Color Zone: Light Gray
Is Camping Allowed? No campfires, tents and overnight parking ok
Entrance Fee? No
Description: Those who think they know dark visit the Mojave National Preserve. Those who KNOW dark visit Amboy Crater’s parking lot. Amboy Crater is the single darkest point with a bathroom and bench in the entire geography of Southern California. Amboy is miles from anywhere, but bottled water and gas are available at Roy’s Gas in the town-proper (population SIX). Milky Way is bright enough for an iPhone or GoPro to clearly image it, Omega Centauri(!), M6, M7, M8, M20, M17, M13, M33 all obvious, M31 unmissable even for an amateur. I’ve noticed Bode’s Nebula with indirect vision. “Dark Horse” nebula in Ophiuchus visible with direct vision, Milky Way appears three-dimensional on good nights. VERY VERY HOT mid-summer, but tolerable between September and May, few cloudy days.
