OI Dinosaur Point, Sunday, Feb 19, 2023

[Peter Natscher]

Dinosaur Point -- CA Pacheco State Park

We have access again to Dinosaur Point (Pacheco State Park) this spring 2023 at the Boat Launch Parking Area. You can arrive at any time during the day to enjoy the Park's trails and scenery but no later than sunset, Sunday at 5:53pm, to get into the park. The main Park gate on Dinosaur Point Road at the top of the hill near Route 152 closes for entry by sunset. I recommend you arrive by no later than 5:30pm as the park ranger sometimes closes the gate and leaves earlier than sunset. After passing through the gate, continue to drive down the hill and pay your day-use fee of $10 fee for the evening at the iron Kiosk located at the bottom of the hill in a small dirt parking area 1,000 ft. before reaching the Boat Launch Parking Lot. We set up for the evening in the Boat Launch Parking Lot. We'll pack up at around 12am -- that leaves at least four hours of dark sky activity (7:30pm-12am), or if an earlier exit whatever we agree to. Everyone exits the park together. The weather forecast shows it's going to be getting cold with temperatures dipping down to around 40°F by 11pm. Cell phone connection from the bottom of the hill in the parking area is spotty. I get a good AT&T connection but not Verizon.

All visitors, please read the Park's Use Policy that apply to you before your arrival.

***************************
Pacheco State Park -- Dinosaur Point -- Use Policy

Dinosaur Point is behind a locked gate for night use. Access to remain in the Park and do any astronomy activities after sunset is only on announced nights. A Gatekeeper must make reservations, be present at all times, and escort observers through the gate as we exit the Park later in the night.

General rules for using Dinosaur Point
  1. Pay the $10 day-use fee at the kiosk located in a small dirt parking area on the right side of the road 1,000 ft. before entering the parking area.
     Please write "Stargazing" in big letters on the envelope we put in the iron ranger kiosk, to make sure the money goes to the right place.
  2. Access to Dinosaur Point after dark is by reservation only. Only Gatekeepers can call the rangers and make reservations.
        a. Send observing requests and questions to dino-gatekeepers oot googlegroups dort com.
        b. Do not post OI's for Dinosaur Point until a Gatekeeper has announced it is available, and their arrival and departure times.

  3. At least one Gatekeeper must always be present.
  4. Everyone must be escorted out by a Gatekeeper.
  5. Observers are not allowed to stay overnight.
  6. Observers must arrive before sunset.
  7. Locate the Gatekeeper(s) and introduce yourself when you arrive. We'll discuss our departure time.
  8. Leave the park as you found it. Make sure your area is clean.
  9. Absolutely no boats allowed in the parking lot after dark.
  10. No overnight camping.
  11. Do not call the emergency number posted on the gate unless you are reporting an emergency. The ranger you get out of bed won't arrive for over an hour. AT&T wireless connects from the parking area.
  12. If you bring guests, you must ensure that they follow all these rules and procedures

Pacheco State Park, CalParks - Dinosaur Point - Kiosk and Boat Launch Parking Lot Map

[ma...@astrospotter.com]

I'm going to shoot for this and be at gate a generous time BEFORE sunset but NOT near sunset.  They ranger can lock the gate early it seems and without help from Peter doing the saintly act of driving all the way up again I would have missed out.  I have used my 'silver bullet' and will not do that to anybody anymore.    

[Jamie Dillon, DDK]

Ooh, I drove up once to let somebody in, a one-time-only act. Got chewed out by those in the big lot, when the perp and I got back. Thought I'd told everyone what I was doing. It wasn't that late after dark, but still. You can see I'm not naming names.

[Sameer Panwar]

If the forecast holds up, I plan to join.

[Peter Natscher]

The current weather forecast for tomorrow by a few weather sources shows it might be as cloudy as it is right now until 9pm.  That's two hours of observing time. What I see outside above us now is unusable for observing. Right now in Monterey at 6 pm Saturday, the NWS says Monterey has 18% cloudiness but the sky is mostly solid white, opaque -- not usable for astronomy.  I will have to review the Sunday pm forecast again tomorrow am for a go/no at Dino.  I don't understand weather sources definitions of % cloudiness and what level (%) of cloudiness can we get by doing astronomy with.  Any thoughts?

[Peter Natscher]

Looking at the weather forecasts for Saturday and Sunday, they all show clear skies during the morning and mid-day hours and then cloudiness by the late afternoon, end of the day, and into the evening.

[Peter Natscher]

Cancelling Dino for tonight, Sunday.  The weather forecast looks questionable with poor transparency arriving by afternoon and into the evening.  Dino is low elevation and suffers from the valley's moisture.  A higher elevation site would be a better choice for tonight such as Pinnacles.