Kulnura - 28th Oct

[iceman]

So who's up for this weekend, given the rain out of last weekend?

There'll be a 6-day old moon up for a while, which will make for some interesting viewing. It sets by 11pm, but won't have a huge influence on the sky after 9:30pm I'd say.

I'll be there, weather permitting!

[sejanus]

I'd like to come and try and twist someones arm to show me how to align the eq6 :D

[iceman]

You're most welcome to join us!

Map here: Kulnura Map (http://www.iceinspace.com.au/downloads/kulnura_map.jpg) (250k jpeg)

[sejanus]

thanks

I've got a satnav so I should be ok to find the place though I'll print the map as well, could I grab a phone number in case I can't though?

what time do most get there?

[iceman]

PM me and i'll give you my mobile.

Most people get there between 5pm and 6pm (to setup before dark), though some are there earlier and some later. If it's your first time, probably a good idea to get there while it's still light so you don't need to worry about headslights and blinding people.. :) (although, the moon will be up :))

Don't forget daylight savings takes effect at 2am on the Sunday morning!

[wavelandscott]

I'll put in a request with SWMBO...I really really really want to go...did I mention that I really want to go?

Hope to see you there!

[cahullian]

Looking good Mike

I have even bought more Hedgehogs for the hoards that will turn up.

Gazz

[RB]

Won't want to miss this one.
To be able to watch the sky move forward an hour at 2am is a sight not to be missed.
Makes for a really cool star trail image.

:whistle:

[Octane]

sejanus,

If you've got a satellite navigation system, such as a Navman, simply look for points of interest in Kulnura. It's already in there.

Regards,
Humayun

[h0ughy]

:sadeyes: my window of opportunity was last weekend only:( I am gaining brownie points for her job application at the moment, but I need to use them for the observatory:whistle: enjoy fellas, see some at the mercury transit:thumbsup:

[GTB_an_Owl]

C'mon H0ughy - Geeeez

Gazz has ordered in more hedgehogs and everything!
Froggy has set aside the special hedgehog eating area
RB is gunna move the sky forward for us
given daylight saving "H" may even get some imaging done seeing he has an extra hour to set up - :D :D
Scot has flown all the way back from China/Japan to come along

Ya just can't miss a nite like that

[sejanus]

excellent, I have a tomtom so it should be good then.

[sejanus]

hey will anyone be bringing a 8 or 10" SCT?

[iceman]

If Humayan comes, he has an 8" LX90 (for sale atm).

If Joe (astropolak) comes, he has an 8" LX90 (for sale atm)

Rod used to have a 10" SCT, but he sold it and is waiting for bigger and better things! (a 20" dob!)

[sejanus]

20" :eyepop:

[Rodstar]

Look forward to seeing y'all there on Saturday night. Andrew, I don't know if I'll make it until 2am, especially as that will mean I'll automatically be up until 3pm.....I might need a whole box of Cubans to make it that late.

[ausastronomer]

I will be there and Gary Kopff from Argo Navis is also hoping to be there. Andrew Murrell can't make it as he just had shoulder surgery today.

I know you are scopeless at the moment Rod so you can have a look through mine :)

CS-John B

[Rodstar]

I'll look forward to that John. ;)

[cahullian]

I hope this weather clears up for the weekend. Not looking good so far.

Hey Dave if your wife can't do her own job application she is never going to get the job, so just forget about the brownie points and head on down to the central coast. J/K
It must be a hell of a job if it's going to take you 3 days to fill out the application though. What is she going for John Howards job??
I'm sure I speak for us all and wish her all the best. Just think if she gets it how much more you can spend on your fav hobby.:)

Mike don't forget the chair mate, because if it's not there, I'm driving down to Sydney and heading off the gap.

Gazz

[iceman]

lol Gazz, i'll bring the chair I promise! :)

Also how dare you mention the weather! It's bad today, but the forecast has it clear for Sat and Sun!

[sejanus]

hey guys how do we decide if it is going to go ahead on the day? Do people post here saying if it's going ahead?

[iceman]

yeh usually people will post if it's looking iffy or they don't come.

In any case though, it's always up to the individual whether to take the risk if it's looking slightly cloudy.

If it turns cloudy while we're there, it's always good company.

[cahullian]

Glad to hear it Mike, both weather and chair in the one night..Happy Days, or should that be nights?

