Blue Mountains - Katoomba Airfield, Jan. 9, 2016

[mental4astro]

Hi folks,

Looks light we might be in luck for a January New Moon outing at Katoomba Airfield! We have the OK from Rod (the Airfield manager) for tomorrow night - thanks Rod! :thumbsup:

My apology for such a last minute listing of this thread. We just needed to see what the weather was pitching at us for this coming Saturday as we all know how wishy-washy it has been. But things are finally looking good.

NOTE: Please look at this thread for any last minute cancellation of the session as the weather can still throw up some unexpected cloud. Last call for 'GO' will be made at 4pm on Saturday.

If you haven't been to the Airfield before, it is an informal gathering of other astro minded folks. You are welcome to join us, with a scope, or bino, or just your eyeballs. The hat gets passed around to pay for the gift of a slab of Rod's preferred brew.

There is no knock-off time other than when you've had enough. But we are welcome to stay overnight and can crash in the office.

The Airfield is totally BYO everything. There is no power there. There are loos for the ladies and kiddies (and for those who fear jumping funnel webs :lol:).

Access to the Airfield: Access is via Medlow Bath, the first village west of Katoomba. At the only set of lights, turn into Station Street, and then left at Rutland (also called Grand Canyon Drive). The Airfield is 4km from this intersection, with the last 3km an unsealed road. NOTE: This unsealed road can have rain erosion gouge nasty ruts into the road surface. Nothing a car can't handle, just drive with care and slow down.

On entering the Airfield, take the left hand track, pass through the 'No Entry' sign, and turn right up the hill and past the buildings to the set-up slab. There is no access to the set-up location by driving up the other two tracks at the Airfield entry. The photos below show the route to the Airfield and the location of the set-up slab. Last photo is just a still from a video - the 'play' icon does not work :rolleyes::lol:

Some NatSav systems call the Airfield 'Katoomba Airport'. Putting Katoomba Airfield into some NatSav systems can bring up 'no such location' message.

Though it is summer, still bring some warm clothing as it does get cool at night up there at 1000m above sea level. Any torch you bring should have red cellophane covering the lamp as white light is deleterious to dark adapted eyes. Or you might have a red light torch...:)

I am hoping to get there by 7:30pm. Hope to see you up there!

Alex.

[AG Hybrid]

I'll be there. Been a while since I've done any Dark sky work. Fingers crossed.

[Camelopardalis]

Gutted...I can't quite make it down in time. Sunday night would be a different story :sadeyes: Hope you have a good night chaps :thumbsup:

[sharptrack2]

This is great news! I'm hoping to make it but it is a crap shoot at the moment. Busy day Saturday, may run out of time. If I make it, will be staying the night as it is a 2+ hour drive for me. Fingers crossed!

[ariefm71]

I'm in (weather permitting).

Arief

[sharptrack2]

Not looking too good for tonight... Skippy has it overcast until Sunday morning. :(:mad2:

Luckily, I did get a solid hour this morning with Jupiter, Mars, Venus and Saturn. Clouds moved in before I could find C/2013 US10 Catalina :( .

[Wavytone]

Think we're out of luck, folks.

Even if the sun burns off the cloud and it clears, the easterly sea breeze will kick in by late afternoon exactly as it did yesterday bringing low cloud with it.

[AstroJason]

Count me in for now, but will wait for the final go/no go from Alex

[glend]

Look at the latest sat photo on the Bureau's website. That broad area of cloud has been sitting there all day and does not appear to be moving, and it extends inland a fair way into NSW. It could be an upper level trough and the High pressure area doesn't have much wind to push it out of the way. The Bureau updates the sat photo hourly and you can look at them in sequence to see movement. That cloud ruined my imaging around midnight last night when it atarted coming in from the west, another indication It's a trough. Good luck, another 12 hours it may be gone.

[killswitch]

I'm in as well if its a go.

That's a shame Dunk. At least you missed the biblical floods this week.

[Wavytone]

The key thing is the wind direction - if stays westerly late afternoon and into the evening it may clear but if it switches east again as it did yesterday afternoon, this is the sea breeze bringing in moisture and low level cloud.

My guess is it will repeat what it did yesterday - i.e. sea breeze in the early evening bringing 100% low cloud cover.

The BOM's AWS at Mt Boyce is just west of Medlow Bath, this is the one to watch (readings every 30 minutes).

