Blue Mountains - Katoomba Airfield 29th March

[mental4astro]

Hi all,

The Airfield is kindly being made available to us on the 29th of March.

It's been a while since we've had access to the Airfield, so I'm hoping for a great night too.

If you haven't been to the Airfield before, you will be most welcome to join us. If you don't have a scope, no problem either - it is a great chance to see many different types of instruments, small and large, simple and complex, and what the heavens look like through the different scopes.

If you feel that your scope is 'inadequate', please do not hesitate to bring it! The sky here is brilliant (1000m above sea level, making the Airfield one of the highest observing areas close to Sydney) and it will be a great chance to give that scope a good workout. You learn a lot from the people there and you'll be learn how to get the most out of your scope and gear.

Even if all you have is a pair of binos, come and bring them too! Binoculars are a fantastic bit of gear, and their wide field of view offers views that large scopes just cannot give for all their aperture grunt.

This is also a good chance to suss out the condition of your gear before the IIS Astro Camp next month. Blow out cobwebs, re-familiarize yourself with your gear, iron out bugs, whatever, so you are not left out of sorts at the Astro Camp.

Access to the Airfield is via Medlow Bath, the first village west of Katoomba. At Medlow Bath's only set of lights, turn into Railway Parade. Then it's left into Rutland Rd that becomes Grand Canyon Rd. The Airfield is 4km from the Rutland Rd turn off. Note that the last 3km is unsealed and rain can cause nasty erosion of the road surface. While the road is occasionally regraded, it is still advisable to take it easy along here. It is an easy 2WD road, just use caution.

On entering the Airfield, turn into the left hand track and follow it past the 'No Entry' sign - there is no access to the observing area by going straight ahead. From here, turn right up the hill past the various buildings to the observing area. The pictures below show area maps and the location of the observing slab on the main runway.

The Airfield is totally BYO everything. There is no power available. There are loos for the ladies and kids. The office building also has a combustion heater for those freezing winter nights. We are also welcome to stay overnight - there is no quitting time, that is upto you when you've had enough. But we can use the office building for some shut eye as there are a few sofas there to crash on.

Just some notes: Come rugged up! It gets very cold up there, even during summer. Bring plenty of layers - if you've got them you can shed them, if you don't have them you will freeze. Bring a red-light torch. Red light causes the least amount of disruption to our dark adapted eyes. If you don't have a red-light torch, two, three or four layers of red cellophane over the torch face will do the trick. Cellophane is readily available from $2 shops, newsagents and even florists.

Last note, the hat gets passed around for the slab of Rod's preferred brew as a gift to say thanks for using his Airfield.

Any questions, just ask, :)

Mental.

[AG Hybrid]

Good to hear that Rod is recovering. Don't forget everyone to bring a fiver to contribute to the slab of beer we give Rob for access to his airfield.

[linstar88]

Hey gang,
I'll try to head out there, work and weather permitting. Thanks for chasing access here Alex :thumbsup: looks like a really good spot to set up. Will bring the 12" if all goes well.

Guy :hi:

[AstroJason]

Great to hear Rod has been getting better. Really looking forward to this one and will likely stay all night if the weather is good to us.

[jasonghaby]

will be my first time at the airfield. really excited about this!!

Hopefully the weather plays nice.

[mr bruess]

i gota go.I haven't been before.......

[killswitch]

This ones long due.. ill be there

[mental4astro]

For those of you coming to the Airfield for the first time and are using a sat. nav. system, some systems have the Airfield labelled as Katoomba Airport. If you put in Katoomba Airfield it will tell you no such place exists, and that you are a dill for entering the wrong address.

I'm hoping to be able to get to the Airfield quite early this time around, an hour or two before sunset. I've got a few things to do before nightfall, so I'm hoping to be there around 5pm. Normally we kick things of before sunset.

If you do find yourself there early and no other astro nuts are around, please announce yourself to the Airfield manager, Rod, to let him know your intensions for the astro viewing. There are some very expensive aircraft kept there which are jealously guarded. This last summer has seen the Airfield be the centre of action for the aircraft firefighting efforts. While the immediate threat has somewhat eased of bushfires, a helicopter has been based at the Airfield all summer long incase things start again.

