[barx1963 (Malcolm)]

Have just spent the Easter weekend at the Snake Valley Camp. A bunch of us who belong to the Colac Rock'n'Roll Dance Club hired it for our annual camp this year and luckily everyone enjoyed the weekend (luckily as it was my idea!)
Although there was a bit of moonage, I put in a and hour before moon rise to gape at the Milky Way and other stuff with just my eyeballs.
M7, Eta Car, the area around M8, Omega Cen, the LMC, Saturn, the Emu and the Coalsack, the Jewell box, were all clearly picked out. Spent a little time tracing a few constellations and trying to pick out some obscure ones.
Had to get up at about 5am to visit the WC and had another look. Moon was high but could still see heaps. Enif was above the hosizon and Venus was just poking over the trees on the other side of the lake as bright as I have ever seen her. If I could have stayed up Mercury, Mars and Jupiter would have followed. Then was treated to the ISS slowly moving acroos the the eastern sky, very bright and visible for over 5 minutes!
Nice to get out without all the gear and just look and enjoy the night sky. Also enjoyed listening to the birds around the lake, though I am fairly certain I heard a rabbit getting caught by an owl, which was not so nice.

Malcolm