Blue Mountains - Katoomba Airfield July 6

[mental4astro]

Hi all,

Rod's given the OK for an astro session for Saturday 6th of July at the Airfield.

It's the middle of winter, & it WILL be cold. 1000m above sea level, & you do feel it. Come rugged up! The blessing of the Airfield is the combustion heater in the office - you can get some feeling back into your frozen toes before heading back out again.

July sees the full splendour of the central region of the Milky Way splashed across the sky. The dark conditions allow us to see the "Emu" in the sky - a stretch of dark dust & gas obscurring the glow of the Milky Way that has the shape of an Emu stretched across the heavens. This is probably my favourite time of the year for observing. So many galactic & extra galactic wonders to be seen in the one night. The cooler weather also making for a more stable atmosphere, making for better observing conditions. It just can get so cold!!!

Recent rain has regouged the unsealed last 3km of the road leading to the Airfield, so take it slow. Such a shame as it had been newly graded not to long ago.

As always, I'll try to get there by sunset, :rolleyes:. Rod is usually there anyway, so someone is always present for any early comers. There's no set finishing time as we are welcome to stay all night. We can also crash in the office - that fire is soooo welcome, :)

Hope to see you there.

Mental.

[MortonH]

Really really gonna try to make it this time. My new mount needs a workout!

[Wavytone]

In my calendar first-in is best-dressed :)

[eclipse]

We will try to be there, obviously dependent on the weather as usual!

Les and Deb

[AstroJason]

Cheers Alex, looking forward to it! Hope its a clear night so I can pull an all nighter.

[mental4astro]

Yeah, I'm hanging big time for an all nighter too. Been a lean year so far.

For those of you who would like to come, but haven't been at the Airfield before, access is via Medlow Bath, the next village heading west from Katoomba. At Medlow Bath's only set of lights, turn into Railway Parade. Then it is a left into Rutland Street (aka Grand Canyon Rd), and onto the Airfield site 4km down. Note that the last 3km of Rutland is unsealed, and rain can cause erosion of the road surface, leaving nasty, deep gashes in the road, so take it easy.

On entering the Airfield's gate, turn LEFT (there's no access to the observing area by heading straight) and follow the track to and past the "No Entry" sign. When you come to a set of buildings, turn right up the hill and head up to the main runway where we set up on the concrete slab on the left. The picture below shows how to get to the set up area. Doing a google maps search of "Katoomba Airfield" will give you the site too.

One last note, to show our gratitude for the use of the Airfield, we give Rod the Airfield manager a gift of his preferred brew, for which the hat gets passed around to cover the cost of the gift.

Mental.

[killswitch]

Will be there

Bring extra thermal gear in the car. It will be COLD!

[Steffen]

If you come early and Rod yells at you "Oi, what do you want? This is private property!" tell him you're with Alex and he'll turn into the nicest guy on earth :)

Cheers
Steffen.

[icytailmark]

it wont be cold it will be freezing!!!!

[AG Hybrid]

:thumbsup:

[Camelopardalis]

Any objections to spectators? I have a couple of friends here that - following my rave reviews from the last time - want to come see what is up there!

[mental4astro]

No objections what so ever. The more, the merrier, and the cheaper per head it gets when the hat gets passed around for the gift.

If you haven't been to a dark site star gathering, there's a couple of things to note:

* Red light causes the least amount of disruption to our dark adapted eyes. For this, if you just have a white light torch, cover it with three or four layers of red cellophane. This will make your torch light nice and red in colour, and tone down its brilliance

* Bug sprays, such as insect repellent sprays, are a no-no near optical gear of any kind. Not that there'll be many bugs at the Airfield this July, but if you need to apply bug repellent, do so well, well away from the telescopes so none of the spray can waft onto them. Aerosols contain solvents that are very detrimental to optical gear.

* Ask questions! Ask plenty of questions!!! The only "dumb" question is the one that isn't asked, :)

[AG Hybrid]

Dunk is an experienced observer. I'm sure he wont let any of his friends do anything like that. :)

[killswitch]

In case you guys are interested, Kathmandu current has $10 sales on thermal base layers

http://www.kathmandu.com.au/mens/base-layers.html?dir=asc&order=price#!dir=asc&order=price&offset=0&p=1

[Camelopardalis]

Sounds good, I will do my best to educate - the red light I'm familiar with but the repellent I wouldn't have thought of, thanks!