[Camelopardalis]

Glad to hear Rod is recovering well.

Looking forward to the night out, the weather better buck it's ideas up cos it's been crap round here lately :sadeyes:

[mithrandir]

Or you could enter the co-ords.
The entrance from Grand Canyon Rd is at 33:40:6.36S 150:19:1.78E.
The "Observing Pad" is at 33:40:5.55S 150:19:8.86E

[AG Hybrid]

I'm not liking our odds right now.

[MortonH]

B*gger. Looks like I'm taking my daughter to the Lego movie instead...

[Wavytone]

Cripes, the forecast is for another soggy week.
Making other plans.

[icytailmark]

Can i bring my C14? Id come if it was longer then 1 night.

[Wavytone]

A C14... would make an impressive rain gauge at the moment.

[AG Hybrid]

The upshot is. The moon will still be quite small next Saturday too.

[andyc]

Can't make it this week - went and qualified for the matchplay finals at the golf club and the scheduled match time is too late to drive up afterwards. But... If there was any hope of better weather next weekend I'd be tempted! The scope's gathering a bit of dust and no photons just now :sadeyes:

[Camelopardalis]

Is this rain ever going to stop? :help:

[Wavytone]

LOL... Dunk the weather here does everything in extremes, compared to the UK. Read up on El Nino and La Nina.

For example in the 1980's we had the longest run of clear weather for stargazing in my memory, perhaps 7 years of blisteringly clear blue skies and utterly predictable observing nights month after month - it was a record drought BTW. 2000-2005 (another drought) comes close - Goulburn ran dry and and Sydney was running dangerously low on water (4 months supply from memory) to the point we had to build a desalination plant just in case it didn't rain. And sure enough as the plant came on line, it did rain and went into a La Nina (wet) cycle.

The snag is, here, droughts usually end with a bang - literally rain for a week or two causing major inland floods - followed by a year or two of soggy weather on the coast.

The other period that comes to mind is the "long wet" of 1989-1991 which lasted 18 months. There were 26 weekends in a row rained out, the rest overcast, and some (like me) sold their astro gear and simply waited, knowing that by the time it cleared up, the technology will have moved on significantly - or take the opportunity to build a new scope if you are so inclined.

The alternative is move to somewhere like the Nullarbor...

In NSW there are three distinct phenomena that feed cloud in...
- cyclones off NW western Australia tend to produce long tails of cloud that will stream over central and southern NSW, usually short-lived;
- subtropical depressions (lows) around the queensland border frequently produce streams of cloud that come this far south (and produce lasting rain);
- further south, the so-called "east coast lows" tend to form anywhere from the Victorian border to the latitude of Sydney. Forming off the coast, they produce a southerly airflow on the surface which invariable means a solid cloud deck, and usually rain.

The latter two are effectively large eddies that tend to stay stuck to the coastline for many days or weeks, pushing a southerly airflow on the surface which creates a solid cloud deck inland and producing coastal rain - until a great big fat high over central australia finally shoves them off to New Zealand. We are under this influence now, and the trouble is that being autumn, the sun no longer has enough heat to create a high pressure system large and strong enough to push this soggy airmass offshore.

[Camelopardalis]

Interesting stuff, thanks! No kidding about the extremes :D

[AstroJason]

Well, seeing some large areas of blue sky this morning, is this cloud finally breaking up and moving on?

[AG Hybrid]

Look to the west....look to the west. It's about what's waiting for us in 12 hours that should be our concern.

[jasonghaby]

If only it would move on. Forecasts have at least 99% cloud cover over katoomba for most of the night. :(

http://www.accuweather.com/en/au/katoomba/13062/hourly-weather-forecast/13062?hour=17

[AstroJason]

Yeah I've seen, but don't want to believe! :( I am just hoping for one of those miracles we have seen when we've been at Hargraves where the cloud just evaporates to nothing

[jasonghaby]

When is the cut off? what time should we call it off?

