Cambroon This Month

[astroron]

:hi: As noted in another thread New Moon this month is midweek falling on the Wednesdsay the 23 August, Which day would the people who normaly come prefer?, on the 19th the Moon does not rise till 04:06 on Sunday morning, the following Saturday the 23rd the Moon sets in the late afternoon at 17:14. so we have two dark weekends
I am flexible but will be going away on one of those weekends so please indicate which one you prefer?
I will go with the most votes:thumbsup: :astron: :stargaze:
The New Moon is on the 24th Australian time, I waslooking at my American calander

[[1ponders]]

Hi Ron. I'm easy either way. I set the Events Calendar ages ago to the 26th but there is no drama if others want it the week before, it's easy to change.

[astroron]

Paul thats the first time I have actualy clicked on the calander:P I thought what you saw on the side was what you got, but as you say we will be flexible and see how people go:thumbsup:

[[1ponders]]

The calendar should work or to be a great boon for advertising upcoming events, and not just get togethers. Space mission updates, conjunctions, oppositions etc.

[Nordo]

I'd love to come. Sorry to add more confusion to the vote, but I'd be happy with either date - maybe leaning toward the 26th.
Thanks Ron:hi:

[Zubenel]

Hi Ron ,
I will chat with my Events Co-ordinator and get back asap. Cheers Zub.:thumbsup: :) :screwy: :whistle: :astron:

[Gargoyle_Steve]

I'm definitely available on the 19th, and my roster definitely says working on the 26th at 11pm - but I've found ways around that before now too.

I always have a number of mid week "weekends" too to make up for all the real weekends that I work so I can always make up for it another time anyway.

Pick what works well for you Ron, and we'll all fit in as best we can.

Steve

[Nordo]

Sounds good to me:)

[Zubenel]

The "Events Coordinator has given the thumbs up for the 19th so failing a trip to Blackbutt I'll be there> ! Cheers Zub.:thumbsup: :whistle:

[astroron]

Blackbutt?

[drmorbius]

I've checked with the social director and Morbius Jr... the 19th is fine!

The 26th is probably not good for us...

UPDATE: False alarm... the 26th is fine for us after all :thumbsup:

[Zubenel]

I can make it on the 19th as the following week i;m on standby for work . I don't think they would like the lights out for an extra 2 hrs while I travel back!!:whistle: Cheers Zub

[[1ponders]]

19th is fine for me. Is that consensus then :eyepop: :lol:

[astroron]

:hi: The 19th and the 26th are both OK as my original plans have had to be put on hold for a little while, So if people want they can come on both weekends:P :thumbsup: :astron: :stargaze:

[[1ponders]]

Tempting Ron, but I'll stick with just the 19th for the moment :lol:

[drmorbius]

I'll be there for sure on the 19th. And I'm not as strong as Paul so I'll probably give in to temptation and try to do the 26th as well.:D

[jjjnettie]

I'm a definate maybe for the 19th.
The 26th is a definate NO.

[jmb]

Hi Ron
I would be ok for the 26th...otherwise next month!!!
thanks
Janine:hi:

[astroron]

:hi: jmb you are most welcome, PM re accommodation , there maybe others coming up on that weekend who you can tag along with:thumbsup: Ron

[Nightshift]

I will be there the 19th pending any disasters or bad weather.

[Gargoyle_Steve]

Ron and folks: as mentioned previously I'll be there on the 19th .... and although Don apparently doesn't think he can make it this time and passes his regrets I'm pleased to say that I should be bringing Carole - my new girlfriend - along too.

She'll be flying up from SA during the week, and she is very keen to join us for a night of star gazing as she IS REALLY INTERESTED IN ASTRONOMY, AND OWNS HER OWN REFLECTOR (10" or 12" ?? - "dinner plate size" she told me) complete with tripod mount. I assume it's an alt/az mount as it was all apparently custom made for her by an ATM guy in Adelaide. She has used this scope a few times since she purchased it last year, to view some very dark skies in outback SA. Her scope sadly will still be back in Adelaide this trip.

