What areas within driving distance of Asheville, NC, are good for star-gazing?
Asheville is a great place to star gaze. Are there some specific places people might recommend that are nearby and offer the best views of the night sky?
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Answers ( 1 )
Hi -- I live two towns north from Asheville, so I think I can help.
In general, it's always a good idea to get farther away from the city -- so beat a path that leaves the lights of Asheville in your rear view mirror. Drive any direction on the interstates and take an exit once you're around a bend in the road that hides Asheville behind a mountain. Options in Buncombe County would be out towards Barnardsville, in the hills out by Sandy Mush, or maybe at the end of some road near Bent Creek. Scout it out in the day time and go back at dusk.
There are some options for excellent stargazing with telescopes, though -- the Mayland Community College has a cool little observatory in Burnsville. UNC Asheville has a couple of telescopes installed behind barriers that block out a lot of the city lights. If you really want to go for a drive, check out the programs put on by PARI in Rosman. (Some of these options will have to be post-COVID, of course)