Canberra casual viewing night?

[geolindon]

g day,

i am visiting the Canberra region with my 18" n 16" and would like to share time with other AAs.

perhaps there is a group already or someone has a site and would like to host, alternatively - places i utilise include the old tracking station sites at Orroral and Honeysuckle or at Gudgenby.

L

[Kunama]

How long are you in the area Lindon?
The forecast is not great for the next couple of nights...
Though the Yass area looks good on CFN

[geolindon]

G day Matt,

no plans to leave atm so no rush.

it'd be great to view with one/some of your top end gear and get a comparison with my (new to me) 18, i have high hopes for it.

have you sold your PBC used dob?

regards, L

[Finski]

Sounds great! when were you thinking?

[geolindon]

Cloud Free Night has Saturday (6th) looking very gooood! and it's the only night in forecast range looking of any use at all.

the Moon rises just before midnight so some quality time is available :thumbsup:

L

[baileys2611]

Ah I missed this! Did you take any photos of the night?

[LewisM]

Friday night that week was glorious, but I recall Saturday was carp. could have been different in Yass.

[geolindon]

g day Lewis n Simon,

i was about 1000 m asl n got some good views Fri night (6 in Orion's trap) until moon-rise around 12, slept until 3 and up to view the planets but seeing had deteriorated.

didn't set up Sat night, viewed the conjunction with binos in the am.

plenty of cloud rolling in atm, L

[baileys2611]

Everything has been carp lately near Yass for me!!

Nvrmind, next time around :)

[geolindon]

I'll be in the Orroral Valley n gunna have a go tonight if the gaps in the clouds persist, tomorrow night is forecast to be clearer but both nights have moderate to high jetstream.

no comm.s in the valley, i'll check here again tomorrow arvo. if ya wanna take a punt on tonight just rock up near the ex-tracking station site - it'll be coolish.

:) L

[geolindon]

:( ha! it's a wash out, i was way toooo optimistic.

[Kunama]

Tomorrow might be better Lindon......
we got clouded out on Mt Stromlo tonight.... then a bit of rain....

[geolindon]

I'm gunna have another go tonight, same place, CFN says clouds clearing and wind dropping tho jet stream pumping.

I wanna see C2016 R2 PANSTARRS' blue tail, i might not be here when it returns in about 20,326 years.

L

[geolindon]

Game on at MCG and in Orroral Valley :)

[LewisM]

Tonight has turned into spectacular...been imaging for almost 3 hours so far.

[baileys2611]

My Dad worked there on many missions. I have fond childhood memories of playing Klingons vs. the Empire on one of the oscilloscopes after feeding the punch-cards into their IBM. I used to spend school holidays wandering about the compound and remember having lunches in the cafeteria.

[geolindon]

yes, a bewdy! Lewis.

i couldn't find the blue comet though, i wore that patch of sky out searching, despite easily seeing 6 in the trap, the flame nebula and eta carina's homunculus.

some cool memories Simon.

my dad laboured on the construction, we lived a few kms south. i remember as a shy country kid visiting, looking up from under the dish and being horrified that it was falling over - the effect of clouds moving. one of the early moon capsules was on display.

:)L

[LewisM]

Tonight looks pretty decent too.

[geolindon]

Lewis, i hope you have less frustrations tonight :) get me a pic of that comet please.

i'm in da big smoke, played tennis tonight.

L

[doppler]

Hi Lindon, been trying for that comet but the clouds just wont let up. Managed to get a peep last night but only photographically using goto to locate it...it's really faint. Tonight looks more promising so I might get a better pic. The APOD pic looked impressive.

[geolindon]

:thanx: Rick,

it must be F A I N T i had another good look last night at 1250m n . . . nah.
gunna get it tonight tho:)