Hi all

Over the weekend, we held the IISAC2010 star party at Lostock, in the Hunter Valley of NSW. Unfortunately we were clouded out for 2 of the nights, but on Saturday night the skies cleared and we took advantage of 6 fantastic hours of clear, dark skies.

You can read the write-ups and see pics from the event on the IISAC2010 thread. There was also an article in the Newcastle Herald with Al Sheehan playing the 'armchair' astronomer :)

I'm looking forward to next year now - which will either be late September or late October 2011.

Astronomy 2011 Yearbook Now On-Sale

IceInSpace is offering the Astronomy 2011 Yearbook by Quasar Astronomy for sale. The books are only $25 each (includes postage within Australia), and you can get a 10% discount if you order 2 or 3 in the same order.

Astronomy 2011 is an astronomy yearbook produced by Quasar Publishing (Glenn Dawes, Peter Northfield and Ken Wallace). It's a must-have yearly almanac with tonnes of info about observing the night sky during 2011. It contains star charts and other ephemeris, dates and details of important astro events during the year and much more.

In addition to the usual features, this year’s book includes an article on discovering exoplanets as well as a look at twenty years of the Hubble Telescope. Also, there are now Dark Time tables, allowing you to easily see the deep sky observing hours for any night in the year.

The yearbook has been designed for anyone who looks at the night sky whether they are using just their eyes, a pair of binoculars or a telescope. The book has something for everyone from the basic novice up to the advanced amateur astronomer. This includes those with a casual interest who might just want to know, "what is that bright star next to the Moon?"

The Astronomy 2011 Yearbook, as well as the Astronomy Calendar 2011, make great xmas gifts!

Benefits of ordering your yearbook through IceInSpace:

• Low cost (10% discount if you order 2 or 3 in the same order)
• Delivery to your door (within Australia)
• You support IceInSpace!
• IceInSpace stickers included free (while stocks last)

Note: The books are expected to be available in early November and will be posted then.

Find out more, and place your order from the Astronomy 2011 Yearbook Info page.

IceInSpace Compendium 2009 now half-price!

While the compendium is now a year old, it's still a fantastic picture book showcasing some of the fantastic work produced by the amateur astronomers and astrophotographers in the IceInSpace community.

Order your copy now for only AU$30 posted within Australia. That's a 50% discount off the original price, and much less than cost price!

I still have about 30 or so books available, so please order now - again a fantastic xmas present for a family member or friend.

Order your 2009 Compendium for only $30 here.

 That's it for today's update.

Grab some astronomy and IceInSpace merchandise before xmas and surprise a family member or friend with a present from the stars :)