Looks like Coolah is turning it on for us this week, and we're set for clear and dark skies.
I will be there from Tuesday night, as I have set aside Wednesday to continue building my shed. The gates will be open first thing Thursday morning, and it seems at this stage almost everyone is intending on arriving Thursday anyway.
I propose we christen my almost finished shed on Friday afternoon, so bring along a refreshment or two and a snack and we can gather around and shoot the breeze.
Just a couple of house keeping items, for the comfort of everyone staying this week.
I am on limited hot water, so I will have a shower schedule printed up that will limit us to one shower per hour. Just put your name down in a time slot and the shower is all yours.
There is a toilet inside the house with a red light, please use it and not the bush toilet.
Please avoid using headlamps and use minimum red light so everyone can get nicely dark adapted and appreciate how great the sky is out there.
Thanks for the 'heads-up'
I'll be there about 7pm Thursday
I'll bring my own shower....
I'll also bring some black tape just in case Phil (and his head mounted searchlight) does get off his butt and attend.....
I will also bring something to drink....
Looking forward to this trip and catching up.
I will be traveling up with the " convoy " after leaving the twin servos on Thursday morning.
That way we can all follow Alan L to Putty again.
PS, Cant fond a supplier, of multiple apple charlottes. ( real ones without cream )
If anyone finds a shop that can sell them, put me down for a few, as I would be glad to pay for a few to share around.
I hope this weekend is a dark-sky spectacular for you all. For those who are yet to make Coolah's acquaintance, I will leave the awe to each of you individually.
I'll be stuck here, playing my cricket grand final, then shooting off to faraway lands.
All the best. The images you post are going to be excellent!
I need a target to photograph!
Thursday night is getting 7.5 hours of RGB on the Running Chicken... after that... I’m not sure and open to suggestions.
I need a target to photograph!
Thursday night is getting 7.5 hours of RGB on the Running Chicken... after that... I’m not sure and open to suggestions.
Glad to hear there will be someone else imaging.
Re your question, how about NGC3199, above Eta C but perhaps more a narrowband target. Time of night, or morning, may have other possibilities. We can discuss tomorrow.
Thank you Allan for the opportunity to visit your Coolah homestead/observatory. Its a wonderful location and the work you have done already is inspiring to other wantabe observatory builders (even if the big obs is not built yet, the temp one seems fine).
Great to catch up with other IIS travellers. I think Colin (from Melbourne) had the longest drive. Thanks for the amenities they were appreciated, the big shed makes for a great party space. Looking forward to cooler days ( it was hot) at Coolah. The Coolah Bakery was a great daytime diversion.
Cheers Glen
My thanks also to Allan and Jordan for sharing their place. Three great nights of observing under such a dark sky. The sky particularly last night was simply superb.
With a 100kmh tailwind I managed the trip home in record time at 10L/100Km !!!! (Sorry if my early departure woke the sleeping).
I was especially pleased to get to see some of my favourite targets in the 32" Black Widow SDM scope. What a marvellous instrument. Seeing the real detail in the Homunculus Nebula, Centaurus A, Sombrero, B33& IC434, as well as many other targets was a treat that will stay with me forever.
The Tak fraternity was rather conspicuous by their absence, so I very much appreciated Colin making the journey north so that we could field at least 5 of Takahashi's finest. Thankfully there were many fine folk from Sydney and the Central Coast to share the three evenings.
The "Door-raising Party" was well attended with Beer, Wine and snacks for all.
Thanks to all who attended, hope to catch up again,
Matt
P.S. This is what the outburst of Eta Carina looks like in a 32" scope
I would like to thank Allan for his invitation to stay and for opening up his home for us to use while there. The Skies over the three nights was amazing, and looking through that large Dob for me was just jaw dropping.the vast array of scopes there made for interesting and varied views of many favourite and some never seen objects. Hot days but lovely cool nights made it easy to sleep. The local pub down the road was a nice pace to sip a cool Ale on one of the days as well. “ I’ll be back” as they say for more of the dark skies. Thanks again Alan.
Thanks Allan for your boundless hospitality,
and everybody else who made the trip a great success.
It was a treat to see through so many fine instruments.
A special time.
As usual, Coolah did not disappoint.