The Big Bang

[LewisM]

Out doing some visual for a change last night with the binos (was too lazy to set up, despite the conditions being good - just dog tired!) when I glanced over toward the South West.

As I did so, the night was rendered with a blinding flash and a VERY loud explosion.

Now, I have not read any news about what it was, but my theory is acetylene balloon :)

Not a BIG one (I have seen, felt and heard - well, hearing stopped for a while - a LARGE acetylene balloon go off), but big enough to rattle the windows :)

Considering the farm land that stretches between us and Caloundra, I doubt anyone could ever be caught doing it.

Wife and 4 year old slept through the whole thing.

[Shark Bait]

Scanning the skies with binos makes for a pleasant change. Glad you got some good skies on the Sunny Coast.

It was our turn to have the skies compromised by high level haze, probably smoke. At times it was thick enough to blot out Aldebaren. It started to clear by 11:30pm.

[LewisM]

Stu, here it was crap until about 1 am too - high level fluff and smoke. By 3 it was noticeably clear, but not clear enough to get out the scope.

Was up late because the wife was at uni studying and I had to pick her up at 1 am. Some cloud about then, but clear enough.

[Baddad]

Hi LewisM,:)

How does the acetylene balloon thing work?

How big are they and how do they ignite it?

Cheers

[brian nordstrom]

:question: You did not hear this from me ,,,, ok .
Start an oxy/acetyline torch and get a nice neutral flame going , snub the flame out , you then put a balloon over the tip ,filling ,,,, ,,,, .
,,.
.
Big Bang , alright .
Stupid and dangerous , but hey , we were all young apprentices once.
Brian.

[Shark Bait]

Reminds me of some other crazy ways people use to pass the time. At rallies, Bikies are fond of 'recycling' empty Stone's Green Ginger Wine bottles. Only problem is it involves the hot coals of a campfire, one sample of said bottle with cap partially screwed on and some petrol.

Wooosssshhhka.....:screwy:

Disclaimer: Don't try this at home kids. Very dangerous activity. I was at a rally where one very drunk bloke fell into the hot coals of a bonfire. He went to hospital with burnt hands and wrists. He was bandaged up and returned to the rally to drink some more. :rolleyes:

Astronomy is a much more relaxed way to spend my weekends.

[mithrandir]

As Brian didn't say :) the right acetylene/oxygen mix gives a clean bang, whereas using pure acetylene gives a bang and lots of smoke.

[LewisM]

Hey, it wasn't me! HONEST! :)

Though, I HAVE done it before...

A friend once filled a BIG balloon with it, went to the top of Tabletop mountain near Toowoomba. KABLOOM that echoed around the Lockyer Valley!

[brian nordstrom]

;) I hear you Stu , I was a a biker party in NZ and this fool threw a handfull of .22 bullets into the fire as he walked passed ,, I snotted him for that ,
Made him bleed , lucky no one was hit with bullets going every where :screwy: . IDIOT !!
Brian.
.

[brian nordstrom]

;) I will PM you on the best Lewis . This is best left between us .
Brian.