I need to get myself a chair/stool before then too - any suggestions as to where I should start looking in/around Sydney? Only really looking for a temporary/secondary solution, just couldn't get my usual chair in my suitcase :D

[mental4astro]

Dunk, there are plenty of those moulded plastic chairs up at the Airfield - those good enough? Might be a bit short for a C8, I dunno, :shrug: How low can you set its tripod?

[Camelopardalis]

That might work - it's a Nexstar 8SE so it goes down to about 80cm minimum I think.

[Wavytone]

Dunk,

Camping stores (such as Ray's Outdoors http://www.raysoutdoors.com.au/online-store/camping/camp-furniture/camp-chairs-and-lounges.aspx?id=21302) have cheap folding camp chairs & stools. Good for taking to the beach, picnics, or to the harbour to watch the New Years fireworks too. These can be a bit low and not so comfortable for long periods.

My preferred option is a teak folding chair, part of our outdoor set.

For cheap stools and chairs, Ikea is probably the best, if you can assemble with a screwdriver. Nearest to you will be their store at Tempe. You could hunt round secondhand furniture shops for something to cannibalise, but it will probably cost more and not be robust.

Bunnings (big hardware stores) also have cheap outdoor plastic furniture.

Alex's hint re aerosols is a serious one as the solvents in the modern aerosols will permanently damage the coatings on eyepieces and objective lenses. If you must use one make bloody sure you are well downwind of all optics. The RID and Aerogard roll-on stuff is fine and seems to work best, though make sure its the "tropical" version not the plain one.

In winter you won't need the stuff but in spring/summer the mozzies can be ferocious - you'll suspect they are equipped with hypodermic syringes as they will bite through socks and thin canvas shoes.

There is one other bloodsucking nasty to watch out for - "Marchflies", aka horseflies, from December to March. They look like a large blowfly with big eyes, but they are silent and utterly adept at landing such that you won't feel a thing until they leave you with a nasty bite that takes a long time to heal. Cover up and watch any bare skin - long sleeves are strongly recommended.

[AG Hybrid]

Nice find going to order some

[Camelopardalis]

Thanks for the tips also - I'll go looking later this week. Foldable will be the order of the day because until my car arrives from its multi-month cruise my temp car is a Mini and my scope takes up most of the space :D

Point well taken re: aerosols ... I will likely seek guidance further on those as we get more towards the season. I come from a land without natural predator (non-human anyhow!), so advice/warnings on things that bite, sting or otherwise cause bodily harm welcomed at any time! I'm surprised some enterprising spirit isn't in the business of making bug-proof clothing :sadeyes:

[mithrandir]

Typical Kathmandu. Nothing bigger than XXL.

[AG Hybrid]

I ordered XL leggings and socks. I hope they streeeeeeeeeeecccccchhhhhhhhhhh! They wont get a choice in the matter though. :rofl:

[Wavytone]

Dunk, you have yet to discover the merits of Drizabone long-sleeve cotton shirts (the standard bug-proof daytime wear in the country) and a merino-mink sweater at night (winter) or a light shell at night (in summer).

"Merino-mink" sweaters are a mix of ultrafine merino wool and possum, made here or in NZ. The main brand is Lothlorien, who make them for men and women. They are expensive but IMHO worth it, this stuff is lightweight, incredibly soft to the touch, it breathes like fine wool, yet is incredibly warm when you need it, and it looks gorgeous. To my knowledge these are not available in the UK, this fabric is fairly new. I carry a zip cardigan on long distance plane flights and travelling in Scotland last September it was the perfect thing to wear in the highlands. There are also gloves and beanies made from this stuff.

I can tell you where to find these if you want a souvenir to take home as department stores do not stock them. Harris tweed jackets are lame, compared to this. If you buy one, be careful not to leave it lying around, it won't last long.

PS a pair of merino longjohns under a pair of jeans are enough for winter nights at Katoomba. Thankfully I lost a few kilos this year so I know I will still fit into mine.

If you are looking for cold weather gear, all the important shops are in Kent St, between Bathurst and King Sts - Kathmandu, Mountain Designs, Paddy Pallin and a couple of others. There is also one at the bottom of the Mall in Leura (Blue Mountains).