Gazz

[RB]

If you stay till late I'll bring a whole box of Cubans.
If you leave early you only get the Wee Wilhems.......:lol:

[h0ughy]

its actually 3 jobs;) finished today, has to be in by tomorrow COB

[nightsky]

G'Day,
As we always said going to Ilford, "If it's a clear sky,it's a bonus" :)

[Rodstar]

What about we split the difference, I'll stay til at least midnight, in exchange for one big Cuban??:reindeer:

BTW, we really need to devise a red light lighter.....:P

[RB]

It's a deal........

Oh and last time Humayun and I smoked a whole pack and half way thru my lighter ran out of fuel so we used the car cig lighter, it's perfect, preserves the night vision.

[David]

I will be there still have every thing packed from last weeks aborted atempt. Andrew, I will remember the CD & some mint slice

[RB]

Lovely David, looking forward to your company.......mmmmm lovely mint slice too.

:clap:

[iceman]

.. and the pizzas, RB? :)

NO OLIVES! :)

[RB]

Yep no worries.

"Aussie Meat Lovers" all 'round for tomorrow, I need a photo opp for the monthly challenge........:whistle:

[sejanus]

ummmmmmm..

:whistle::whistle::whistle::whistle ::whistle:

http://www.gavincato.com/tmp/box.jpg

:thumbsup::eyepop::lol::D

[iceman]

What did you buy!?

[sejanus]

c11. it's outside cooling down atm as the skies are clear down here though a bit windy.

i know it seems silly for me to lash out on a big sct but this sucker will last me a loooooooong time. when andrews called me to say he had one in stock i was weak............ :D

[h0ughy]

Very nice - now get some tube mounting rings and rail for the ed80:thumbsup:

[sejanus]

yeah i like the ed80. still haven't got a polar ailgnment yet but have just been manually slewing it, i like it.

[sejanus]

morning guys

looks like the skies should be ok so I'll be there. I'll prob get there around 5:30 or maybe a tad later as I have a quick photoshoot this afternoon, hopefully it doesn't run over time.

I'm setting my satnav to greta road kulnura so I'll just look for the scopes!
btw my satnav says it's 132km / 2hrs from my house :eyepop:

looking forward to meeting and getting some tips off you guys and getting this alignment sorted.

cheers

[hector]

Hi All
Sorry I cant make it tonight but I am still recovering from my shoulder surgery.
Looks like you will have a good nightfor it.
Challenge for tonight if anyone wants for a big scope (JB). The cartwheel
ESO350IG40
RA 0h 37m 41.3s
DEC 33 42' 58"
MAG 13.8?
A very nice interacting group of galaxies and should be visible in any large instrument that turns up.
Give a report here if you catch it
Clear Skies
Andrew

[wavelandscott]

Providing I am able to stay on my best behaviour for the rest of the day (a big ask), I have permission to attend tonight :thumbsup: .

I am hopeful to be there between 5:30 and 6:00 PM...I won't be able to stay too late as my wife feels pretty strongly (putting it in as nice a way as possible) that having been gone overseas for 10 days or so it would be nice for me to spend some "awake" time with the family...she is probably correct in this...

Looking forward to seeing everyone...

[Rodstar]

Sejanus, I saw an ad in Astronomy Now (British mag) that made me think of you. The company Rother Valley Optics (www.rothervalleyoptics.com) is advertising a DVD for 14.99 pounds called "Beginner's guide to Equatorial Mounted Telescopes" which appears to cover all of the issues that would be of interest to you in mastering your scopes.

Look forward to meeting you tonight.:thumbsup:

[Rodstar]

G'day Andrew, hope the surgery brings you the relief you seek. Keep popping those painkillers! Hope to see you back on deck very soon.

As for the challenge object, I've taken a note of the details, and will try to track it down on the largest scope on the observing field. Let you know what I can see. :astron:

[GTB_an_Owl]

pretty windy down here RB

might have to put the suit in me thinks

whats it like up there?

[RB]

It's been still up till now but it's picking up a bit.
Hopefully it'll stay calm for tonight.

[iceman]

I expect it will be a bit blowy, but the sky will be clear!

[Lee]

Has been ordinary here all evening.... hope you guys had some luck down there!

[h0ughy]

methinks they be having fun even though the seeing is crud and the southerly has cloud and wind. they are probably munching on hedgehogs and laughing at us for not being there!

[gary]

The wind eased considerably and was not an issue. There was no
cloud but the seeing was mediocre and the moonlight the ultimate limiting factor
for observing DSO's.

John B gave a second-light run to the Obsession 18".

A good night all the same and nice to catch up with everyone.

You were right about the hedgehogs.

Best Regards

Gary

[RB]

The man is telepathic !