[Wavytone]

Hehe settle down... it's just a sucker hole...if the webcam is showing clear skies at 4:30 I'd consider going but I doubt that will be the case.

At 10:30 its showing patches of sun, patches of cloud maybe 50/50 and there's mist in the valleys so its awfully damp. Chances aren't great.

[Camelopardalis]

Gutted :sadeyes: Monday night is looking nice though :mad2:

[Wavytone]

Hmm it could be better than I expected.

The Mt Boyce AWS is showing 6 knots westerly, if the westerly holds through the afternoon it should be a great clear night.

If it swings south - cloud will roll in.

[Camelopardalis]

:confused2: Looks like high cloud of much of SE Australia :sadeyes:

[mental4astro]

Rod says things are looking up for us, with conditions improving by the minute. As I need to leave by 3pm, he will give me a last report on conditions. I'll post the yea or ney then.

[AG Hybrid]

Wow good to hear. I'll be watching this space.

[mental4astro]

Sorry to say things have gone pear shaped up at the 'Mountians. The wind has changed direction to come from the south, and with it the cloud has rolled in. :(

Rod is happy to see about having us do something tomorrow night (Sunday) if things improve, and next Saturday too. I know Sunday is not ideal for most folks. Next Saturday we'll have as our next option.

Anyone like to go fishing tonight? I might head down to Coogee beach tonight to wet a line.

[AstroJason]

Oh well, never mind, that's very nice of Rod to invite us tomorrow night and next Saturday. I'm up for tomorrow night if everyone else is keen and the weather looks good. Also keen for next Saturday. I really need my dark sky fix! Enjoy the fishing Alex, looks like its a night watching footy for me!

[AG Hybrid]

I don't think. Tomorrow is particularly viable either. Weather fore casts mention the same rubbish weather.

[Camelopardalis]

Cheers to Rod for being so accommodating :)

Tomorrow is out for me but next Saturday is a possibility.

[mental4astro]

If things look good for tonight (Sunday), I'm heading up.

[JRC]

Next Saturday will be perfect. I know this because i am committed to a concert at my kid's school. Have a great time with the scopes!

[mental4astro]

Will look into coming next Saturday too.

Tonight I'm field testing a new project (fingers crossed for a clear sky). I'm hoping to have another scope for field testing next Saturday.

Anyone like to have a play with a new 12" scope? If you already use a GSO or Skywatcher dob, you will be in for a big surprise... :D

[AstroJason]

Hey Alex yeah i think ill join you mate. ill bring my 10" skywatcher dob, keen to see your new creation. Might get there around 6ish?

[mental4astro]

I'm aiming to get there for 5pm - got a bit to do before sunset.

Again, all depends on how the clouds go... :cloudy:

[mental4astro]

Tonight is off too. No improvement in the cloud cover to warrant an expedition to the Airfield.

Oh, well. Can't blame a bloke for trying.

We'll try again for next Saturday, 5th of April.

Mental.

[AstroJason]

No worries Alex, thanks for the update mate.

Yep, looking on to next weekend.

Cheers,

Jason

[icytailmark]

I can see clearly now the rain has gone..............

[killswitch]

Weathers been tragic lately, fingers crossed for IISAC.

Im keen for next Saturday, i should have my new setup by then.

[AG Hybrid]

See you Saturday then.

[MortonH]

Won't be able to make next weekend. Looks like IISAC or bust for me!

[jasonghaby]

im out next saturday too and it looks like i wont be back till June at this stage. Have fun next week!

[-George-]

Hey,

I want to buy a telescope but never used one, never looked through one, I don't even know if it will be something I am 'wow this is awesome' about or "meh what a waste of money that was".

I would love to come and get a first time look if that would be ok with people?

Can someone message me that is organizing, can pass my contact or something rather.

[mental4astro]

Hi George,

Mate, you are most welcome to come along, scope or no scope.

Your thinking is great, to come and have a good look at what different scopes can do before you drop any money. You might end up happy with just a pair of binos, or end up selling your house to get a 1m beast!

