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  #1  
Old 15-01-2015, 04:51 PM
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iceman (Mike)
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Exclamation IISAC2015 - IceInSpace AstroCamp 2015: 19th-21st March 2015 (important info)

Hi guys

IISAC2015 crept up on me big time this year - having it a month or so earlier plus being so busy at work it's snuck up on me that it's only just over 2 months away!

I've made a couple of changes this year:

1. I'm not going to hire the marquee. It wasn't used very much, really only for the guest-speaker talks.

2. As a consequence of #1:
- I won't be arranging any guest speakers or sponsors/door prizes
- There has been a cost reduction for attendees (by almost 50%), since the marquee was by far the biggest expense of running the star party.

I'm not sure yet if it's the right decision, or if I'll regret it, but hey - let's live life on the edge and see

The marquee was great for the laser show last year, but it's not worth over $3k just for the laser show

I found it quite difficult to find guest speakers, and unfortunately they weren't always very well attended. As for door prizes, I have a theory that people don't attend star parties just for the chance to win a door prize. Of course it's a nice benefit if you do, but organising sponsors who are willing to give up prizes becomes increasingly difficult each year too.

So, I'm hoping these changes don't affect anything for those who were/are intending to come along.

We're there for the astronomy and photography and the company, right? Hopefully without the marquee and guest speakers, we can still enjoy those things.

I'm more than happy to help arrange/facilitate workshops in the undercover area of the bottom house.
We'll also still do a communal sausage sizzle on the Saturday arvo.

It's been great to be able to reduce the cost too - hopefully that gets a few more people coming along, as well as the change to the time of year.

More info coming over the next few weeks. The online booking form is ready, but I don't have the shirts or the info webpage ready yet, so that's next to do!

Happy to hear your feedback!
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  #2  
Old 15-01-2015, 06:10 PM
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Sounds good to me!
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  #3  
Old 15-01-2015, 09:59 PM
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Allan_L (Allan)
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Sounds like a winning solution to me too Mike.
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  #4  
Old 16-01-2015, 08:28 AM
Wombat (Wayne)
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sounds good mike, loved the sausage sizzle last year.
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  #5  
Old 16-01-2015, 11:36 AM
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Rod771 (Rod)
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Who needs a marquee when you can have almost 50% off!
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  #6  
Old 16-01-2015, 02:12 PM
peterl
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Still a good social event, and some excellent skies as well.
Looking forward to this one.
Peter and Sue..
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  #7  
Old 16-01-2015, 04:40 PM
ariefm71 (Arief)
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Looking forward to this too. So this is only 2 nights of observation? Why not extending it till Sunday?

Arief
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  #8  
Old 16-01-2015, 04:56 PM
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iceman (Mike)
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It's 3 nights, Arief.

Thu/Fri/Sat nights.
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  #9  
Old 16-01-2015, 05:06 PM
ariefm71 (Arief)
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Ahhh... that's great!! Thanks Mike for the clarification.
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  #10  
Old 16-01-2015, 06:57 PM
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Might be a silly question but where is it held?
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  #11  
Old 16-01-2015, 07:07 PM
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sheeny (Al)
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Lostock Scout Camp, Brett. Its in the Hunter Valley, north of Singleton and Gresford.

Al.
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  #12  
Old 22-01-2015, 04:01 PM
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iceman (Mike)
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Hi guys

The IISAC info page is now online.
http://www.iceinspace.com.au/iisac

Nothing unfamiliar there for those that have been before

You can now register for the camp online at:
http://shop.iceinspace.com.au/shop/i...-registration/

The shirt design is not yet completed and so you can't order a shirt yet, but this will be able to be added later on without a problem.

Less than 2 months to go now, so get your annual leave forms in and start thinking about the gear you'll take, the objects you'll view and photograph etc.

Cheers!
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  #13  
Old 22-01-2015, 09:03 PM
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mental4astro (Alexander)
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I've got approval from the Minister for War, so I'm in!!!

I've PM'ed the Iceman about doing a couple of workshops:

1, Astro sketching, looking mainly at the Moon this time, but also covering DSO's. And if the weather is cooperative I hope to do a demo of solar sketching. I'm hoping to have a Daystar Quark in time for IISAC - I'm very excited about this bit of gear,

2, Scope maintenance and improvements that one can do. Have a new dobbie? There's a few things one can do on those long boring cloudy nights when we would rather be looking through our scopes than at them... These things will help keep your scope performing at its best for you. I'll also briefly look at collimation, what it is and what it isn't. Also, for the more adventurous, there are a few things that can be done to improve our scopes.

