Arghhhh! The weather in Melbs is looking pretty brilliant right now, so I am hoping it is the same for those of you up at the camp. We were hoping to make it up just for a few hours tonight but due to unforseen circumstances it wasn't possible to get there early enough - unless we left right now, but we wouldn't get there until 8:30pm. *Me* says "lets do it" but *responsible me* with 2 young kids says "pour yourself another glass of wine" and wait to hear the reports from everyone else about how amazing it was, and see some of the photos from the astrophotogs and then kick myself for not being able to make it. We'll be taking young Blakey (and possibly little cheeky Sadie if she isn't in bed!) out into the front garden for some viewing tonight instead (hardly the same though!).
Have a wonderful time guys - I really look forward to hearing how the camp goes, and I hope that I get to meet you all at an event sometime soon x
Just got back from Snake Valley Astro Camp - and a huge thank you to Malcolm and the organising crew - it was a fantastic weekend - especially for a 'newbie'.
Alex, Steve and I were all made to feel welcome by Malcolm and from what understand were many of the 'old hands'. Being able to look through the solar scopes (Thanks Patrick et al) and the large Dobs on Saturday was much appreciated - I think that in future I'll be well and truly hooked on solar observing!
The weather was kind, the fellowship warm and the accommodation etc. 'just right' (albeit a tad rustic ;-)). I will definitely be going on the next one if work and family circumstances allow.
Yes, agree with Warren and Paul (sorry I didn't get a chance for a proper chat with you).
Wonderful weather, wonderful company and wonderful eye candies scattered around the field.
Thanks to Malcolm, Paul and the other "old hands" for pulling off this successful camp. Waiting for the photos and time lapses.
Cheers
Bo
home after 2 nights at SV. All I can say - what a brilliant bunch of folks, warm and welcoming to the NEVAS crew. (even if we accidentally laid our scopes out like we were circling the wagons as it was described.
The 2am chats with folk over a cuppa trying to warm up, the advice (which was welcome) the weather, the and the facilities were great.
Thank you Malcolm for organising such a great event. (and others if involved)
Well Just got back from another 2 great nights at Snake Valley, really wish I could have stayed longer but it was a ripper time!!
As usual was great to catch up with our regular bunch and great to meet lots of new ones and putting faces to names.
Also great that the weather was kind to us this time around with some nice dark clear skies.
Had a great night Saturday night with Malcolms ,Patricks and Pauls big Dob sky tour. Really enjoyed having a visual and the spectacular views through these big beasts!!
A big thanks to Malcolm, Paul (Byronpaul) ,Barry and others that helped keep this great camp going. It was well organized and another complete success!
Looking forward to November.
That was an awesome weekend! 2 perfect clear nights and a great turnout in a very relaxed environment. Bring on the next one in Nov. Btw VicSouth is on nov 6-9 and new moon is Nov 12 so maybe the following weekend?
Cheers and thanks to all the organizers for a great job well done
Andy
Hi guys and girls.
I am at home at the moment but will be popping back to SV in the morning. I am not going to ramble on, but a few comments are in order. Firstly, great camps don't just happen, they work because those attending get into the spirit of the weekend and commit to making it great. No matter what I, Paul, Niko and Barry did, if you guys don't show up and participate, it means nothing.
Secondly, thanks for being so positive when we had our discussion on the Sat arvo, great to hear such constructive ideas and feedback.
Thirdly, to the "newbies". Welcome to the SV community. Without new blood, groups and camps will die, so entering into the occasion by you guys was a shot in the arm. I would especially like to mention Pamela Maag and Warren Maag who turned up and were kind enough to put on a cheese platter and snack on the Saturday afternoon. Enabled a lot of us to not worry about cooking that night and a great way to mix.
That's about all I can think of right now as I am slightly brain dead, so I will put up some more comprehensive stuff later.
And another one to add a thank you from an SVAC newbie. I had been looking forward to a relaxing weekend for quite a while and it really was that. Thanks to the organising committee for getting it back off the ground, and thankfully the weather was great for at least two of the three nights.
It was great to have a peer through some really big dobs on Saturday night and see a few of my "usual suspect" targets in a new light with some serious aperture, and to bag the Horsehead! I really doubt I will be able to see that from home with my C925 but I might get an appropriate filter and have a crack anyway, my skies are not far off SV so it might be possible.
Thanks to all the camp attendees as well for a great and social time.
I am not sure I will be able to make another camp this year but I actually expect to be on long service leave this time next year, so pencil me in for that one already.
Hi crew, I'd just like to add my wife Kerry and I to the thanks list. We drove over from Millicent, S.A., booked a room in Ballarat and then went out to your camp on Saturday night Big thanks to Bo for showing us around when we arrived and letting me peer over his shoulder while he battled with his computer to align his mount (seemed to be a lot of that going on). Even though I've had a scope for many years this was my first star party and it was great to see a lot of gear that I've only seen in magazines. The people were laid back and friendly and we would like to have met more but I blame Rodney from NSW for not having done so. We got waylaid by his beautiful 24" dob. Many thanks Rodney for about 2.5 hours showing us everything we wanted to see. He was friendly and patient and it was like having my own big scope with included driver! 5128, omega cen, 47tuc, m104, m83, m46, Thor's helmet, the horsehead(I really struggled with that one), and Ghost of Jupiter neb(my favourite for the night. The inner shell very bright and star glowing at the centre). Thanks to everyone for a great night and hope to bring my scope and stay for the next one. Cheers, Richard.
What a ripper SV camp that was! As always, such a warm, relaxed and friendly crowd. It was great to have so many people new to the camp - this enlivened the event greatly. Full credit to Malcolm for advertising it more widely! Wonderful to meet astro buffs that I've not met before and great to catch up with good friends, share eyepieces, lies and laughs. The fantastic atmosphere of this camp has continued and strengthened.
I don't think I'm going to get over the views through Rod's 24" SDM in a hurry, especially the Ghost of Jupiter.
Superb organisation by Malcolm, Paul, Barry and Nick - well done guys and thanks heaps for keeping this great event alive. And whoever ordered the weather, top stuff. Still have a bit of sleep deprivation.
Hi crew, I'd just like to add my wife Kerry and I to the thanks list. We drove over from Millicent, S.A., booked a room in Ballarat and then went out to your camp on Saturday night Big thanks to Bo for showing us around when we arrived and letting me peer over his shoulder while he battled with his computer to align his mount (seemed to be a lot of that going on). Even though I've had a scope for many years this was my first star party and it was great to see a lot of gear that I've only seen in magazines. The people were laid back and friendly and we would like to have met more but I blame Rodney from NSW for not having done so. We got waylaid by his beautiful 24" dob. Many thanks Rodney for about 2.5 hours showing us everything we wanted to see. He was friendly and patient and it was like having my own big scope with included driver! 5128, omega cen, 47tuc, m104, m83, m46, Thor's helmet, the horsehead(I really struggled with that one), and Ghost of Jupiter neb(my favourite for the night. The inner shell very bright and star glowing at the centre). Thanks to everyone for a great night and hope to bring my scope and stay for the next one. Cheers, Richard.
I think we were looking at the horsehead and Thor's helmet etc together. Just a curiosity, did you happen to meet a bloke working for the SA power authority at a trivia night or something a few weeks ago? I was talking to someone who does some work for me in SA (A bloke by the name of Geoffrey) on Thursday to let him know I would not be in the office on Friday and he mentioned that he met someone who was coming to Snake Valley.
Congratulations to all on SV camp being successful again.
10 years this year and going strong.
Well done Malcom for keeping the fire going.
Thanks for the photos Daniel
Again well done to all on making the SV camp a great one
