Great Newcastle Astro society viewing night

[tornado33]

Hi all.
The Newcastle Astronomical Society had it's monthly viewing night on 2nd April. It was a great night's viewing. Fellow Ice in Space member Orion brought along his new 18 inch fully computerised Dobsonian, which he built himself with exceptional workmanship. It's a joy to use, with its Argo Navis computer and encoder system, which includes a wireless remote control. Accuracy is excellent, and is very easy to use.
I tried for a challenging object, managing to locate the Hourglass nebula (NOT the "Hourglass Nebula" inside the lagoon Nebula, but rather http://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/image/astro/hst_hourglass_nebula.jpg
Also known as MyCn 18 or PNG307.5-04.9 It's at Ra 13, 39, 32,
and Dec -67 22 48 and I was surprised to see it faintly visible in my little 6 inch Schmidt newtonian. It was a joy to see in the 18 incher, with nebula filter on, one could see definate detail inside it. (Who needs the Hubble Telescope hehehe).
Heres a bunch of images of the happenings at the viewing night
http://www.users.on.net/~josiah/iceinspace/2.jpg Orion's fantasting new 18 incher
http://www.users.on.net/~josiah/iceinspace/4.jpg one of our other members with his SCT scope
http://www.users.on.net/~josiah/iceinspace/6.jpg Some of us who were there (me seated)
http://www.users.on.net/~josiah/iceinspace/7.jpg A young fella soaking up the starlight through Orion's scope
http://www.users.on.net/~josiah/iceinspace/8.jpg Orion's scope with..... Orion!
http://www.users.on.net/~josiah/iceinspace/9.jpg Viewing activities.
http://www.users.on.net/~josiah/iceinspace/jupiter.jpg Jupiter through Orion's scope
http://www.users.on.net/~josiah/iceinspace/1.jpg more viewing
http://www.users.on.net/~josiah/iceinspace/5.jpg a membors new 50 watt torch being used as a pointer

[Orion]

A goodnight was had by all.
It was good meet up the fellow members of the NAS especially this night because it was the unveiling to the telescope. It was the first time I had taken it out in public since it’s completion and I was amazed at peoples reaction towards it. The ArgoNavis and the ServoCAT preformed flawlessly. There were a lot of WHOO’s and AHHR’s when the GOTO button was pressed and the telescope started slewing to its target.
As always Tornado was there finding “imaginary nebulas” that no one ells could see but the ArgoNavis confirmed that they were real.:confused:
Some of the pics look like they were taken in broad daylight but that’s what a 10 to 15sec exposure can do.

I have never seen Jupiter through that telescope as big as I did that night! We used Tornados 17mm or 16mm Nagler (not to sure on the size) and teamed it up with a 2x Barlow. WOW!

By the way the 50 w torch made for a good laser pointer!:thumbsup:

[gaa_ian]

That is one mighty scope Orion :cool:
I have to think carefully before I jump up from my 10" scope to say a 12" scope.
Perhaps waiting a bit longer and going the whole Hog might be a good idea :eyepop:

[Orion]

Yeh,
I started out with a 4.5” equatorial witch I bought then I built a 7.5” and then I said bugger this and I jumped up to an 18”

But as always the bigger the aperture the more money spent.

A guy at the NAS has a 32" and is currently working on a 42" so when the feaver hits watch out!

[iceman]

What a great report and great pictures.. that's a lovely looking scope Ed.

Who else is in this picture? http://www.users.on.net/~josiah/iceinspace/6.jpg
I remember seeing the guy on the left at the SPSP, he had the big scope with the glass mirror. Is he the one building the 42"?

Where do you go for those viewing nights?

I hope I can make the NAS meeting in May.. what date is it?

Also would be great if you guys could come down to the May 7 IceInSpace central coast star party.. it may conflict with your NAS regular night but just bring everyone down!

[tornado33]

Yes, thats George, our mirror maker, yes he is making the 42 inch.
We go to the end of Mcarthur St, Shortland, either to the playing field at the end, or more normally through the gate at the very end of the street, and onto Water Board land , they allow us to use it, though this time they want us to have a safety induction to keep using it.
The next meeting of the NAS is on April 29, the May one at the 27th
I got the wrong object in my story too, it wasnt the Hourglass nebula, it was in fact http://www.users.on.net/~josiah/iceinspace/NGC%205189.jpg NGC 5189, I photographed it in my 6 inch the following night to verify.

[trufflehunter]

Great pics Tornado. Hope to catch up with you at next meeting. I've been anti-social far too long!:ashamed:

[ving]

at my last club meet someone had a spot light like that and was showing me around (forgot my charts)... everyone went off at him! :)
we have a green laser pointer now i think

[Orion]

We'll see what we can do, it will be nice to go to the star party and meet up with you guys:) Is it May 7th or (May 9th being Saturday?)Don't worry about that last question I was looking at April not May!:ashamed:

[venus]

Hi guys, yes the NAS viewing night was fun, going from scope to scope and viewing Jupiter was amazing and a bonus Ghost of Jupiter nebula through Orion's new telescope was great!

[tornado33]

great to see more and more NAS ppl in Ice in space :)

[Orion]

Yeh, I think we started something here Tornado! :welcome: Venus :thumbsup:

[iceman]

:welcome: back Venus, he's been registered here for quite a while but has been in hibernation for a while :)

The more NAS the better! Bring them all! :P

[venus]

You may have to eat your words iceman...............:D

[iceman]

haha! :D

Are any of you guys keen to come down this weekend to the central coast?

Would be great to see you there.. (http://www.iceinspace.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1474)

[Orion]

Still waiting to see whats going on.