Where to go?

[Langdale]

Hi,

I've been limited to viewing on my balcony in Northern beaches Sydney since i got my telescope with only a small portion of the sky to see (West facing).

I'm about to get myself a car since i never bothered with one since i moved over to Australia. So i'll soon be free to terrorise the roads with my bad driving, armed with a 8" newtonian in the back with a yearning for dark skies with no hipsters, trendy bars or frozen yogurt.

My question is to anyone out there who is willing to offer me their advice.

Where should i drive to have dark skies and no people from my location?

Thanks

Ben

[pluto]

I just did a night camping at a place called Cathedral Reserve a couple of weeks ago and I really liked it. I did a quick write up of it here:http://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/showthread.php?t=113200

[glend]

Ben your very welcome to join a few of us heading up to Bretti Reserve (just north west of Gloucester) on the first weekend of November (Friday the 1st through Sunday).

Check out the Bretti Reserve thread in the Start Parties forum. From Sydney it would be about three hours drive north.

The sky there is dark, no sky glow form cities, and even naked eye observation is possible of things not visible from the city.

It's also far away from the smoke plumes from the Blue Mt fires.

[The Mekon]

It may be different now, but 30 years ago West Head was pretty dark. In 1986 I can recall getting my pregnant wife out of bed at 0300 to drive out to West head to view Halleys comet. it was reasonably dark out there back then. Not too much of a drive from your location.

[Langdale]

Glen thanks for the invite. If i have a car by then i might head up to bretti reserve that same weekend. Now i need to get some camping gear.

Hugh thanks for the link to your write up of cathedral reserve. Thats quite close to Sydney. A likely choice.

Cheers

[Camelopardalis]

There are also a couple of groups of us that head out to sites on a regular basis in an attempt to escape the light pollution of greater Sydney... have a look in the Star Parties section, most months there are threads for the Pony Club and Blue Mountains observing sessions.

[Wavytone]

Ben, since you're coming from Northern Beaches the Katoomba airfield is the obvious site and its an easy drive via the M2, M7 and M4 if you don't mind the tolls.

Keep an eye on the Star Parties forum for threads like this one: http://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/showthread.php?t=113250
... though obviously smoke could be an issue on 2/11/13.

There is also a group that meets at Turramurra Golf Course http://nsas.org.au/observing/

There are a number of other spots in the Blue Mountains which can be used if you need for a special occasion such as Table Rock at Kings Tableland (near Wentworth Falls) Hargraves Lookout (west of Blackheath), Mt Banks (Bells Line of Rd) or the disused airstrip on Bell's Line of Rd, or Hassan's Walls above Lithgow.

There are also a few ovals that are passable, one I know of is on Rosebery Rd in Killara, at night its dark and the conditions there are very similar to the Turramurra Golf course; though be prepared to lug your gear a few metres as you cannot drive onto the oval.

[Allan_L]

According to Google Maps

Northern Beaches to Katoomba = 123 km,

while

Northern Beaches to Mangrove Mountain = 86.4 km,
M1

AND NO TOLLS !

[Shano592]

Hi Ben,

You are certainly welcome to come to the Pony Club.

I do recommend that you bring a SatNav device (at least for your first drive up there), as it is off the main roads a touch.

Also, BYO drinks, munchies etc.

Keep an eye on the Pony Club thread, here : http://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/showthread.php?t=113451

In the Star Parties page, there is a sticky link for the Pony Club, with full directions and GPS coordinates.

Hope to see you there.

[Langdale]

Thanks everyone for the advice.