Why did the Sherrod's pick Arkansas for their observatory?

[bluebyrd42]

Hello All. This is my first post here, so please be gentle.     I was curious, why did the Sherrod's pick Arkansas for the location of their observatory?  I assume they live here also, it wouldn't be practical to live a long distance away from their fine observatory.  After looking at the Rand McNally road atlas, the Conway/Morrilton area looks heavily populated, meaning lots of light pollution. I would have thought they would have picked an area away from lots of cities/towns/population centers.

If there's info about this already on this website, please direct me to it. Maybe this has already been discussed, but I couldn't find it.  thanks!

[lindendave]

Welcome to the ASO forums!

There's lots of information on this website and honestly I don't claim to have even read it all but I don't think you will find the answer to your question on line. I do have a little insight as to the answer to your question, it's where Doc was born and raised.

Since Doc and his wife moved up on Petit Jean mountain, southeast of Morrilton, most of his work has been done from his observatory H45 there. If you visit the home page of this site you will see a photo of that observatory, and having been in there I can say it's a dandy! Petit Jean is about 1,000 feet above the Arkansas River and high enough to get above most of the light pollution and ground hugging weather and it hosts an absolutely beautiful state park.

[drclay]

Interesting questions and welcome to ASO....
There really is a lot to the decision and your question is a valid one:  Arkansas now is one of the most ozone (i.e., airborne pollutant) states in the United States.  When I first became involved with serious astronomy, in the late 1960's, Petit Jean Mountain became my weekend and weeknight haunt.  At that time there were no lights in Arkansas...it was truly the most rural states.  The nights were so black that you could not see to operate a telescope even after full night adaptation.  The closest light would be a headlight coming down a distant gravel road west of the mountain.  The cities lacked the Mercury and now Sodium vapor lights that they have.

Lots has changed, but my love for the mountain never did.  I fell in love with it when I was about 5 years old and always vowed to live up here and spend my restful days.

Well, here I am but the days (and nights) are not restful.  Dave is right on target:  there is an absolute beauty and peace up here that you likely will not find elsewhere; when the night gets dark there are no sounds, other than those created by nature.  I have my mountain, my land surrounded by it, my loving wife, Patsy,  and my devoted Corgi, Bear.  As the old Miller Beer commercial used to say:  "Life don't get any better than this...."

It certainly is not as dark as it was in 1965, but still dark enough for serious skygazing.  Even the weather patterns have changed, this mostly in the last decade; we now have far more cloudy nights than in previous years and it seems that it might be on the increase still.

But, I am here to stay.  Folks say in every aspect of my life I have learned how to squeeze a dime from a nickle, and that holds true with my astronomy, as it does with my philosophy of life.

Thanks for asking....

Dr. Clay
( enjoy the photos below:  a different artists' masterpiece every day; the Observatory Assistant, Bear, stands watch at the Observatory Gate to H45 )

[Ron]

Dr Clay,

I liked your reply about the reasons for loving the Arkansas mountains.  I too love the mountains and miss them living down here in Florida.  I guess that's why I have to take all of my vacation in the mountains so I can at least see them once a year.

I'm not on the band wagon of global warming but I do know we have contributed to some of the changes to our environment that we experience today, such as light pollution, smog and etc.

BTW where are the photos that were in your reply?

Ron

[bluebyrd42]

Thanks for the replies, especially to Dr. Sherrod for taking the time to respond. I've read a few articles about Arkansas, particularly the northwestern section, and how it is a very nice place to live in and to retire to.  Cost of living is supposed to be low, at least when compared to other areas of the U.S.  It's got to be cheaper than California!!!!   

 I saw a few pictures of Lick Observatory outside San Jose California, and how the city had grown up in the area beneath the observatory. It's really tragic how the thousands of lights are really affecting the effectiveness of that fine observatory.

This is a great website, I enjoy reading it. Thanks again.

Dan

[hollowaycometobs]

Hello All.  This question has a direct link to met.  I am from Arkansas although perhaps 125 miles to the west of Dr. Clay.  It would be hard to explain why someone would want to live here or invest so much into there observatories.  Only a person who loves the woods, wildlife, horrible skys and absolutly amazing clear skys along the way.  It is a place for children, hunters, amatures like me, friends and those who make the best of what you are given.  A simple phone call around here can bring only the best in the locals who understand why we live here.  The mountains are not the tallest, and the rain doesn't always grace us with it's perfect timing but overall there is no other place I could call home.  Making the best with what is given is the most valuble contribution anyone can give.   If you  visit "Dr. Clay" or my "Holloway Comet Observatory" to taste our world there will never be a question of why.  Please take advantage of of our beautifl land.  We  are a friendly bunch and as far as I am concerned,-------all are welcome!
  It is my hope that all will be friends and comrads in our telescopes with only the end thought that all of us can gain with numbers
Mike Holloway
Holloway Comet Observatory
Van Buren, AR

[lindendave]

Although I do not live in Arkansas I agree Mike, seems I am always drawn back there.....especially Petit Jean mountain!

[drclay]

Welcome Mike.....and you are right on target.
I think that we both could have left Arkansas any time we wished, and have had many good opportunities to do so.
In the early 1970's I had the golden opportunity as a very young scientist to work at NASA/JPL in Pasadena, CA on the famous Viking Mars Mission and was quite involved in some of the details of it from here in Arkansas....that move would have changed my life forever and I would not have been the same person that I am today.

Instead, I chose to stay in Arkansas and my love for the mountains and Petit Jean grew.
Astronomy continued of course for over 40 years, and it has been incredibly difficult with the changing poor skies of the state.  But - considering the adverse conditions - I think that both you and I have gotten a lot of astronomy done over the years.

You have to actually live or spend time here to understand why we love our Natural State.

Doc