BajaNomad

Bajadarkskies.com website up!

astrobaja - 6-15-2010 at 01:01 PM

Hi all,

We've been busy getting our website up, and using coffeecup software we got something going. Our place is not really open yet but in a few weeks we could rent out the guest cabin.
I imagine we will be adding changing things on the website as we progress but its a good start!

cheers

Mike

www.bajadarkskies.com

DENNIS - 6-15-2010 at 01:13 PM

Looks good, Mike. Thanks.

irenemm - 6-15-2010 at 02:52 PM

Hey that looks great.
do you have a phone? or is it just email for reservation.
send me the prices please.
posadadondiego@yahoo.com
thanks Irene

David K - 6-16-2010 at 09:32 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by astrobaja
Hi all,

We've been busy getting our website up, and using coffeecup software we got something going. Our place is not really open yet but in a few weeks we could rent out the guest cabin.
I imagine we will be adding changing things on the website as we progress but its a good start!

cheers

Mike

http://www.bajadarkskies.com


Hi Mike... we are wishing you well! You guys have been working very hard for this and even with mud slides and off roader at night, you will succeed!!! (I added the http:// code in front of your web address to make it a hyper-link)

Mexitron - 6-16-2010 at 10:30 AM

Looks great---can't wait to visit!

BajaBlanca - 6-16-2010 at 10:55 AM

It does look fantastic ! good luck - the idea is fabulous and should really take off !!

astrobaja - 6-16-2010 at 08:50 PM

Thanks for all the good wishes everyone! Officially we have yet to work out the prices so stay tuned we will add it to the site. First we would like to get all the flagstone laid around the house and guest casita. Then we want one or 2 nice BBQ areas, work is under way already so it should only be a month or perhaps 2. BUT people are welcome to come and camp now if they bring stuff to BBQ. The guest casita should have the hot water system up and running in a week or so if people want to shower.

its been a huge undertaking building this far away from everything but when Pamela and I look back on what we have already accomplished we are amazed!

Santiago - 6-16-2010 at 09:39 PM

Hey Mike: how did the beam ends that were in the fireplace flue turn out? Good luck on the website and the rental, I will definitely look you up.

k-rico - 6-17-2010 at 06:10 AM

A 30" Starmaster!!! I just read a brief history of the telescope, fascinating. It's in a book titled A Short History of Nearly Everything. All science, you might enjoy it.

I'll be there sometime this summer. I'd love to book some time with you to see Saturn and Jupiter though your telescope and I've been to the park before, a wonderful place.

How far back in time can you see with that telescope? Is that a logical question?

Tell us about some of the things you can see, both within the solar system and in the cosmos. What and when are the special astronomical events coming up in the next few months? I bet every night is a special event for you. Great avocation.


[Edited on 6-17-2010 by k-rico]

astrobaja - 6-17-2010 at 10:50 AM

Hi K-rico!

I'll have to look up that book on Amazon, thanks! Of course you are welcome to come.
Actually telescopes are really time machines, so yes its totally logical. Even with your eyes you are looking back in time when you peer into the sky. The light from the sun takes 9 minutes to reach us, the andromeda galaxy can easily be seen with the naked eye is over 2 million light years away (a next door neigbor in galactic terms) Some people with keen vision can see a galaxy known as M33 which is over 3 million LY away:
http://seds.org/messier/m/m033.html

With a 30" telescope in dark dark skies you can see objects 2/3's of the way back to the big bang! I have seen an object known as a gravitation lens which almost 9 billion light years away. Its a quasar whose light has been split into 2 by a huge mass of an optically invisible galaxy cluster which is right between us and the quasar.

http://www.astr.ua.edu/keel/agn/q0957.html

I often look at star clusters which are in our own milky way as well as other galaxies and galaxy clusters (some of which are 200-300 million light years distant) You can also view supernova remnants and nebulae (like the orion nebula which you can see with binoculars)
The moon and planets are the most easily appreciated by the public because they are bright and lots of detail can be seen.
Scale is often the most difficult to grasp and to explain, even just our solar system is vast beyond imagining let alone distances to other galaxies
Heres a good page to explain scale:

http://fuse.pha.jhu.edu/~wpb/scale.html

Now I'm looking for someone relativly local to build my observatory to house the scopes, but the hunt is difficult very few want to drive the distance, have to check out some contractors in San Quintin next.

astrobaja - 6-17-2010 at 10:52 AM

Santiago,

Yes we did get the fireplace patched up! Put in some wire and a layer of high temp refractory clay. Someday though we will put in a metal flue and just get fireplace insert.

Graham - 6-19-2010 at 12:11 AM

Super website Mike. And the place looks great... it's going to be a wonderful place to ponder the universe, and a few "down to earth" condors.

Enjoyed my visit in May and meeting you and Pamela. Thanks for the guided tour. I'm in awe of all you've achieved.

I tried to post a picture of the ranch living room and fireplace... but this topic alone doesn't have a "browse" button!

What gives? I'm sure it's not like this on Alpha Centauri!

shari - 6-19-2010 at 07:46 AM

Wow...I'm so proud of my paisanos...well done kids!!! What a unique attraction you have created...er...tapped into...love the home page.

David K - 6-19-2010 at 07:56 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by Graham
Super website Mike. And the place looks great... it's going to be a wonderful place to ponder the universe, and a few "down to earth" condors.

Enjoyed my visit in May and meeting you and Pamela. Thanks for the guided tour. I'm in awe of all you've achieved.

I tried to post a picture of the ranch living room and fireplace... but this topic alone doesn't have a "browse" button!

What gives? I'm sure it's not like this on Alpha Centauri!


