A Report Regarding Magdalena, New Mexico
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John W Briggs
Dec 31, 2019, 12:20:08 AM12/31/19
to Dark-Sky Communities
Hi Folks--
I'm inspired to share a brief report about our situation here in Magdalena, New Mexico, thanks to David Oesper's initiative setting up this new forum for ongoing discussion.
Magdalena is the closest village to the VLA radio telescope. We're about 30 miles west of Socorro, New Mexico, at about 6,600 feet. Albuquerque is to the northeast 75 miles as a bird flies (and 100 miles by car). Our population is about 900. Magdalena Ridge Observatory, operated by New Mexico Tech in Socorro, is at nearly 11,000 feet in mountains immediately to our south. It's not possible to visit the VLA coming from the east without driving through Magdalena on Route 60, a very rural two-lane highway. Thus, Magdalena gets an above-average flow of tourists interested in science. The Village is probably better known, however, for its growing art scene, and its history as an old-west mining & cattle town, complete with ancient pueblo ruins.
My family and I bought property north of the village about 2003 when I started at job at Magdalena Ridge Observatory. We moved away when I had an opportunity to teach in New England, but we returned about five years ago "for the duration," as I'm now 61. While we were away, Magdalena become home of the annual Enchanted Skies Star Party (ESSP), typically running in October. This year ESSP participants included people coming from Canada, Germany, and a returnee from Switzerland. The five-day event is now run by our recently established Magdalena Astronomical Society and draws about 125 people (so it's much smaller than OkieTex). A European group visit is being organized in May 2020 in an astronomy program our Swiss friends hope to expand.
My wife and I chose Magdalena because it was a good option when I was working in Socorro at NM Tech. Darker areas are possible farther to the west and southwest, for example near Reserve. But as everyone realizes considering astronomical sites -- all sites are a compromise involving many factors.
One way to dramatize the general darkness here is to consider that our county, Socorro County, has a population of about 17,000. But the area of our county is comparable to the area of Connecticut and Rhode Island combined. Further, most of the people are on the other side of a small mountain range relative to Magdalena, and 2,000 feet lower. We still have light domes. But on multiple occasions here, I have "discovered" the gegenschien from my own front yard, initially wondering, "Wait, what the heck is that subtle glow?"
Astronomical "seeing" (air steadiness for good resolution) is arguably equally important to darkness. Our local topography and air flow here are generally conducive to good seeing, and we have professional measurements to prove it. Some of the currently most popular dark-sky sites have not been well-chosen for seeing considerations -- seeing conditions have been part of the compromise that's always necessary.
Magdalena's astronomical community is growing very noticeably with an influx of home-buying amateur and professional astronomers & astronomical engineers. Property is cheap here. We haven't organized a specific dark-sky community along the lines of what David has so thoughtfully envisioned for Mirador Astronomy Village near Alpine, Texas (see his organizational outline posted in this forum). We each have instead proceeded more independently, and we haven't thought much (yet) along collective lines. However, we're motivated to start thinking more in the future. For example, by heretofore rather gentle advocacy, we've made good progress convincing local authorities that the Village must embrace full cut-off shielding. So we believe that is truly coming. We are also thinking collectively for certain large telescope projects that are beyond the scale of what most people could accomplish individually. I myself am inspired by the organization of the Stony Ridge Observatory Association in California. I'm also inspired by the long-running Stellafane Convention in Vermont that has influenced so many thousands of people, surely way beyond the dreams of its founders in the 1920s.
A number of us here have already collected some rather extraordinary instrumentation and tooling by amateur standards. Dr. Dan Klinglesmith, who passed way within the last year, was our most active and productive observationalist, he working in the field of asteroid rotation studies. But his legacy continues. I'm especially active in astronomical historical preservation, and I've assembled a surprising historical library at a 7,500-square-foot facility we call the Astronomical Lyceum on Main Street. Solar imager Eric Toops is building an impressive lab next door to the Lyceum, and we share a strong interest in optics. Many other projects, some very large, are active in and near Magdalena, and especially proceeding west on Route 60, past the VLA and into the areas of Datil, Pie Town, and Quemado.
I believe that our general area offers enough advantages that anyone interested in an astronomical retirement should consider it among the many possibilities. There's also land available here that could be used for an ambitious formal community, along the lines of what David has envisioned. I'm not selling real estate! But I can direct you to locals who are.
I enjoy promoting the growth of our local astronomical community, and there's certainly still plenty of room here for people to come in and join "on their own." We shall all benefit with more astronomers here. Anyone interested should feel free to contact me, or another member of the Magdalena Astronomical Society, anytime. We have experience solving all the common problems, from finding a well-driller, to fencing-out cattle, to buying & installing a manufactured home. We also know many issues related to good observatory design.
Cheers!
--John W. Briggs,
Acting President, Magdalena Astronomical Society, Inc.
FOAH Observatory (V23) and
The Astronomical Lyceum
Magdalena, New Mexico
John W Briggs
Dec 31, 2019, 6:37:09 PM12/31/19
to Steve Taylor, Dark-Sky Communities
Sorry you got burned in a speed trap! They are usually not that bad here, I didn't think. But I got a big one like that in Sharon, Wisconsin, years ago, that made me feel the same way, indeed to this day -- so I understand!
Economically the Village is very modest. So a lot of the people I know here are folks that have moved in on retirement. We have a growing art community, and certain things are really picking up. The relatively low cost of real estate is evolving. Because the cost of living is low, it's a good place to be self-employed. I've got some consulting going on that helps. The local schools are not strong, however, so that's a factor for younger families. The Cloudcroft, NM, area for example has much stronger schools. The is some employment in Socorro, including occasionally at NRAO and New Mexico Tech.
--JWB.
Economically the Village is very modest. So a lot of the people I know here are folks that have moved in on retirement. We have a growing art community, and certain things are really picking up. The relatively low cost of real estate is evolving. Because the cost of living is low, it's a good place to be self-employed. I've got some consulting going on that helps. The local schools are not strong, however, so that's a factor for younger families. The Cloudcroft, NM, area for example has much stronger schools. The is some employment in Socorro, including occasionally at NRAO and New Mexico Tech.
--JWB.
On Tue, Dec 31, 2019 at 10:14 AM Steve Taylor <stevea...@gmail.com> wrote:
I'd be interested in employment opportunities round there - our son is at NMT down the hill. Magdalena leaves a somewhat bitter taste in the mouth as I got a speeding ticket within 100 feet of the speed sign last time I passed through
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Steve Taylor
Dec 31, 2019, 6:37:09 PM12/31/19
to John W Briggs, Dark-Sky Communities
We emigrated to the USA from the UK around 5 years ago, I got a great job in PA, after selling my company to the PA company, the salary is excellent - but I was self-employed for thirty years, and need some advancemen. It may come with the PA job, but I'm interested in a move to NM, where we have a property in Animas. Trouble is, MOST of the jobs in NM require US citizenship - and I am another three years off that.
John W Briggs
Dec 31, 2019, 6:37:09 PM12/31/19
to Steve Taylor, Dark-Sky Communities
Whatever you decide, know you are welcome to visit here in Magdalena to check out the scene any time you are able. I want to explore down toward Animas, too!
--JWB.
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Steve Taylor
Dec 31, 2019, 6:37:10 PM12/31/19
to John W Briggs, Dark-Sky Communities
I'd be interested in employment opportunities round there - our son is at NMT down the hill. Magdalena leaves a somewhat bitter taste in the mouth as I got a speeding ticket within 100 feet of the speed sign last time I passed through
On Tue, 31 Dec 2019 at 00:20, John W Briggs <john.w...@gmail.com> wrote:
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