Locations: Dinosaur Point

Elevation: 648 feet (200 meters)
Location: West of Los Baños, California
Darkness: Green zone. Average SQM is around 21.3. Highest reading for me was 21.5 but I haven't been monitoring SQM readings at Dino too often
Best sky: South is really nice, and North is decent.
Worst: East, but it's ok above 40 degrees.

Dino point is the place I went on my very first astrophoto outing, so just for that reason it is a very special place for me. It's a site used only in the winter months, as it is often very VERY windy every other time of the year (we're talking serious wind gusts here).

I can get to Dino Point in around 1 hour, 5 minutes from home, and 98% of the drive is freeway - all other sites require driving narrow and winding roads for at least 20-30 minutes, with the exception of DARC and Deep Sky Ranch. And despite its poor elevation - it's only at 648 feet (200m) elevation - in the winter months it is known to offer good seeing, and it is naturally (no fog required) a rather dark site - not extremely dark, because there's no such thing in such a "short" drive, but considering everything else (not too far, easy drive, etc) it really is as good as it gets.

People preparing for a star party at Dino Point. BTW, I have no idea who the guy in the picture is (not me!)

The eastern horizon at Dino Point.

The Milky Way and a rising moon at Dino point

Aerial views

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