:rofl:

[Rodstar]

Yes, a great night had by all. Thanks for the company, guys.

As indicated by Gary, John Bambury was kind enough to show us some wonderful views in his new 18" Obsession. To my mind, the view that most impressed was M42. I have previously detected a distinctly green tinge in the central area in my 10" scope. However, the rich green colour of the trap area, and the strong pinks around the Running Man and farther regions of M42were something I found hard to believe, it was simply awesome.

47 Tuc had detail in the core area that I have never seen as well. It really was like seeing an object for the first time.

Oh boy....I am in trouble now....I had better get that 20" dob before Christmas, or I might end up in a white jacket under sedation...

[wavelandscott]

It was an enjoyable evening...man let me tell you that moon stays up a long time!

I am today suffering from a serious case of "scope envy"...the Obsession was WOW!... I'll never look at my modest 12.5 incher in the same way again :sadeyes:


I should not fail to mention the "hedgehogs"...life will never be the same now....they are truly life changing.

As usual, great people and "sharp wit"...it was fun...there were telescopes too and therefore a little viewing.

[iceman]

Agree with the above, a great night.. some lunar viewing was nice for a change, but mostly we just sat around and chatted. Great fun.

Once the moon disappeared, got some nice viewing in around Tucana and Fornax, and some great views in the Obsession 18".

Quite chilly in the end, reaching 3.9deg when I left at around midnight, but the wind had settled thank goodness.

Great company as always, great to catch up again with Gazz and everyone else. Look forward to it again in 3 weeks!

[cahullian]

Thanks for a fun filled evening ppl. The luaghter I'm sure could be heard all over Kulnura. I can still taste those Hedgehogs in the back of my throat, even after half a dozen mint slices. :)

Looking forward to the next one and I'm already on the lookout for more hedgehogs.

I really,really love my new chair, thanks again Scott :thumbsup:

Gazz

[GTB_an_Owl]

my commiserations to those that had to go home early (and didn't come at all)
yes the moon was a tad bright for what we are used to viewing - but when it was gone, the sky just got better and better and better and better.
(did i say how much better the sky got after the moon went down and all those other people went home 'RB' )
i was very thankful i put the freezer suit on with my twin brother.
around 1am it was fully done up and my gloves on - so the temperature must have dropped from 3 degrees to "COLD".
we saw none of the CLOUD others on the coast were talking about - well not till i got home at 3am anyway. What a beautiful nite it turned out to be.
(and some of you lot wonder why we stay so late - now you know) ( it gets oh so much better after midnite)

thanks 'John B' for bringing the monster - some great views we don't get to see in such detail with our minion equipment.

now to the much anticipated highlight of the evening -
the slaughter and demise of the poor defenseless Hedgehogs
Gazz had them prepared just right!
'John B' loved the unique taste so much he was observed (caught) asking for seconds. ( i think it had H0ughy's name branded on it to start with)
I thought i heard him ask Mike whether they would be on the menu at Lostock - didn't hear a reply though.

Gazz - are they plentiful up round Lostock ?

thanks for the colimation lesson Mike

see you ALL next month - can't wait

[GTB_an_Owl]

ps
nice to meet new member 'sejanus'
hope see see more of you Gaven ( hope i got the name right)

[Rodstar]

A new delicacy I struck upon quite by accident is "smoked hedgehog". Simple recipe. Take a deep draft of smoke from a large cigar, and before you exhale, absent mindedly take a bite of hedgehog and start chewing.

If you don't choke or start spluttering, the mix of flavours is rather pleasing...

[cahullian]

lol you guys are too much...he he

[jakob]

Thank you guys for an enjoiable night.
(a bit depressed looking through my scope after seeing Tarantula with John's Obsession!)

[iceman]

Nice shot Jakob!

[sejanus]

mega respect to the obsession

[h0ughy]

and how did the eq6 go wit hthe scope assortment Sejanus?

[sejanus]

still having probs getting the goto stuff going, hopefully I'll get some clear nights this week to try in my backyard

[wavelandscott]

Nice picture!

My forlorne "little" 12.5 inch compared to the Mighty Obsession has made a little sad too...just wait until Rod gets his behemouth set up there too :eyepop:

I'll then feel real inadequite...

[RB]

Great picture Jakob, I'm glad someone took a photo.

It really was a great night and the obsession just left me speechless, well you know what I mean.
Thanks John for the tour around the universe.

Once again thanks to everyone for your company.

Rod it's going to be a long 6 weeks for all of us mate, waiting for your "baby" to arrive.