[mental4astro]

Dunk, this next bit will either pleasantly surprise you, or freak you out! :lol:

Summer is major mozzie time. They can drive you totally nuts, day and night. But at the Airfield during the night, they are surprisingly not so bad due to the squadrons of tiny insectivorous bats that flutter around us, picking off the masses of mozzies we attract! You'll hear their squeeks, clicks and chirps, and spot their black shadows every now and then as they zoom past your eyes in the dark a mach 3 speed. Quite an eerie spectacle in the dark.

[Wavytone]

Ssssh Alex, don't tell about the vampires, garlic and strange nightime ceremonies on mountaintops...

[MortonH]

Who's going to warn him about the drop bears?

[mental4astro]

<sigh> OK, I will. I didn't want to bring it up. See the government ad below...

Don't believe me? Read of my experience: http://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/showpost.php?p=617050&postcount=26

[glend]

Does anyone seriously think they will need insect protection in Katoomba in July? :-) ;)

Take it easy on Dunk, is he from the northern hemisphere and hence confused about the seasons?

[Wavytone]

... might need protection from the joe blakes (blacksnakes) looking for somewhere warm to curl up... plenty of them in the grass at the airfield :rofl: Not to mention lethal funnelwebs and wolf-spiders...

But more seriously there are brownsnakes in the Mountains and they're the dangerous ones, they'll bite rather than run away.


Poor Dunk, must be wondering what sort of feral place this is !

[AG Hybrid]

Australia is where every single animal except... Nope, every single animal can and will try to kill you given the opportunity.

[Camelopardalis]

Yup, thanks guys, you're doing a great job ;) btw, I'll be observing from the comfort and security of my car the next meet :D

I'm a little highly strung on life-threatening subjects, but I've been to Australia before (a few summers ago) and I'm sorry to disappoint, but a good friend of mine got me with the drop bears back then :D I did have a huntsman experience though...

We do have some mozzies in the UK and they're a bit of an irritation in places (mostly in areas of still water), bites causing an red itchy lump but nothing more. Cases of fatalities from bites and stings are pretty low over there. Over here, I hope it's just a question of education?

I'm not overly bothered by bats unless they are going to swoop down and bite me. Likewise other creatures for the most part. But a little basic education would be _much_ appreciated... what might be common sense to you guys because you grew up with the dangers wouldn't necessarily compute to me. It's just a question of life preservation. I want to see the wonders of the southern sky but also live to tell the tale :P

These brownsnakes for example - these sound like something I need to keep well away from :thumbsup: but I wouldn't know how react/behave if I should ever have the displeasure to encounter...

[Steffen]

It's exactly the same around Sydney. We don't have flying insects here that bite chunks out of you (like they have in Queensland).

We do have some potentially dangerous snakes and spiders around Sydney and the Blue Mountains, but you'll be lucky to see one. They're more afraid of us than we're of them.

By far the most annoying "wildlife" in Australia are the flies. But that's limited to summer and varies from year to year.

Cheers
Steffen.

[mental4astro]

As the saying goes, "When in Rome, do as the Romans do".

Jokes aside, if you want to "survive" there's just a couple of things to remember:

* don't go lifting logs and big stones carelessly. These are the ambush haunts of funnel web spiders, snakes, scorpions, and other beasties. If you do need to, be very bloody careful.

* If you come across a snake, don't chase it to kill it - you're gonna loose. Just back away and leave it alone.

* To avoid having a dropbear fall on you, smear a generous amount of Vegemite behind your ears - it's the only thing known to repel these vile creatures.

* Your best friend is a cricket bat - throwing a boot at a big cockroach is only going to have the roach throw it back at you, WITH interest!

At the Airfield during winter, only the last two points really apply.

[GeoffW1]

No more chardonnay for you :P

[Camelopardalis]

Great - thanks chaps! I won't be going lifting logs or walking through grass in a hurry...truth be told, I'm not really the outdoorsy kind :D

Oh and as for the cricket bat...what's one of those? ;)

[MortonH]

Don't worry mate, I moved here from Scotland eight and a half years ago and I'm still here. I was also concerned and highly arachnophobic when I arrived. Didn't get off to a good start when within the first few weeks I put my hand on a huntsman while feeling for the light switch...

