Woods Creek
Stargazing Guide.

"The higher summit is to the north (7080’), the south summit contains the old fire lookout building. The north summit is the best monitoring site, but difficult to access from the south because of large blocky boulders. Ascended a snowfield to a low point in the ridge at 6850’, at the base of the slope leading to the northern summit. Very good monitoring site with plenty of room to set up and safe location for people. Night of Perseid meteor shower, many bright meteors seen. Bortle Class 3. Seeing very good, transparency fair. Smoke from distant fires throughout, brown color seen to east. Visiblility in daytime no more than 40 miles. Light dome seen from Vancouver as a broad glow stretching from 340 azimuth across the northwestern horizon, centered on Mt. Baker, to about 300, up to 15 degrees altitude, significantly brighter than the brightest part of the Milky Way. Another light “bump” at 270-280, much smaller than Vancouver, then an even brighter light dome beginning at 220, 35-40 degrees wide, 15-20 degrees tall, bright enough to affect night vision. No other light domes. Bright airglow, extending to 30-35 degrees altitude. Around the Zenith, the Milky Way exhibits all details from Scutum to Cassiopeia, excellent sky within 40 degrees of Zenith. Zodiacal Light not seen, partly because of its position low in the east and south. Darkest area of the sky around the head of Draco, considerably darker than the other side of the Milky Way where more airglow is present. SQM 21.42 end of 4th set."

"Light domes all around, Victoria brightest and largest. Class 4. Hazy, fog to the south, high humidity, seeing very good, transparency fair. Sky at 30 degrees altitude and lower much poorer than other parts, airglow cannot be discerned because of light domes and haze. No Zodiacal light, even in AM. Evening hours better, Cygnus milky way at Zenith well displayed but later the entire band looks washed out. Dark adaptation difficult. Port Angeles and Port Townsend visible in early evening, lost in fog late. Puget Sound light dome subdued, Victoria light dome bright but cut off vertically to the south, presumably because of fog. Data sets 1-3 OK, 4th has problem with wire pulling out of camera, no good. 5th incomplete and no good."