be great to once again have our own astronomy retailer here in Phoenix. Our referrals and patronage will help ensure their success.
Photomark Contact Info:
2202 E. McDowell Road, Phoenix, AZ 85006
602-244-1133 or 800-777-6627
www.photomark.com
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DFAC Registered as "Area of Interest" for Section 35 T7N R2E
We have been in contact with the Maricopa County Planning & Development offices, and formally requested that DFAC be added as an "area of interest" for development in Section 35 T7N R2E. What this does is ensure that DFAC is added to the County mailing list for any activity in this area. Section 35 T7N R2E encompasses Gavilan Peak. This allows us advance notice of any public hearings at which we could provide input, as well as County official to contact with email or postal input. This column will be updated as needed to reflect progress, or lack thereof, made by Gavilan Peak Estates.
If you would like to be added as an "area of interest," contact Leo Donahue in the County GIS Department at: 602-506-2474.
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Curious Relocation of Public Notice for Gavilan Peak Estates Development
The day I returned from my vacation in Wisconsin, I discovered the public notice sign for the Gavilan Peak Estates project had been moved. This was about a week after our conversations with Coe & Van Loo. The sign was moved from the side of Jenny Lin Road, where it was originally posted, to a point some 50 yards back, accessible only after a desert hike across a large gully. While there could certainly be legitimate reasons for this move, the timing was curious. Trust that we will be following this development closely. As we learn more, this page will be updated to keep you informed.
The sign was originally posted right at the curve of this road, near the small #5 sign marking an adjacent lot. In its new location, you'd need a telescope to read it from the road. I didn't have mine with me, so I decided to hike up to the sign with my camera.
After a steep 50 yard hike, avoiding cacti and critters, I finally reached the notice. As you can see, it is indeed the original sign. Kind of reminds me of that scene from The Hitchhiker's Guide" where Arthur responds to the city inspector that the notice of his home's demolition had been posted "in the basement inside a locked filing cabinet in a disused lavatory with a sign saying Beware of the Leopard."
As long as I was up there, I decide to photograph from that perspective, perhaps better showing the distance and elevation traversed to reach the sign.
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NRDHCA and the Gavilan Peak Estates Development
One of our members, Peggy Biegler, who is also a member of the New River Desert Hills Community Association (NRDHCA) contacted me with more information about the Gavilan Peak Estates project. It seems the NRDHCA was already aware of this proposed development. See their letter recommending denial to Rachel Applegate (in Planning & Development) below:
NRDHCA.doc (20k)
NRDHCA.pdf
(80k)
They hired Paul H. McAllister, a consultant, to provide a recommendation based on development constraints and existing infrastructure. He identified many potential problems with the proposed development. Although Mr. McAllister does not specifically address light pollution, DFAC shares his other concerns. His two letters to P&Z, dated July 12 and July 16 respectively, are available below:
Analysis-1.doc (38k)
Analysis-1.pdf (77k)
Analysis-2.doc (31k)
Analysis-2.pdf (69k)
NRDHCA is a great group, with the community's best interests in mind. We have provided them presentation on the topic of light pollution, and look forward to collaborating with them on this latest issue. You can visit their website at: http://www.newriver-deserthillscommunityassociation.org/
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The Gavilan Peak Estates Development
This proposed New River development was brought to our attention in mid-July. It has the potential to impact many aspects of our lifestyle in this area, including light pollution, traffic, well water levels, and the appearance of Gavilan Peak, a prominent landmark enjoyed by area residents. Some of this information was obtained through public records. Some was obtained from Coe & Van Loo Consultants, the planner and developer for the land owners. Their spokesperson, Theresa H. Evidente, was quite helpful in providing us answers to our questions. To be fair, their job is to get the best deal for their clients, and our conversations with Ms. Evidente cause me to believe that Coe & Van Loo are trying to do this development with minimal environmental and aesthetic impact. Still, we have concerns regarding the effect this project will have on light pollution in this area. Here is what we already know ...
1. Gavilan Peak Estates, LLC, formed in 2006, has acquired 130 acres of land surrounding Gavilan Peak. To see the aerial photographic image of this land, click here (449k). To see the lot numbers of this and adjacent properties, click here (658k). The posted notice (below), required by Maricopa County Planning & Development, was discovered by an area resident during an ATV ride.
2. As you can see from the posted notice, they will be applying for a zoning change from R43 (one home per acre maximum) to R1-35 (one home per 0.8 acres). Our search of county records shows that they have not yet officially filed for the zoning change. It is still listed as "I/P" (in process). When they do apply, they will be required to post another notice to that effect, including case number, hearing date, and means for local citizens to provide their input. They have already been working with the County on preliminary issues, but to our knowledge, there have been no formal applications filed to date.
3. R1-35 zoning also allows two-story residences, but Ms. Evidente says that is not in their plans. According to her, "These will be high-end homes, integrated appropriately into the existing landscape."
4. This will be a private (but not gated) development, set up as an HOA. This further leads me to believe the aesthetic impact on Gavilan Peak should be minimal.
5. The main entry will be via a private extension to 29th Avenue, which currently dead-ends north of Gavilan Peak. Alternate access via connections to other area roads will also be provided.
6. Sewage will be handled by an on-site sewage treatment plant.
7. Water will be provided by two wells, supplemented by two storage tanks.
8. Of course, DFAC's primary concern is with lighting. According to Coe & Van Loo, there will be no street lights. All residential lighting will be shielded, and no up-lighting will be used. This is good, but could be even better. In our letter to Coe & Van Loo we argue for LPS (low pressure sodium vapor) lighting for both porch and yard lights, as well as fully shielded lights all around. Current code requires full shielding only on lights brighter than 150 watts. To read a PDF copy of our letter to Coe & Van Loo, click here. To read a PDF copy of our letter to Rachel Applegate at Maricopa County P&D, click here.
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Imminent Demise of the Dusk-To-Dawn Mercury Vapor Yard Light: Jan 1st, 2008
Many of us have had to put up with less-than-considerate neighbors who use dusk-to-dawn mercury vapor yard lights. The folly of such lighting is explained clearly in our article "The Top 10 Reasons for Not Installing a Dusk-to-Dawn Mercury Vapor Yard Light." This article was written by DFAC president Dan Heim, has run in local newspapers of several occasions, and may be downloaded and distributed freely for educational purposes. Get your copy by clicking on either of the links below:
badlight.doc (32k)
badlight.pdf (106k)
Fortunately, the end is in sight. Here is what ARS Title 49, Chapter 7, Article 1 has to say:
49-1104. Use of mercury vapor light fixtures
A. No new mercury vapor outdoor light fixtures shall be installed after the effective date of this section. No replacement equipment other than bulbs for mercury vapor lighting fixtures shall be sold in the state after January 1, 1991 and the use of mercury vapor light fixtures is prohibited after January 1, 2011.
B. The provisions of this section shall not apply to outdoor light systems erected prior to 1950.
Unfortunately, the "grandfather clause" in paragraph B will allow some existing systems to remain operational. Because of this, these cheap and offensive lighting fixtures continue to be sold at home stores throughout the state. The stores have no way of knowing whether the parts they sell are for new or grandfathered fixtures, so these lights are still being added in some places. If this happens near you, there is a remedy. Simply contact zoning enforcement to report a violation. Contact numbers and links are available on our Light Pollution page. But before you take such action, we recommend talking to your neighbor and providing them with a copy of the article cited above. People are generally good about this, and motivated by the false sense of security these lights are advertised to provide. Most are unaware of the issues explained in our article. File a zoning violation only as a last resort.
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