I bought a book to help me identify spiders (so I'd be able to tell the doctor which one had bitten me! ;)) but the book explained their behaviour and I realised they really are more scared of us than we are of them.

A few months later I was in an outdoor dunny in a national park when a funnel web wandered in. Instead of sh*tting myself, I calmly got the camera out and took a couple of shots!

Morton

[Camelopardalis]

Sounds like a good read to me :)

I recall a huntsman experience when travelling here a few years back...luckily I didn't touch it, but spotted it dropping onto my sun hat (I don't tan!) when I opened the boot of the car... :sadeyes:

[AstroJason]

With all this rain, that unsealed road is going to look interesting...

[killswitch]

Hmm after the non stop rain the past week, there will be no road just a pit of no return. I really need to get a 4WD

[MortonH]

Um, how serious an issue will this be for us non-4WD owners???

[mental4astro]

Spoke with Rod this morning. Road has some erosion, but not too bad. The rain's been constant but not torrential, so not too much erosion. Even with standard 2wd cars, it's just a matter of taking it easy - you wouldn't be flying over any damaged road, even in a 4WD, that's for TV. The road substrate is firm, not sandy, so it is never a problem of getting stuck. It isn't a road surface that needs 4WD.

[Wavytone]

Put it this way - if I can get there in a very low sportscar, there's nothing to worry any of the rest of you. Common sense applies.

[AstroJason]

Yeah first time I went there Peter told me it was the worst he had ever seen the road. I drove my Carolla and was totally fine. Thanks for confirming the road is ok Alex. Good peace of mind, now all we need to worry about is the weather which according to the weather reports is looking good!

[MortonH]

Sounds good. Only the weather can stop me this time!

[Camelopardalis]

Lower than a Mini?

[Camelopardalis]

Have been driving here and there around Sydney recently and a 4WD is sounding all the more attractive as our proper car...or at lease something with plenty of suspension travel and good damping ;) and I thought SE UK roads were bad :D

[Wavytone]

Yes sure mine is lower... Front spoiler scrapes often enough round town and I take it very easy on dirt.

[Steffen]

But surely not so low that it couldn't run over a Mini without touching… ;)

Cheers
Steffen.

[mr bruess]

A horrifying graphic ad about the dangers of the Drop bear.
The Australian Tourist never tell or warn about these dangerous bears.It is because of the fear of loss of business.

[Wavytone]

Hehe a mini could drive over mine like it was a big speed bump !

[Camelopardalis]

Not so sure about that, I almost grounded the Mini on a shopping centre speed bump at the weekend :D

[mental4astro]

Mmmmm, the long range forecast for the Katoomba has an overnight minimum of -2. I HAVE to remember the matches...

[MortonH]

Awesome. Haven't experienced sub-zero temps for 7 years!

[AG Hybrid]

My thermals arrived from that Kathmandu sale. -2 Degrees?? Bring it on!!!

[Camelopardalis]

The heated vest is charging.... where can I get heated undies? :D

The scope might not care about frost/ice, but I do :lol:

[Wavytone]

Meh... Beanie, gloves, good pair of thermals, thermos with tea and sugar hit (choc or energy bars).

Dunk as indicated earlier go find a boutique that carries sweaters made of merino mink, ideally Lothlorien. Marvellous stuff with a shell over the top. There is one in Leura, on the Mall, next to the roundabout at the south end of the main shopping strip.

Mmmm frost... A few sheets of newspaper over the car windscreen are a good idea, saves scraping the stuff off.

[Wavytone]

For those coming to Katoomba - if you have a premium eyepiece around the 35 - 45 mm focal length please bring as I'd like to do some comparisons - specifically interested in Panoptic, Pentax, Explore Scientific, Masuyama.

Not interested in the budget ones (GSO, skywatchers, Orion, WO etc)

See you there.

[mr bruess]

I've got the 35mm Panoptic so I will bring it if I come next time.

[mental4astro]

A 50mm plossl using Pentax glass any good for you Wavy? I couldn't see any abberations in my fast newts or refractor with it!

[AG Hybrid]

All I can offer you wavy is a 30mm ES 82°. Might be a bit short on the focal length?

[Camelopardalis]

So long as my body doesn't rebel against this virus I've contracted, I should be bringing my Pentax.

