What is your favourite observation location near Melbourne ?

[Rez]

Hi,

I am interested to know what your favourite location is around Melbourne.

I have begun using Arthurs Seat. I'd like to know where other people go.

Rez

[janoskiss]

I'm quite fond of Lake Mountain but it gets better farther away you go from Melbourne. Any closer to Melbourne leaves me wanting, but L.M. is a good compromise at little over 1 hour from eastern suburbs. Mt Baw Baw is better but/because it's farther. Both around 1400m above sea level. I like observing from mountain tops because it gets you above the crud in the atmosphere and the worst of the seeing. But the best skies I've seen so far were near Seaspray just before 90 mile beach. Not exactly very close to Melbourne, but you get what you pay for so to speak. :)

But Arthur's seat and elsewhere on the Peninsula is good for how acessable it is. And there's no pollution source to the south.

For those in the western suburbs places like Snake Valley past Ballarat where we just had a star camp, thanks to Ken ballratdragons and Co, are good options.

[astro_nutt]

Hi Rez,
I normally have a peek from outside the Kalkallo Cemetery, about 40 kms North of Melb just off the Hume highway.
The area in question lies between the Cemetery gates and a private residence on a stretch of dirt road.
Unfortunately you do cop a bit of Melbourne's skyglow and some lights from the Kalkallo Roadhouse/Pub..but you do have a good piece of the North/East section of the sky to browse through!
The other place the would be the ASV's dark sky site just North of Heathcote..about 90 mins drive from Melbourne..which does provide good dark nights with only a whisp of glow form nearby towns.

[jase]

Hello Rez,
I've found some reasonable dark places SE Melbourne. The Melbourne Astronomical Society (http://www.astromelb.i.net.au/) (whom I use to be a member of) use to have a dark sky site down at the Bass racecourse. To get there you simply follow Bass Highway towards Phillip Island. I'm not sure if they still use this site (usually Friday nights), but the skies down there are magnificent. Well away from much of the light polution. It takes approx 1.5 hr to get there.
I've been west to the outskirts of Kyneton a few times, but found they weren't very dark.

The hardest part of going to a dark sky site is the set up and tear down of equipment. If you are doing astrophotography, you find the accessories you need to carry with you dramatically increase. Perhaps I'm lazy, but this frustrated me to no end. I cracked and bought a farm South Gippsland, about 30 minutes out of Leongatha. I originally wanted a ten acre hobby farm for the dark skies, but the land I bought was too good to refuse, so ended up with 250 acres (a little extreme). This allowed me to set up a "base" where I could observe and image to my hearts content. The closest street light is about six kilometers away. No noticable light polution detected from the towns Leongatha or Mirboo North. Some day, I'll send out an invitation to all IIS members in Melbourne to establish a few star parties, astrophotography sessions or "Goto/computerise only" festivals down there. Bedding is limited in the homestead, but there is plenty of space to set up camp (250 acres worth!).

If you're not visually searching for faint fuzzies, there are quite a few places around Melbourne - Jells Park isn't bad.

:D

[ballaratdragons]

Sounds good Jase!

I'd be interested in attending if you ever get an Astro event off the ground (no pun intended).

250 acres and lots of dark sounds too good to pass up. I just hope my shift work doesn't foul things up.

P.S. Let me know if I can help in any way with info on getting it going for you.

[jase]

Thanks Ken. Assistance is always welcome. I may have a few informal events to get started once I sort out whats happening with my work loads.

[Tamtarn]

We live on half an acre with 50 acres behind us. We have semi dark to dark skies depending on conditions. We're 18k from Lilydale along the Warburton Highway.

We're able to see faint galaxies quite clearly and also faint planetary nebula on any good night. We have approximately a 270 degree expance of view.

We welcome any IIS members to come and check our site out at any time. :welcome: Just PM us......It would be great to have company of others in an observing session.

Jase we would love the opportunity to join other IIS members at your site when it gets up and running :thumbsup:

[wasyoungonce]

We are nearly neighbours, i, and my family, reside at Lilydale.:hi:

[Dave47tuc]

Keep in mind this thread also,;)
http://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/showthread.php?t=15329

Thanks:)

[Tamtarn]

That's nice and close, will have to catch up sometime. :thumbsup:

David