A mate and I would like to find somewhere dark-ish (within 1hr drive of centre of Sydney) to set up and do some imagining, I have been searching around Google Maps and cant seem to find anywhere decent. I was eyeing off Mooney just off the motor way and the Royal National Park but the former has great big power lines and the latter seems to close at 2030.
Does anyone have any suggestions?
I will be going out tomorrow night if anyone else would like to join us as well?
The NSAS site at North Turramurra Golf Course is as good as it gets unless you're prepared to drive a lot further west, up the blue mountains, to get out if the light dome of Sydney.
The trouble with heading north or South is that the extent of coastal development beyond Gosford and Wollongong respectively means that there really isn't anywhere significantly better in less than 1.5 hours drive from the city that is publicly accessible - and to get to dark skies north or South you have to go a very long way - past Nowra or past Newcastle.
In this respect Katoomba and Blackheath are closer and an easy drive, to fairly good observing conditions.
Thing is, you have to contact NSAS to see if they're going - there's a locked gate.
Another alternative is my local oval in Killara, Koola Ave/Rosebery Rd (park in Roseberry Rd where there's a gate) - it's surrounded by trees well enough to be quite dark and is not lit at night. Could be persuaded to bring my scope over the next few nights if anyone else wants to show up.
I'm a bit short of time to go further afield at the moment.