[Wavytone]

Great, I'll have LV50, LVW42 and Paragon 30. Yes a premium plossl - bring that. I'll see if I can scrounge a Panoptic.

Want to test in my f/7 refractor and f/15 Mak, specifically the edfects of field curvature at the edge of the FOV. I've measured the scopes, now to see if experiment matches expectation.

I also have access to aberration figures for some designs.

[mental4astro]

Just remembered my 35mm Masuyama. It's a 1.25" EP. Drop it & I'll drop your Mak, Wavy...

[absolut]

I'm working on coming along this time.

Couple questions:
Considering bringing my little butane cooker to make an adhoc dinner, then wondered if open flame is a good idea at an airfield?

I know the following question may cause inclement weather and I apologise in advance, but I have to ask, how long would it take to assemble one of those Orion XTg dobs, as I may be buying one Saturday morning and may not have time to assemble it before I head up the mountains...

Thanks!
Rob

[mental4astro]

Hi Rob,

Mate, the cooker is no problem. I occasionally bring one too for a morning cuppa.

Regarding your new dob, give yourself at least an hour, particularly if it's motorised. So, say, get to the Airfield round 3:30, you'll be able to settle yourself in, & not rush, & have time for your tea. I can let rod at the Airfield to expect a couple of early birds, & he'll make sure a plane doesn't land on ya.

Look forward to meeting you!

[Camelopardalis]

On last month's mission to Hargraves I noticed a chip shop on the right Blackheath just before the turn. Any other eateries in easy striking distance?

[mental4astro]

The Grand Olive pizza shop in Wentworth Falls - YUM! We've had the occasional 'conference' there while we wait for the clouds to blow over.

A few doors up from them is another nice chook shop. They make nice big bugers too.

These are the two places I stop at as they are on the way, but I'm sure there are other places other folks can recommend.

[Wavytone]

Dunk, I'm aiming to leave Sydney at noon assuming the weather is good for a walk or whatever, grab a big late lunch in a cafe around 3, and carry a thermos and snacks for later, I'll head home by midnight.

Blaxland Macdonalds on the highway, on the east-bound side. OK perhaps on the way home to fill up the car, a pit-stop and coffee. There's also a service station and Macca's at Eastern Creek along the M4.

Wentworth Falls The Grand Olive, in the shops at Wentworth Falls, does a simple pizza or pasta, good coffee. Quick & cheap but 5pm might be a bit early for them.

Leura - For winter, there is a superb gourmet deli halfway down in the Mall, righthand side. If you are there before 5pm have a coffee (awesome) and a quick bite (hot food available) either sit down or take away. They close soon after 5. Next pick is an excellent Bakehouse (see the link below for Blackheath) further down the Mall after the second roundabout, left hand side next to the fire station where the angle-parking is. Should be open till 5. Along the east side of the Mall there are several cafes between the two roundabouts. Most close up before 5. There are several good restaurants for dinner if you have time (summer):
- Leura Garage, ok
- Silks Brasserie - very good
- Red Door cafe - good
- PostOffice Cafe - very good
- Zest - good
- Jasmine - good
- Leura Chinese restaurant - traditional old-style aussie chinese. Don't go there if you are know real asian food.
- Bon-Ton - best to avoid this one
- Le Gobelet - pretentious, expensive and food is poorly done. Avoid

KatoombaI avoid it, but there are some cafes if you have the patience. The restaurants there are tourist-traps, not great and expensive for what you get.

Blackheath

Fish & chip shop on the highway. Burgers, chicken, Chiko rolls etc.

"Altitude" gourmet deli, great for quick snacks hot/cold, but it closes at 5 sharp.

The cafe at Victory Antique centre. Always crowded but seems to be open to about 5. Cheap meals, though I mainly have been there for lunch.

Ivanhoe hotel at the lights in Blackheath - does great counter meals $15-$20 starting dead on 6pm (my choice before coming home after paragliding). Very quick service and they do try with the food, because there is another pub past the lights. You might find a pie floater with mushy peas on the menu ;)

Bakehouse on Wentworth, at the lights turn right nto the shops, go past the Victory Theatre and turn right into Wentworth. 100m on the left you'll find the Bakehouse http://bakehouseonwentworth.com.au/?page_id=937.

