NSW star gazing

[samroberts]

Hi,

My name is Sam, I'm new here. Looking for some quick advice.

I also did a ten minute search and could not find anything.

Where is the best place in NSW to go star gazing? We live in Sydney and are happy to drive about six hours if that's what it takes.

Hoping to set up camp and lie under the stars for a couple of hours. We will also take a telescope.

Appreciate the reply. Thank you.

[lacad01]

:welcome: welcome to the site.
Check out this thread (http://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/showthread.php?t=27656&highlight=nsw+dark+sites)

[mental4astro]

Hi Sam,

:welcome: to IIS too!

You might also like to look through the Star Parties, Club and Community Events forum (http://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=16). It regularly holds info on formal and informal get togethers. Two popluar informal regular meets happen at the Katoomba Airfield and the Pony Club at Mangrove Mountain north of Sydney. You'd be most welcome at either site, which ever is most convenient for you to get to.

The link Adam's given is a good one.

You can also look in Club and Society Listing for NSW (http://www.iceinspace.com.au/clublistings.html). These all have regular meets at dark sky sites.

Other places in the Blue Mountains are Hargraves Lookout and Mt Blackheath Lookout. Hargraves has a wider horizon, but is very exposed and if the wind is blowing it is freezing. Mt Blackheath is more sheltered, but the sky to the east is obscured by trees.

Where ever you go, the most important thing is to find a place that is safe. If you go to a public place like a park, go with a mate.

Mental.

[gary]

Hi Sam,

Despite the recent fires that have closed the Warrumbungles National Park,
the nearby Warrumbungles Mountain Mountain, which is outside the park,
is still hard to beat as far as a combination of dark skies and amenity.

It is approximately six hours drive from Sydney and has the convenience of
expansive grounds to set your telescope up on and yet only a short walk
back to your room for coffee. The owners understand the needs of observers
and can recommend to you where to set up. We were last there a couple of
months ago and though the fire damaged trees at the front of the property,
the grassed area from where one observes was green.

A little further afield is Mount Kaputar, which one typically drives to from
Narrabri. You are at 1500m altitude (incredibly, despite its latitude, there are
snow gums up there), but you need to arrange with the ranger in Narrabri to
get access to the gravel pit area which doubles as the helicopter landing pad.
This area is accessible by foot but has a gate and so if you have a large scope,
it is more convenient to borrow the key to access this particular spot which is cleared
of trees. Mt Kaputar also has three large incredibly comfortable cabins which
include their own bathrooms with hot showers, kitchens and enough beds and bunks
for an entire family. All available at near giveaway prices of $77 per night for the entire cabin.
One would be pressed to find a better deal in Australia.
Details on cabins including photos here -
http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/NationalParks/parkAccommodation.aspx?id=N0038

Alternatively, one can camp.

As I have mentioned on this forum before, if one gets far away from any city or town,
essentially the country is one big potential observing field. Outside of areas
that have light pollution, the experience is generally that the observing will be
limited by the prevailing transparency and seeing.

Whilst I will make the drive to the Warrumbungles Mountain Motel in six hours, Narrabri is
a little over 7 and by the time you make it up the winding road to the top of
Kaputar itself, closer to 8.

Having said that, when you used the expression "best place in NSW", I would
certainly rate Mount Kaputar as way up there. At one point it had been considered
for the site of the Anglo Australian Telescope. The views from the top are certainly
to die for and on clear nights the skies are probably as good as they get in the state.

Best Regards

Gary Kopff
Mount Kuring-Gai NSW

[Wavytone]

Hi Sam,

1. Within Sydney, pretty much any dark park, oval or sports field is as good as another as the Sydney light pollution dome covers an enormous area.

I have tried an oval in Randwick (thanks to Mental) and also the Turramurra golf club carpark (see http://nsas.org.au/observing/) which was surprisingly better than I expected.

2. For a Saturday night under the stars, Katoomba airfield is probably the best within easy reach, its an easy 1.5 hour drive and you will see the Milky Way.

3. There are other useful sites further afield - notably:

- Cathedral of Ferns camping ground at Mt Wilson,
- Mount Banks on Bells Line of Rd, use the carpark a few hundred metres off the main road.
- Hargraves Lookout and/or Mt Blackheath, on Shipley Plateau west of Blackheath. Hargraves has a cliff on 3 sides and awesome low horizons. Its also the darkest location this side of Jenolan Caves.
- Hassan's Walls, a high rocky ridge near Lithgow. To reach this drive into Lithgow along the Great Western Highway and turn right at the traffic lights into the main part of the old town, and watch for Hassans Walls Road leading up the hill.
- Lake Lyell, west of Lithgow (there's a camping area beside the lake)

- the showground at Rydal, west of Lithgow. The showground is on top of a hill, excellent horizons and dark.

The Katoomba and Blackheath sites are 2h from the city. Lithgow is 2.5h.

4. Lake St Clair, north of Singleton. This is a rather pleasant recreation area with a nice camp area beside a lake, dark if you get away from the people (many spots). About 3.5 hours drive from the CBD.

5. The ASNSW has a property at Wiruna, west of Ilford, halfway between Lithgow and Mudgee. It's about 3.5 hours from the CBD.

6. In good weather, Mt Kaputar offers the finest seeing in NSW with camping and cabins. The best observing area is a large clearing which is reached by walking 200m down the Barraba fire trail, then pushing to the left through a thin wall of scrub to a dead flat lava field the size of a footy oval. Vehicle access can be arranged with the ranger.

In comparison with the Warrumbungles, Kaputar was considered and a site survey done for the AAO, however it is further north and closer to the coast so it cops cloud pushed inland from coastal lows and cyclones off southern Queensland, with the result that it has fewer cloud-free nights than Siding Spring. But if it is clear it can be awesome.


7. Another excellent site similar to Kaputar is Mount Buffalo, in northeast Victoria. There is an excellent camping ground on the top at Lake Catani (you will need to book) and many things to do during the daytime - important if you have family with you - as the area around Bright is full of holiday attractions starting with wineries, fine food, trout fishing, cycling, river kayaking, swimming and much more. The best part is that there are dozens of perfect telescope sites on the mountain top, or you can even set up your scope in the camping ground beside the lake if you don't mind the occasional onlooker.

The drive to Mt Buffalo takes 8h on excellent tar roads all the way, about the same driving time as to Kaputar.

8. If you're prepared to go 6 hours drive, that puts you in the Snowy Mountains where there are plenty of camps sites, picnic areas around the northern end of the national park that should give quite spectacular night skies. http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/nationalparks/parkPicnics.aspx?id=N0018