Vacation in Australia again

[LT_Ng]

Hi Folks,

I love the Australia skies very much. So, if possible, I would try my best to persuade my wife to spend our annual vacation in Australia so that I can have some time to do astrophotography here.

This year I can visit Australia again.

Last year, I was very lucky to know Paul and his family in Nambour and had their very warm reception. Nambour and Gold Coast are two very beautiful places, and the weather there seems very favourite to my astronomy hobby during the period from July to August. And the most importantly, there are many shopping spots in Gold Coast that my wife loves there very much.

This year, we want to have a try in Canberra. There is an observatory (called Stromol ?) in Canberra. Having seen so much beautiful planetary shots from Bird, so, I think Canberra should be also a best place for astronomy. How will it be good for deep sky object and star field imaging? The best way to find out the answer is to have a site visit. So, that is one of my prime focus with my vacation here.

Secondary, I am not good at imaging processing. This year, having seen so many beautiful planetary shots posted in this forum, I really hope I can meet and know some of you so as to share this hobby with each other to let me be improved in this area. Bird is one of the best planetary imagers and lives in Canberra. So, hoping be possible to have a meet with him.

Below description is my preliminary planning.

Arrive Sydney on July 17 morning. Then drive to Canberra along South Western FWY (route #31) to Canberra. If situation allows, would have a 3-night stay in Canberra. Then leave Canberra in the morning of July 20th. Will have one night stay in Campbell town or Liverpool somewhere more close to Sydney airport as I have to pick up my friend at airport in the morning of July 21st.

After picking up him, drive to Bankstown to have one night stay there and to have a visit to my friend Mr. Ted Dobosz, if he is available too.

Go on our journey next day morning along the Great Western HWY to Coonabarabran via Bathurst, Orange, Dubbo and Gilgandra.

May have one night stay in Orange or Wellington and estimate reaching Coonabarabran in the evening of July 23rd. Spend 2 nights for astrophotography in Coonabarabran.

Leave Coonabarabran in the morning of July 25th and go Eastern North to Grafton via Gunnedah, Tamworth along route #34, Armidale, Glen Innes along route #15 and turning right to follow route #18. Estimate arriving Grafton on July 27th.

Finally drive along the Coastal route #1 back to Sydney and take the plane back to HK on July 31st.

So, could you suggest me any spots dark enough for star field shooting for stay? Any star party will being held during this period and cooperative with our journey? Any memorial spots good for sightseeing? Would anyone have interest or time to meet each other? Is it easy to find Motel in Canberra? Any suggestion to my journey?

Thanks for your suggestions and invitations for joining star party or meeting, if any, in advance. Please post your inputs in the forum or send me PMs.

Bird, please check your PM for some questions from me.

Clear skies,

William LT Ng

[mickoking]

Out side major metropolitan centres (Sydney) it is usually very dark (low population density in Australia). Basically when you leave Sydney expect nice dark skies.

[h0ughy]

William, unfortunatelly the Queensland Astrofest is on from july 17 to 23 at Duckadang - no where near Canberra though?

[[1ponders]]

Sounds like a fun trip William. It is a shame we won't be able to catch up when you are here, that would have been nice, but we (Sya and me) understand how much you want to see out country.

Everyone, please help out if you can, William and Barbara are lovely people, and were a pleasure to have stay.

And William is understating his abilities at image processing He is not a good processor he is a great processor. I know I saw him at work on an image and the results were outstanding :thumbsup:

Good luck William, enjoy your stay. Give Sya and my love to Barbara and we wish you crystal clear skies for you stay. :hi:

[iceman]

I'm on the coast about an hour north of Sydney, would love to meet you if it coincides with your schedule on the way back to Sydney!

We have a small get together star party every new moon only half an hour from here. It's not the darkest site you'll ever find, but for only an hour from sydney it's great. We could go to the Koolang Observatory about 30 minutes further, and that is very dark.

[bird]

William, I received your PM and have replied.

There is also an observatory at gilgandra, so if you are planning on passing that way then maybe you could look them up? I stayed overnight in Gilgandra recently and it was a very nice place, but very small - population about 2000 people.

There are several places in Canberra for astronomy - including Mt Stromlo. I can organise keys to get after hours access there, and there is plenty of room to setup, and mains power (240v) is available.

You will be welcome to come out to where Leisa and I will be staying - but we have just sold our house and we will be living with friends out of town so sadly there is no spare room to offer you for accommodation!

We'll be staying in a small village about 20 minutes drive north-east of Canberra, very dark skies and good viewing overhead, although the house is on the side of a hill with lots of close trees.

Pack for cold weather - Canberra on clear nights will be about -4 overnight, and on sunny days will get to a max of about 15.

There is another small town close by which may well have accommodation, about 10 minutes drive away. I'll check it out and see what it has to offer.

regards, Bird

[LT_Ng]

Thanks for all the responses.

Paul, Barbara and I miss you and Sya too. As we want to see more different places in Australia, very sorry that we can't visit you this year.

Houghy, it is really a big loss to me to miss that Astrofest. Will it be regularly held in July or August every year? Then, maybe I could join next year.

Mike, very happy to hear that you can spend some time to have meeting with me. That is really a great opportunity to me to meet another one of the great planetary imager in Australia, I think your location of Gosford is in a very good coincidence with my journey back to Sydney. Could you please PM me of your address and how to contact you in Gosford?

Bird, thanks for your PM, and please see my reply. It is not a problem that no accommodation could be arranged from you. I have been very happy that you can free some time /nights to have meeting with me and visiting to Mt. Stromlo. That has been already enough.

See you there,

William