Then there is Ashcrofts, don't be fooled by how simple it looks - the all-white decor, black & white photos and silver on the table are a warning to be careful if you step in the door, as this is a full-on fine-dining french restaurant, easily the best in the Blue Mountains and IMHO one of the top 10 in Sydney. By prior bookings only and note this is serious $$$, for a very special occasion.

[Camelopardalis]

Cool, thanks chaps!

[mental4astro]

If there's anyone that is scope-less, I've got an 8" f/4 dob I can bring. But please let me know by 1pm Saturday arvo so I can pack it, or it stays home. I've got plenty of EPs to share between the scope I'll be using and the 8", unless there's EPs you'd like to bring.

[Wavytone]

Twin 7" Maks coming, which will be side-by-side. Could bring 4" refractor if anyone has a spare mount, it has a Vixen rail.

We may have a science teacher visiting from Wentworth falls, too.

[MortonH]

Was starting to waver as my back is playing up, but if you're bringing both Maks I'm definitely coming!!!!

[Camelopardalis]

Twin?? Binocular maksutov? :D

[Camelopardalis]

Just the lowly C8, still lurking in its case since last month :sadeyes: (I know, shame on me given the clear nights we've had this week...)

[Wavytone]

BTW in case you want to check conditions the readings from Mt Boyce weather station:
http://www.bom.gov.au/products/IDN60901/IDN60901.94743.shtml

are close to the conditions at the strip (Mt Boyce is west of Blackheath and a tad higher at 1100m).

Right now a stiff westerly 20-30 knots ... ouch.

The scopes are a Skywatcher f/15 and IM Alter M703 which is f/10, on an altaz mount. Good for outreach occasions.

Heading for Turramurra golf course for a quick look tonight despite the gale, at least to align the scopes..

[Camelopardalis]

Yeah that wind had better die down :sadeyes:

Looks like we'll have quite a spread of scopes tomorrow :D

[MortonH]

Anyone have a spare dew shield that would fit a 6" Mak? I'm picking up UniPol's Skywatcher BD150 on the way there.

Also bringing my SV110ED and the new mount.

[AG Hybrid]

Should be a good night. Weather looks good apart from the wind atm. Ill be there before 5PM.

[absolut]

Looking forward to it!

Having a very action packed day tomorrow, so I'm not sure exactly when I'll arrive, but I'll be doing everything I can to get there before sunset. :)

Clear skies!

[killswitch]

Ill probably get there at like 4:30. My equipment only takes like 5 mins to setup. (SW ED100 + Vixen porta mount)

Im kinda bummed out that some stuff i ordered didnt arrive today. Can i borrow a 14mm~ EP off someone?

[Steffen]

It was very windy (stormy even) at Toongabbie today but that died down after sunset. It is now completely calm.



I could certainly arrange that. I've got a WO EzyTouch mount with a spare Vixen clamp (the one on the other side holds an 80ED).

Cheers
Steffen.

[mr bruess]

You don't have to be "left out in the cold" literally as mental will be there to hold your hand and provide you with an 8 inch scope.
Don't be embarrassed if you don't have a scope.You can always borrow one.

[AG Hybrid]

You know me Ed. Ive got enough 14mm eyepieces to go around. You can use the ES 14mm 100 too if you have a 2" focuser.

[Oleg]

Greetings everyone, Alex!

I'm going to be there, for the first time. Will bring my 14" Orion with me.

Look forward to meeting you Alex and hearing all you ideas about lightweight dobs!

[killswitch]

Thanks Adrian, i think ill borrow the 82d 14mm as i plan to purchase that.



:welcome:

[MortonH]

Can't wait to meet everyone tonight, see a dark sky and experience some truly cold weather! :D

[Camelopardalis]

Anyone got any ideas how to attach my little Canon point and shoot (which I just discovered will expose for up to 15 seconds!) to a finder scope mount or otherwise? I'm thinking Velcro, but dreading getting the glue off the bottom of the camera :D

[Camelopardalis]

Iirc, you're from Scotland... THAT'S truly cold :D

[AstroJason]

Really looking forward to tonight! Can't wait to get there, but I plan to leave at 2pm. Should be there after 4pm some time.