Set up an account (free) at Photobucket.com and then upload photos from your PC to Photobucket AFTER you select a reduced size to uplod at (15" screen, Large or Medium work okay on Nomad).

Each of your photos will have a URL link called IMG Code for pasting right here on Nomad or where-ever...

>>> Share this image IMG Code

Here's what it would look like (I added a space, so the photo won't show in the first link, then how it looks without the space inserted, below...

[IMG]
http://i213.photobucket.com/albums/cc212/DavidKier/306010.jpg[/IMG]

Bob H - 6-19-2010 at 08:18 AM

Wow, great web site. This is an area of Baja that we have yet to explore. I wonder if our 4x4 cabover camper could make it out there??

Directions posted from your web site:

"Getting Here
Baja Dark Skies Inn is located aprox. 6 hours South of San Diego.
From San Diego Take the Interstate 5 South to the border crossing between San Diego and Tijuana. From Tijuana follow the signs to Ensenada/Rosarito.
Take the Ensenada toll road (Cuota). After the toll road ends in Ensenada follow Mexico 1 through downtown Ensenada and follow the signs for San Quintin.
The turn off (left) of Mex 1 for our side road, Camino Observatorio is located at KM 143 in the village of Diaz Ordaz-follow the signs for The San Pedro Martir National Park and Observatory. Follow the winding (but paved!) road to just past Km 67. Look for the sign on the right hand side of the road" Baja Dark Skies Inn". Turn left. Now the adventure begins. The road is not for the faint of heart.
It is a work in progress. Four wheel drive is suggested but two wheel drive is very passable in the drier months as well.The dirt/sand/rock road leading to Baja Dark Skies Inn is 6 km long (almost 4 miles). It leads down into the La Joya valley and up the other side in a series of switchbacks as it continually rises to our location. It can take anywhere from 15 to 45 minutes, depending on your driving style!
Enjoy what the Baja 1000 has driven on!"

Graham - 6-19-2010 at 09:58 AM



Mike and the living room fireplace.



And here befriending the wildlife.

Thanks David for the photobucket advice.

Graham - 6-19-2010 at 10:18 AM







The road to the ranch. A beautiful Baja drive.

astrobaja - 6-20-2010 at 09:46 AM

Graham, thanks for posting some pics! The ones you put up make the road look easy LOL. But yes for the most part its a 2WD road, ya just gotta go slow. Maybe when you visit next the observatory will be built! Thanks for the kind words, we have come a long way, still a lot of projects left to do!

BobH: I think your cabover camper should be fine, you might rub the top of it on some oak branches but we did get our 27" trailer in (via bulldozer) and the AC did'nt get rubbed off!

David K - 6-20-2010 at 09:47 AM

You are welcome Graham!:D

astrobaja - 6-20-2010 at 10:25 AM

David: does photobucket site also let you upload full size images? (like up to 1600X1200). reason I ask is I'd like to find a place to host my full size lunar images.

thanks!

Mike

[Edited on 6-20-2010 by astrobaja]

Graham - 6-20-2010 at 12:34 PM

Mike, the road out to your ranch seemed gentle enough after the drive down from the San Pedro Mártir, with all the fallen boulders and the pavement washed away in places.



Even the condors were looking for “road kill” on a couple of the worst curves.



But you’re right, the 6 km drive can seem a little hairy the first time you do it, when you’re not sure where you’re going.

Luckily I had a good co-pilot always willing to jump out and offer advice.



When we left, I thought it wise to get out and let her handle one of those challenging descending switchbacks. :)

IF ANY ONE MISSED IT

desertcpl - 6-20-2010 at 07:32 PM

Nearer my Dog to thee

http://bajadetour.books.officelive.com/nmdtt.aspx

David K - 6-21-2010 at 04:31 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by astrobaja
David: does photobucket site also let you upload full size images? (like up to 1600X1200). reason I ask is I'd like to find a place to host my full size lunar images.

thanks!

Mike

[Edited on 6-20-2010 by astrobaja]


Just go and see Mike.. it is free... I upload my images, but when I do... I first choose a size that won't distort Baja Nomad... 15" is a full screen and Large is pretty darn good, too. The 17" size and the standard 1 mg. size causes Nomad to stretch wide for most viewers and exceeds the requested 800 pixel width here.

BajaGeoff - 6-28-2010 at 02:16 PM

Looks great Mike!

My father and I have been talking about doing a trip up there for years. We would love to come stay at your place. Good luck with finishing everything and let us know when you are officially open!

k-rico - 8-12-2010 at 08:03 AM

Just got back from from a two night stay at the Baja Dark Skies Inn, Mike and Pamela's place in the sky. I loved it. Wonderful mountain retreat. Camping was great in the shade of a huge oak tree and the weather was perfect. Warm days, cool nights. It was a perfect nature experience, absolutely pristine.

We intentionally went at the new moon so the stars would be blazing and they were. The most star filled night sky I've ever seen. In addition everybody (all four if us including a 10 year old boy) saw shooting stars blazing into the atmosphere, satellites moving across the sky, and airplanes at cruising altitude. The night sky there is amazing.

Mike gave us all a tour of deep space with his 18" reflector and it's a mind boggling experience seeing back in time.

What a unique place to visit. An immaculate place to camp (or stay in the guest house) no worries about noisy fellow campers, an absolutely beautiful mountain setting, the nicest hosts, and a chance to look through a really great telescope, guided by an astronomer.

AND, if you go there in the coming weeks/months you'll be able to pick ripe apples from their trees. They are loaded with fruit.

Highly recommended, top shelf, vacation experience. It is a great place to stay and day trips to the close by national park are certainly doable.

Bravo Mike and Pamela!!

http://www.bajadarkskies.com/index.html