New Member

[Riley86 (Adam)]

I finally took the plunge and purchased myself a 10inch Dob from the wonderful crew at Bintel Sydney. As with beginners luck ive had nothing but cloudy skies for weeks but have managed to get out a few times and be amazed at the sites I have seen.

My first question is as I live in North Sydney is there any local clubs or meetings I can go to, to meet fellow stargazers and try out EP's and be guided through the night skies? Ive tracked down the easy targets, Saturn, jewel box, omega centuri, orion nebula etc but havent had much look on the more vague deep sky objects!

Secondly because of work, most nights iam too tired/lazy/busy to venture really far out to find a dark sky site, so far im settled on George Heights oval in Mosman. Its a good elavation, free from obstructions and relatively dark. However no matter where I look I cannot be able to find a local oval without a street light or some form of lighting annoying my views. So can you guys recommend any good locations free from street lights and have good views - relatively close to North Sydney (ie north of manly, curl curl, maybe inland a bit?) And do you have any local parks that you go to in the evening where i can swing by and set up?

Any help on these questions will be much appreciated!

Adam
"We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars." ... Oscar Wilde
P.S Love the site and forums they have helped a lot

[mental4astro (Alexander)]

Hi Adam,

to IIS, and congrat's on the 10"er! That is one smashing scope.

Clubs on the North side you might want to check in the "Our Community" heading in the left margin for the club listings.

You can also look in the Star Parties forum for events in and around Sydney. This weekend sees the South Pacific Star Party, the biggest astro jamboree in the country, out near Mudgee. A bit closer this weekend is a do at Katoomba Airfield just on the Saturday night. The Pony Club, at Mangrove Mountain north of Sydney is the other regular haunt for IIS members during the New Moon period.

On the 8'th of April, a star party is being held at Randwick Girls' High. I'll be there with a couple of scopes, and at Katoomba. Maybe we'll see you there.

All of these are listed in the Star Parties forum,

[ballaratdragons (Ken)]

Welcome Adam.

Sorry mate, I can't help with dark locations in Sydney. I left Sydney back in 1975 and I think it has changed a little bit since then

Back then we had crappy little dirty pale light-bulbs hanging under a metal cover for streetlights and the sky was still dark.
The Milky Way shone all the way across the sky.
And that was in the suburbs!

I'd say it's changed a lot since then.

Here's a pic of what we used to have (where did those days go? )

[Riley86 (Adam)]

Hey thanks for the info, 8th of April, ill see if im free. As for the star party Id love to come but sadly too busy in the next few weeks
And Ken I envy you! Living in Perth for 8 years i know what you mean by bad street lighting, its always clear and dark in perth, however sydneys a different story, rubbish like its roads! haha

[Barrykgerdes]

Hi Adam

There are very few places within 25k of the Sydney CBD where skies are even dark enough to see stars of the 4th magnitude let alone the milkyway. However the ASNSW has a site on Bowen mountain "Crago". with an observatory and 16" telescope. This is about half an hours drive from my place in Kellyville.

We go there once a month on the weekend during the new moon period.
The site is quite high in the lower blue mountains but it is often crystal clear when Sydney is overcast. It is possible to see the milky way from horizon to horizon and the large and small Magellenic clouds.

We would love to have you join the ASNSW but you can also come to Crago as a visitor on the viewing nights. For the dates see the ASNSW web site www.asnsw.com

Barry

[GTB_an_Owl (Geoff)]

Hi Adam

we have more than a few Sydney siders that make the trip up the expressway to the pony club every month (sometimes twice a month)
you would be made most welcome
we have a variety of dobs and coffee grinders present each meet for you to explore

have a look at past threads in the star party section to give you a better idea of what to expect

geoff

[Jen]

Hey welcome to IIS and welcome to the dobby clan hehe i just recently bought myself a 12inch goto dob and oh boy im having a blast with it
With the street light throw a big blanky over it that will fix it for a while not that i have ever done anything like that before i just watch guys smash those lights Do yourself a favour and try and make some time to go to a star party it will blow you away and you will learn so much from these guys Hope to see you around the forums cheers

[Riley86 (Adam)]

Thanks for your welcomes people, I will be very interested in heading up to the blue mountains for a star party, what time do they normally end etc? or do u sleep the night there? Alas until i have a spare weekend it looks like i will be spending my nights in the light polluted skies above mosman