[mental4astro]

Dunk, you're bringing a C8, aren't you? I've made myself a bronze piggyback bracket for my C8, which should fit yours. I'll stick it in my kit to bring up tonight if you like. It has a ball mount so the camera can be aimed in any direction.

Let me know.

I've also spoken with Rod to let him know to expect a few early birds. Good idea once you arrive at the Airfield to look for Rod in his office or house, to let him know you're there for the astro session. Otherwise he gets upset with people just rocking up. Once he knows you're a photon junkie, he'll be your best mate, :D , and won't stop talking, :lol: . A real nice fellow, like Steffen said, :thumbsup: .

[MortonH]

Just been checking out food/petrol options on the way home.

The Blaxland Maccas closes at 11pm, but there's a 24hr one in Penrith, which is only a short detour off the M4.

There is a 24hr BP petrol station in Katoomba, although I imagine prices will be higher than in the city. Think I'll fill up before I leave.

[lacad01]

Ok got a leave pass to go up this arvo. Will just be bringing my cameras and Polarie for some wide fields. Unless weather turns to poo, look forward to catching up :hi:

[Camelopardalis]

That'd be brilliant - thanks Alex!

I should be moving in an hour, so hope to be there before sun down...

[Camelopardalis]

I'm shockingly late. Hope to be there in a couple of hours.

[Wavytone]

All,

It's 7 degrees, clear cold and cooling fast. Main problem is wind - even in Leura it's a gale 20-30 knots.

[lacad01]

Curse this traffic!

[Honest_Gaza]

Wished I had seen this earlier....I could have been up there shivering with the rest of you :lol:

Will keep an eye out for the next gathering so I can meet a few of you and benefit from your knowledge.

[Manav]

Hope you guys have a good one!

I've just finished testing the new rig at home and couldn't make it tonight.

By the way Blackheath is suppose to hit 1 degree Celsius tonight :/

[MortonH]

Am back home. The wind was sooooo cold!

But the sky was still awesome.

[lacad01]

I'll second that :thumbsup: Took so many shots, now for the arduous task of processing :)

[absolut]

Great to meet you all!

Unfortunately that wind was the show stopper for me!

I did manage to get some some decent views while I endured!
Next time with some feeling left in my toes would be good. lol

Thanks to all!

Rob

[AstroJason]

Glad such a good time. Saw so many more objects, hunting down random globs was fun. NGC6441 was a nice find right on scorpio's stinger. There was the glob and open clusters within M7 that Alex showed us. Saw the The Helix nebula for the first time and Alex showed me the Grus Quartet through his scope. The different shapes of all those galaxies makes it a really nice field. Plus the Carina nebula through Adrian's scope with an OIII filter, jaw dropping! And then there was the wind... killed the seeing but not the enthusiasm! Thanks all for sharing the views and knowledge, can't wait until next month.

[absolut]

Slapped together this timelapse of last night's session, enjoy!
http://www.darsolut.org/Photography/Time-Lapse/30396891_MZgzmr#!i=2619023077&k=RBm7Bkn

Rob

[lacad01]

Great job Rob :thumbsup: I was wondering what that red light was in the middle of the airstrip :)

[MortonH]

Nice timelapse, Rob. What software did you use?

[Wavytone]

Easily the largest turnout we've had !

Soooo cold... think I'll wait till spring.

[mental4astro]

19 bodies all up. And by far the most popular place was in front of the combustion heater!!!

The cool of the night would have been more tolerable if it were not for the wind. Just our luck that it should be blowing a blizzard in the Snowies. Made using any scope tricky. Thankfully my 11X70 binos were packed, and I had a good time chasing dark nebulae. Steffen and I also managed to pin the "Doodad" he noted in the Challenge.

Thanks to everyone who turned up. It was a very pleasant occasion for me, and I hope everyone else too.

Oh, and the unsealed road was not a problem either, :lol: .

Rob, great time lapse clip, mate! I showed it to the missus, who was suitably impressed too, much to my surprise. I too had noticed that little dim red light out on the run way. I thought it was you, Adam, stuffing around and getting all arty-farty with your stuff, :rolleyes: . Glad I was proved wrong!

Mental.

[Steffen]

I thoroughly enjoyed it, I didn't think it was that cold (apart from the odd bone-chilling gust) even though I forgot to bring my warm jacket.