We are hoping for good weather for this coming Saturday. Just keep an eye open for new posts to this thread. As the weather has been so fickle of late, it can even be late Saturday afternoon when the final word is given on Yea or Ney for the session at the Airfield.

:thumbsup:

[-George-]

Shame, I was just standing outside on the farm, and WOW at how many stars visible to naked eye. Even a Planet (orange) towards east...

Is that Jupiter or Saturn?

I have a kids pair of 10x25mm binoculars... not even close to big enough to make out which planet it is.

Can you message me details place address or whatever and I will forward you my number if i need to know anything in advance. Thanks :)

[killswitch]

Hi George

Thats orange object is likely Antares, the alpha star of Scorpio constellation.

Jupiter will be closer to the west. You might be able to make out its moons with a 10x25mm.

The location details of the airfield is in the first post of this thread.

[AG Hybrid]

It could be Mars.

[AG Hybrid]

Conditions are looking iffy for Saturday. Not a total cloud out. But a decent chance of rain.

[-George-]

It may clear out tomorrow! *Please*

[mental4astro]

Making the call now: No Go for the Airfield tonight, :(

Forecast is poor, and no prospects for improving for a viable time up there.

I just can't believe how the last 18 months has seen nearly every new Moon weekend crap! Full Moon, nice and clear, but clouded out each and every new Moon! Bloody hell!

[MortonH]

Fingers crossed IISAC isn't washed out...

[Camelopardalis]

No worries Alex :sadeyes: here's hoping for IISAC, now only a couple of weeks away :D

(Maybe I'm getting a little ahead of myself :lol:)

[killswitch]

Bummer.. not again.

IISAC it is.

[Camelopardalis]

Looks like we're in with a better chance of seeing stars staying put tonight :sadeyes: at least according to skippysky

[AG Hybrid]

7Timer (http://7timer.y234.cn/index.php?product=astro&lon=150.32936096191406&lat=-33.67006843120304&lang=en&tzshift=0), cloud cover wise would suggest we are in for a relatively clear early half of the night

[AG Hybrid]

Perhaps another call to Rod at 3 PM?

[-George-]

Can't believe it was canceled.

I mean, the sky is absolutely gorgeous. I just went outside with my 10x25 pieces of toy junk binoculars that have the red (ruby) coating, i squatted down to the ground, held them up against the top of a chair... yeah it was wobbly, but, i managed to get it still enough that I actually saw a moon of Jupiter!.

I looked at mars... not much to see, just like Venus, just a bigger bright shiny dot. I looked at Saturn, still fairly close to horizon, I can see the planet but not the ring. The ring is 3 times the size of Saturn no? From my understanding, all the pictures we have of Saturn are false. I heard that 3 Saturns side by side would be the total length of the ring, while all the pictures show it to be smaller than that.

Either way I can only conclude that I need more than 25mm of aperture to resolve the ring, so the planet may be visible, but no ring is (even though its 3 times longer than the dot im looking at).

Anyways, it was a good night for it and Im bummed out! :sad:
Cry over.

[icytailmark]

NSW weather has been crap for months. I have not even had a chance to image mars. Hopefully the weather improves this winter

[-George-]

Got up at 12:30 to go view Saturn, as it would be higher.

Not a star in the sky.

Guess it was only clear for 2 hours.

Lucky I live on other side of blue mountains (going from Sydney over the other direction). Generally always have good views. Noticed clouds all over Sydney direction, out towards Dubbo direction, Orange/Oberon direction, etc, clear skies where I am, must be in the perfect spot. :D

[Wavytone]

Where's home, George ? You could be a very useful "cloud bunny" - the westernmost sources we have are a webcam at Katoomba and Rod at the airfield. The BOM automatic weather stations are useful for wind speed and direction but don't provide a photo unfortunately.

[Logieberra]

Alex, it was great to meet you (and Steffan) at the IISAC. As discussed, I'd like to drive north and visit you guys sometime, as we're often in the Dural/Hills district of Sydney visiting family. I'm subscribed to this thread now :) Cheers, Logan, Canberra.