Boy, how lucky can a guy get as to find someone who WANTS to sit out in the dark and cold with me while we enjoy the universe above, and who will have her own scope to use as well so we can both enjoy solid viewing time rather than have to take turns at the ep?

We can share eyepieces, collimating tools, warm drinks, star charts, binoculars - huge financial savings between us here ... and luckily my Mighty Ford can accomodate 2 big scope tubes and all accessories with ease.

Does a girlfriend with her own scope also qualify as an important accessory??
;)

I may have to change my answers on that forum poll re 3 favourite accessories now.
(especialy when I get around to telling her where this forum can be found)

Look forward to seeing you all again soon!

Steve

[Nordo]

I don't know about "important", but it will certainly be your most expensive - trust me:rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:
I've been off line for a week or so, but I'll be there on the 19th - thanks Ron:thumbsup:

[Xeelee]

Is it too late to put in a reservation for the 19th

If not, I'll be there

[astroron]

Chris you more than:welcome: the more the merrier

[[1ponders]]

First in best dressed with the eq slab though :D :P

[Striker]

If my camera turns up before Friday...I will be there as well...if not maybe next time.

[[1ponders]]

It'll be good to see you there Tony :thumbsup:

[Xeelee]

Oh well, just means we will need to bring the big spirit level for the scope :D

Wait I had a better idea

:sadeyes: :sadeyes: :sadeyes: :sadeyes: :sadeyes: :sadeyes: :sadeyes: :sadeyes: :sadeyes: :sadeyes: :sadeyes: :sadeyes: :sadeyes:

:D

[[1ponders]]

Ha! I'm immune. I've had a daughter that was your age once, and have a son who is. You haven't got a hope :rofl:

[Xeelee]

Worth a try!

[[1ponders]]

Ahhhh, that's what I like about young people today, they are always trying.






:lol: :poke: :lol: :P

Hey when is that Mike going to sign up under his own name and stop looking over your shoulder. ;)

[george.s]

Hi all, I'm keen as well for tomorrow night, still a few extra bits of ground spare? Also is there a place to pitch a tent nearby?

Looks like a nice night tonight, hope its as clear tomorrow as well!

Cheers,
George

[drmorbius]

Looks to be quite a crowd Ron... should be a really good night. See you all tomorrow!

[[1ponders]]

Hi George and welcome. The more the merrier. Have you found the directions map?

[[1ponders]]

Wow what a afternoon and night.

Roll Call (in order of appearance, I think :P )
Astroron
jjjnettie
Nightshift
[1ponders]
drmorbius and mini-morbius (plus 2)
Nordo
Graeme
Xeelee and Mike
adelain

There may have been others but it was dark :)

I arrived just after 3 to find Dennis and Jeanette already set up and raring to go, and giving the sun the once over and then hunting down Jupiter for daylight viewing. I had my usual setting up ritual, and broad shouldedly wearing the slings and arrows from the visual brigade :lol:

There was a fair bit of smoke around, but the afternoon cleared of clouds so we were hopeful of a good evening. First of the mark for the evening was a mag 1 fly over from west to east of the HST. Cool :D Then not long after that a -6 iridium flare that drew gasps of appreciation and awe from pretty much everyone. 2Xcool :D:D Some serious astronomy was then gotten down to :cool: I'll let others describe what they got up to.

My night involved showing Graeme early on, how to use K3CCDTools to drift align. This took some time as I'd forgotten to level my tripod first :doh: :doh::doh: :whistle: Not critical but it does take more iterations to get it right. :shrug: Oh well. Neptune and Uranus were my main targets for the night, but before I started on them I did a bit of a tour of the dobs to see what everyone else sees in then :poke: Did a bit of a sky tour with the laser helping to point things out and just generally checked things out. Checked out one of Uranus' moons in Ron's 16", which was way cool.

Everyone started to fade away between 21:00 and 01:00, but the diehards stayed on, enduring a final temp of only 3 deg :cold: (thank heavens for the bioheater tucked under my jacket :P ;) )

After I finished imaging Neptune and Uranus ( and after a suitable break for tea and chocolate at around 01:00) I rattled off half a dozen images of M31 for processing later. It looked fantasic in the binocs :D It was about this time that I heard exclamations of wonder from Ron and Jeanette and I noticed that the side of the house was lite up and everything was casting shadows. I turned around to witness the last 30 degree fall of one of the brightest and intensely arc blue-white meteor I have seen for a long long time. It was stunning! Especially the way it broke up near the end. There had been a lot of meteors through the night but this one seemed to signal the end of the fireworks and viewing as the fog moved in on cue. It was going to be a real pea souper that stayed til well after sun up. Ron and I had a bit of a green laser duel, complete with sound effects, that is always fun in thick fog :lol: and we called it a night.

Thanks for putting on a great night Ron, and thanks everyone for the great company. It was great that Jeanette could make it as well, as it's a fair hike for her.

[Nordo]

Just like to thank Ron very much for a great night. And to Paul and everyone else for taking the time to help me find my way around the sky. I had a great time, especially enjoying my first sighting of 47Tuc and M31. I viewed M31 through Paul's 10x50 binos - absolutely awesome.
Thanks to Jeanette for the star charts. I need to do a lot more naked eye viewing with some charts to familiarise myself with the basic layout of the sky so I can easily find pointers, etc.
Thanks again for a great night. I'm not too sure who organise the clear sky - Paul or Ron;)

[jjjnettie]

I arrived at Ron's early. Spent a bit of time cleaning my eyepieces as they were a bit grubby from having a herd of kids observing through them the other night.
Set up the scope and relaxed for a while.

Straight from my log book.

Jupiter - daylight observation, picked up 2 of the moons, later found 3.
6.23pm - Hubble flyover
Alpha Centauri
NGC 3766 o/c
3532 o/c
I 2602 o/c wide spread
7.01pm - iridium flare, my first one, Brilliant -6
7.14pm - Genesis flyover - very faint - passed through the middle of Crux.
Sombrero
Ring Neb. M57
Dumbell Neb
Omega Centauri
N5316 faint o/c
N5281 faint o/c
I was using these two clusters to hop to Planetary neb. N5189 but was distracted by Dennis showing me.......
Brown carbon star, just above B Crux, Mimosa. Very brown. Haven't seen this since Andrew showed me it a year of so ago.
47 Tuc
N362 Glob
N346 - emissionn neb. within SMC
N419 - Sml glob within SMC
N376 - o/c inbetween the above glob and neb. Looks neb like.
N55 - galaxy
Andromeda - M31, M32, M110.
1.29am - Brilliant meteor to the north! Aqua blue in colour. Broke up in the end. A couple of other small ones the same colour soon after to the west.

These are what I observed with my own scope. Of course more was to be seen at the other ones. Most notable was the Veil and N5189 through Rons dob.
As Dennis and I were set up next to each other, we spent most of the night comparing views between my 10" and his 12".
Thanks Ron for your hospitality.
Enjoy your Cheese Cake.

[Dennis]

Now THAT is a very impressive piece of log book recording and reporting. :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

Cheers

Dennis (“Big D” á la H0ughy, or the “other one”)

[[1ponders]]

OR

"The Man Who Fell To Earth With The Silver Poncho And Talks With Machines" :D


Hope to see you at Ron's some time soon Big D

[Gargoyle_Steve]

Obviously I missed sharing an excellent night with many excellent people!
My apologies to all for not being able to attend - some of you know me well enough to know that there's very few things that could get between me and some quality observing, especially with friends. If I could have been there I would.

Unfortunately life and the universe in general have me pegged as the #1 target for throwing crap at currently. All I can say is hope to see you all soon for another evening.
Steve

[Nordo]

We all missed you Steve. You missed one star party, but there will be others. Life's like that.:)

[astroron]

:hi: Steve Sorry you couldn't make it on Saturday,but as you say there will be other night's:thumbsup: Ron

[Gargoyle_Steve]

Thanks guys, much appreciated ..... yes, there's always another night, and yes Ron whenever possible I'll be there!