Unfortunately the seeing was rather poor, however the compact 6" Mak on the HEQ5 mount withstood the wind without flinching and was fun to use all night through on the lower-mag objects :)

Cheers
Steffen.

EDIT And yes, that unsealed road was in great shape, better than some Sydney roads...

[AG Hybrid]

Today, I have been building a wind break from retractable tent posts and a large tarp for future events that may be windy. It could have been a really great night. Still it was nice to meet some new people apart from the usual's too.

[Camelopardalis]

Great to meet everyone, those I had and had not met before :)

The viewing was pretty good when the wind eased off from blowing my dew shield like a sail :mad2: despite its best efforts, I got to see a bunch of new objects, and some extended re-views.

Thanks to Alex for lending me the camera bracket, I'll upload a couple shortly. Also thanks to both Alex and Peter for helping me hunt the elusive glove :sadeyes:

[Steffen]

Ah yes, the wind. I packed my dew shield away early during alignment and haven't needed it all night. It was one of those rare occasions where we didn't have the slightest hint of dew till 2am (or whenever it was we left).

The westerly usually brings with it a dry night. If only it had been a little less forceful…

Cheers
Steffen.

[absolut]

Morton, I ended up using Photoshop CS6 to build the timelapse. Tweaked the curve slightly as well. Used a work machine. One of the few perks I still have in the printing industry. :)

The road was no problem at all. The roads around Lostock were vastly more painful. :)

Fingers crossed for no wind next time!...
Might work on my outfit a bit, need some warmer pants!

[Camelopardalis]

Lesson learned :) the shield was always needed in the UK :(

[MortonH]

I was worried about not having a dew shield for my newly acquired Mak but it wasn't required at all, at least not for dew. Maybe it might have helped improve the contrast slightly.

Can't wait for the next night!

[mr bruess]

I was gonna go but couldn't find it on the ubd road map.Some one should show directions on a common street directory.Plus it was bloody cold.
I should buy some thermal under wear.I hear these can keep you bloody warm and effective in winter.
There should be some photos to convince other people to go.
Missed out on giving my 35mm Panoptic a shootout against other eyepieces.
:(:(:(:(:(

[mental4astro]

I don't think these directions are difficult to follow. All it is is taking 2 streets off the highway. 2 streets from the only set of lights past Katoomba, even if your directory doesn't show it. It's not a hard place to find.

But, sure, I guess a screen shot of a google maps search of the Airfield could be done if the directions are ambiguous. No worries.

[Camelopardalis]

My first dark pictures :)

This was with my little Canon point and shoot, 15 second exposures, piggy backing on my C8 using Alex's camera mount.

[mithrandir]

You mean something like this? The railway bridge at Katoomba to the airfield.

http://goo.gl/maps/eNwlu

[mental4astro]

Ta, Andrew. Done.

Like I said, just 2 Streets. My directions are pretty clear.

[lacad01]

Here's a quick and dirty pano from the other night. Unfortunately Sydney glow shows up quite a bit in the lower left...hope to post some better pics in the Images section later on...

[Wavytone]

Adam, I'd suggest hang onto that as it's representative of the naked eye view (better than the two I took, anyway). Might be useful for later comparisons at other sites.

[mental4astro]

Rob, I pinched a couple of screen shots of frames from your time lapse clip when one of the attendees left, and a shot from a little earlier. It was a busy place! Cars parked everywhere! :)

[mr bruess]

If I came,I would've taken lots of pictures with my digital camera.
I would/ve taken pictures of the place,and pictures of the array of sexy equipment used for all those hardware astronomical telescope junkies out there.

[hickny]

Here are two of the photos I took on Saturday evening with my point and shoot Panasonic DMC-ZS20 which has manual settings.
The longest exposure time I can get is 15 seconds and the maximum fstop is f3.30.

Airfield01 Exposure details 15 seconds f3.30 ISO 3200
Airfield02 Exposure details 15 seconds f3.30 ISO 3200

The slight reddish glow in the bottom right of Airfield02 was caused by the imaging rig nearby.

I'm happy with these single frames from a relatively inexpensive point and shoot camera.

[lacad01]

Yeah, yeah - at least I didn't bring the EQ6 and guidescopes, then you would have heard all manner of expletives from my corner :lol: