Although everyone loves to talk about dark skies, decreasing light pollution, and going out to new areas, 1 area that is not discussed as often is stargazing for those with mobility issues. Mobility issues are defined as difficulties with physical movement, which \can be temporary or permanent. Some common causes include, but not limited to muscle weakness, medical conditions such as Arthritis, and age. In designing and creating stargazing and astronomy opportunities, more considerations should be given for those with mobility issues.

What makes a great astronomy site for those with mobility issues include these locations being easily accessible by cars, the observing area are accessible to those with mobility challenges, and the site is a location that is utilized for astronomy.

That said, here are some lovely places that we have found that are easy to access, get to, and provide great astronomy to those who visit with mobility issues. Some great places for doing stargazing are existing observatories, such as Haggart Observatory, Goldendale Observatory, and Jewett Observatory

For those who want to go out and do astronomy in a different setting, there are a few options in the surrounding areas.

1. Stub Stewart State Park
   What makes this location a great spot is not only its proximity to Portland, Oregon and Vancouver, Washington, but also its regular use by groups like OMSI for their star parties. This means that the site is a great place for performing astronomy for large groups and those with a variety of needs. The park was specifically designed with astronomy in mind.
2. Rooster Rock State Park
   Although it is only open for OMSI Star parties, it is a great area because it has a large area for parking and is easily accessible.

What do you think? Did we miss anything? Let us know in the comments below or via social media. We post articles regularly, on a weekly basis, so come back next week for more articles like this