The Billy Dodd Observing Field
Spring Evening on the Observing Field
Welcome to the Billy Dodd Observing Field—a quiet, dark-sky site designed for serious deep-sky observing. The field is open 24/7, year-round for members, and we work together to keep it a respectful place where everyone can observe comfortably.
Annual Membership
Use of the observing field is limited to members. The field and its amenities are maintained through member support and donations from astronomers like you. To observe here, please register, pay the $40 annual membership, sign the Waiver Form.
Please also sign up for our email list to receive annoucements for the observing field and to communicate with other members.
Amenities
Our clubhouse includes a refrigerator and microwave, two bathrooms, and showers with hot and cold water (and a great view of the sky). The eastern section of the field has RV power connections, while the central and western areas are best suited for smaller setups such as telescopes, laptops, and portable equipment.
Field Guidelines (so everyone can enjoy the dark)
When you arrive, please stop by the clubhouse to check in and sign the logbook with your arrival date, name, and email address. Before you leave, please sign out as well.
Because protecting night vision is essential for deep-sky observing, driving on the field is not permitted after sunset or before sunrise. If you expect to leave during the night, please park on the street at the south end of the field facing south. When you depart, keep all vehicle lights off until you reach the dirt road.
We also ask everyone to follow strict lighting etiquette: white lights are not allowed on the observing field. Please use red light only, and avoid wearing red lights on your head or cap—these often shine into other observers’ eyes or directly into telescope optics.
To keep the site quiet and comfortable, please do not fly drones over the field, and no smoking is permitted anywhere on site. If you need to use an electronic generator, please run it only during daylight hours, preferably in the afternoon, since generator noise can disturb observers and anyone trying to rest.
Finally, we are a pack-in/pack-out site: please take all waste with you, as we do not have trash pickup.
For directions and an aerial photo: https://goo.gl/maps/DdkrTUVhSjmPJ1cR7.