Times for these workshops are still to be determined, so keep an eye out for these if you are interested.

Gondwana Telescopes will also be flying the flag at IISAC,
Attached Thumbnails
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  #14  
Old 22-01-2015, 11:16 PM
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strongmanmike (Michael)
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Gee Alex, that's all a good value add for IISAC, great stuff, having recently scratched together enough and got myself a 12" GOTO Skywatcher (sorry ) wish I could make it...I've missed a few ISACs now

Mike
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  #15  
Old 27-01-2015, 10:29 AM
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madwayne (Wayne)
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Work conference at Cypress Lakes 17 to 19 March, morning finish on the Thursday looks like I know where I'll be headed after that.

Talk about perfect timing.

Wayne
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  #16  
Old 27-01-2015, 06:19 PM
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Wow! this sounds fantastic, although a 9 hour drive I could break the trip up at Nambucca.
Go to the camp, then visit Mum on the central coast.
Would love to learn Alex's drawing techniques and hear his tips!
As well as learn how to use my scope from those with experience, and meet the wonderful people from IIS!

I can bring a projector and screen(would be best in a darkish room area-has a built in DVD player but only vga- rga connection for laptops)

Anyone would be welcome to use it for presentations, or people could watch movies at night(,If they want) will even bring movies.

Would be fun camping near the Dob, staying up real late and seeing what others can see!
Not far to fall into bed either
Great work and thank you for organizing this Mike
Edit -I can also bring 2x large tarps and poles if you want a make-shift marquee?
Will have to check measurements.

Last edited by creeksky; 27-01-2015 at 06:40 PM. Reason: marquee
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  #17  
Old 27-01-2015, 08:56 PM
stringscope (Ian)
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Can't make it this year due work commitment
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  #18  
Old 12-02-2015, 10:08 AM
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mental4astro (Alexander)
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Gondwana Telescopes is now sponsoring the 2015 IISAC.

To celebrate, we will be offering Marana No. 5 at a very special discounted price.

Wildcard Innovations is also offering the purchaser of Marana No.5 a 10% discount on a new Argo Navis handset.

You will find further details in the Gondwana Telescopes News & Events web page.


I have organised with Mike Salway for the two workshops to be held on the following times:

* Telescope Maintenance - Friday 20th March at 3pm

* Astronomical Sketching - Saturday 21st March at 3pm. Fingers crossed here that the weather is kind to us so I can do a Solar sketching demonstration.

And as Gary Kopff can't make this year's Astro Camp, I've put my hand up to do the Sky Tour with my 17.5" dobbie. Anyone else with a scope is also welcome to join me with the Sky Tour, . OOOHHH, those imagining boys and girls ain't gonna like that laser...

I'm very much looking forward to this event

Alex.

Last edited by mental4astro; 12-02-2015 at 10:21 AM.
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  #19  
Old 18-02-2015, 10:21 PM
Nebulator2570 (Gabriel)
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IIS star party 2015,

all and mike,

This will be my first time to lostock, so im looking forward to it this year.. If all is great and clear skies, maybe next year i will have to arrange with mike salway, a week or two before, if i may bring a Massive scope... But thats next year... Will see what happens..

But Im so looking forward to it this year and hope to make also Wiruna South pacific star party, later in the year too.

Anyway hope to see all you guys there and make some NEW friends

Nebulator
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  #20  
Old 19-02-2015, 07:18 PM
gary
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mental4astro View Post
And as Gary Kopff can't make this year's Astro Camp, I've put my hand up to do the Sky Tour with my 17.5" dobbie.
Thanks Alex!

The Sky Tours are therefore in the safest of hands.

Actually it will be the first IISAC I have ever missed.

But I will be getting my fix of stars from the northern hemisphere.

Hope everyone has a great weekend and that the skies are crystal clear.

Best Regards

Gary Kopff
Managing Director
Wildcard Innovations Pty. Ltd.
20 Kilmory Place, Mount Kuring-Gai
NSW. 2080. Australia
Phone +61-2-9457-9049
Fax +61-2-9457-9593
sales@wildcard-innovations.com.au
http://www.wildcard-innovations.com.au
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