[mental4astro]

So far the prevailing winds are westerly. That they are not strong suggests a weak system and may be overcome if the sea breeze has some kick to it.

I'll leave it to the last moment to give the winds as much chance to tell their tales.

[Wavytone]

Sea breeze has kicked in - ENE at Mt Boyce.

I'm staying home - I'll do the ironing instead :(

[mental4astro]

Astro session for tonight, Saturday 9th, CANCELLED.

Sorry folks, no use for tonight. Like Wavy says, that sea breeze has muscled in, and humidity has jumped up with it too.

Another night gone...

[sharptrack2]

:( Guess I'll keep working on my other "hobby"... still have 3/4 of the boat to sand down yet. :work:

[ariefm71]

Hmmm.... the sky is actually looking better now

[sharptrack2]

Yes, I've been checking regularly to see if I can still get in some experimentation with the basic color filters. Was hoping to get some real-time advice but will have to wait... much too long of a drive to start now. Fingers and toes crossed for next month.

[mental4astro]

No one is authorized to be at the Airfield without permission from Rod. He has been notified of the cancelation of the astro session, so no astro girls or boys should go there. I would hate to see us lose access to the Airfield because of the actions of a few. We have apprecious gift given to us by Rod's generosity - we need to keep him on side.

[sharptrack2]

Have no fear Alex, I'm playing at home. I wouldn't dream of going without permission, and more importantly, having some one more experienced to hold my hand while I stumble around in dim red lights ;) :D

Doesn't look all that good for me right now though... I can see stars starting to pop out but they are very faint behind the thin cirrus cloud layer that has formed.

[basketcase07]

Yeah it looks a bit clear here too around castle hill just now,

I went earlier and try to observe at Pony Club with Ken and Geoff but It was cloudy so we had to go home and call it a night.

[Wavytone]

While it may have cleared up along the coastal strip early this morning I doubt it very much in the mountains.

Looking at the data from Mt Boyce over the last few nights the relationship between wind direction and humidity is startling - when it's westerly the humidity typically drops to 50% or less, but when it is easterly the night-time humidity stays above 95% and can be 99% .... In other words it's fog, or low level cloud.

This morning probably was one of those days where - standing on a peak - you'd see the fog pouring off the plateau into the valleys.

Bear in mind the effect of raising moist air off the sea - for every 100 metres in height the air temp drops 1 degree. While it may well be clear at say punchbowl, Penrith even, by the time it has been raised 1000 metres the air will be supersaturated - below the dew point.

[GUS.K]

It cleared last night around midnight, but the dew was pretty bad, so it would have been a wasted effort coming up here for you guys.It is sunny this morning, but as wavy said, the valleys are fog bound, looking out from the Hydro this morning, all you see is a white blanket of cloud.

[AG Hybrid]

Consider rescheduling next Saturday? The moon set just after mid night. So can still get a good 3-4 hours of total darkness.

[ariefm71]

Yes please...
Alex?

[AG Hybrid]

Forecasts suggest good weather.

[MortonH]

I'd be up for next Saturday.

[Wavytone]

What about Friday night ? It doesn't get dark until quite late - late enough to go home after work and set off...

[AG Hybrid]

Fridays weather is looking uncertain. Including rain being forecast at katoomba for most of the day.

[killswitch]

I'm good for this Saturday as well.

[Wavytone]

Think carefully guys...

With the moon at 1st quarter the DSO's will be washed out till well after moonset and there are no interesting planets to look at. 4+ hours driving for 3-4 dark hours observing ?

Might be OK if you're up for an all-nighter but I think I'll pass as I'd be heading home by 12 or 1 anyway.

[AG Hybrid]

It's still better then anything we have in Sydney. Also, I want to see my friends who I haven't seen for some months and by the looks of things make some new friends. :)
Besides, being summer it not really "dark" anyway until 9:30-10PM. Lots of time for chatting and introductions.

[mental4astro]

Hi folks,

I spoke with Rod this morning about this Saturday night. Unfortunately the Airfield is not available to us this weekend. Looks like there could be some sort of exercises going on so it means we miss out, :(

[AG Hybrid]

Guess we will head to MT Blackheath instead or Hargraves lookout.

[ariefm71]

Thanks for the effort, Alex.

[Camelopardalis]

Mt Blackheath would probably be better now what with the hotel across the valley...

[AG Hybrid]

Weather has gone straight to hell anyway.

[Wavytone]

Indeed it has - the southerly will continue to blow all weekend.