Just one week to the New Moon period and Bretti s a great dark site to enjoy weekend or long weekend, and no city skyglow. With the rain gone the forecast looks promising, and no school holiday crowds. Going back through the posts it looks like Allan, Ulrich, John (fizics), Geoff (Owl). myself, and maybe's: Allan_L, Skullmurphy, and Astrojason at this point. Plenty of room for many more.
John and Geoff, et al, I just had a look at the 4-day weather chart released by the Bureau covering up to Friday night (10pm) and it doesn't look too good for Thursday and Friday - showing the now all too familiar coastal rain hashing. The question will be how far down the coast and inland does that extend and will the system change by the end of the week. Right now is actually the best time from a waning and late rising lunar influence point of view, I was out last night until 2am and the seeing was very good at my place. As we get into the weekend the moon will be setting later and later and starting to cut into the observation time.
I can't go up on Wednesday John, but if it's clear that night as the chart indicates then I will try to do some imaging from home.
I am waiting to see what happens later this week but it doesn't look too promising. I think Allan was going up on Saturday or Sunday, certainly it may be great by then but the moon will be stepping on most of the dark up until midnight by then.
Could have gone for Weds & Thursday nights but can't do weekend. So I am out for this one. Thanks guys hope weekend skies are kind for you.
Ps: trying to get a new home phone line proves to be very difficult for the telco. They have been pulling wires in the street since last week trying to get one for me ....now they talk about digging up the road to fix it.
so WHO plans on going and WHEN
c'mon - put your hands up!
forget the weather reports and just bring plenty of port in case
geoff
Like John, I was planning on going up Wednesday (still hopefully checking the 7timer reports three times a day ).
Originally planned on coming home Saturday, as Jo put in for annual leave (and NO! she is not interested in Astro-Camps). But that is up in the air now as she has had her roster changed due to work incompetence. Still awaiting outcome of that one.
But "... Plenty of Port in Cases" ... sounds alluring... ... (...shame the weather doesn't ... )
I hate to put a negative note on it, but how can you be enthused by this:
Last edited by Allan_L; 21-10-2014 at 07:55 AM.
Reason: picture added as at 8:00 21/10)
I just had a look this morning and the forecast depending which source you look at is actually looking very good for Saturday and Sunday - in agreement with the chart Allan_L just posted. Have a look at the seven day forecast for Scone (ok I know not that close but more relevant than Taree in my opinion because it's about the same distance from the coast):
I will be there sometime Saturday. Weather should be great for observing and I plan on staying for a few days. Moon sets an hour after the sun on Saturday and two hours after on Sunday. So not much of a problem and let's me do a bit of lunar observing at the start of the night.
Just checked the updated four-day charts from the BOM, and there doesn't appear to be any serious impediment to a good weekend at Bretti. Checked three other sources, Weatherzone, Accuweather, etc and all three showed Gloucester as sunny on Saturday and Sunday - and rather warm (30s).
I've pre-packed the camper and will head out on Friday unless its pouring, in which case I will wait alittle but still plan on going.
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