IISAC2007 Pictures!

[iceman]

Hi all

Post your pictures from IISAC2007 here!

I imagine there's about 1000 Comet McNaught images from everyone to go through :)

[Deeno]

Thanks Mike for an amazing couple of days.

Thanks to everyone who provided advise and a peek through your scope (the 25" Obsession was mind blowing). Special thanks for Andrews patience in showing me how to utilise my Dob properly and the night long tour of galaxies. (5 hours sleep over 2 nights).

Clear dark skies over two nights, a comet and I would not be surprised if a super nova was witnessed on the third!

[acropolite]

That's an awesome shot of the comet Deeno.:thumbsup:

[iceman]

I'm looking forward to seeing lots of field shots as well, with people + telescopes + big dobs etc.. Some of them will most likely be used in my writeup article for AS&T..

I never got a chance to take any "field" photos. :bashcomp:

So if you've got shots like that, post them please! :)

[AstroJunk]

Yeah, c'mon guys!

Don't be shy, us poor stay-at-home saddos want to see the gory detail NOW:thumbsup:

[PhotonCollector]

Hi all,

Here's some of my images from Lostock. The Comet from there is breathtaking spectacular sight. The astrocamp itself was tops.

[gaa_ian]

A few shots of the action on the field
What an absolute blast, it was so good to finally meet so many from the IIS community.
Best things: The People, Near perfect skies, 12" Binoviewer, 25" Dob, Comet Mcnaught ( words are not enough to describe that experience!), but most of all the people & the shared experience of all of the above.

[RB]

I only managed to snap a few candid shots.

1. Mike using the mike.
2. Houghy sporting the new IISAC 2007 T-Shirt.
3. Lizzy (Astro Girl) and Mariah cooling off in the water hole.
4. George grinding a mirror blank for his new periscope ! ;)

[Deeno]

Some more McNaught

[Omaroo]

What a top event..... The people were fantastic, the comet was phenomenal, and there was some great machinery dotted around the campsite areas. I had a good look through a lot of telescopes, and actually only used my four that I bought to the event for a total of around 20 minutes. :lol:

I have to say that the most impressive views I had all weekend were from the twin-mirror 12" binocular unit that Mark Suchting bought up with him. With two sets of 13mm and 24mm Pan Optic/Nagler EP's it presented the most incredible experience I have ever had behind a scope. Actually... in front in this case.

I have never approached a telescope and looked into it only to let out a physical "ghasp" before. What I looked at blew me away. The extra depth that the twin mirror optics give you is simply sensational. While larger scopes may give you a bit more resolving power - they just don't give you that perception of "depth" that Marks design does. With wonderfully friendly eye relief, it is a very comfortable scope to use. The image presents as if projected onto a pane of glass several inches in front of your eyes. Once you swivel the focuser/EP assemblies around to suit your own eye separation, and adjust the mirror angles with respect to each other via two quick adjustment knobs, the image snaps into view and is clearer and more three-dimensional that you'd be normally used to seeing. What used to be points of light now look almost spherical. It's a really neat experience. Marks f/5 optics are just beautiful - as per usual. I'll do a full write up on it when I get a chance.

After standing by this scope until 2:30-3:00 in the morning on both Friday and Saturday nights, I took great pleasure in seeing and hearing others' comments as they took a look for the first time. Their reactions were universally similar to mine - ones of pure astonishment.

Anyway - I don't think that it'll be too hard to get Jenny to agree to me placing an order for a set of matched mirrors with Mark - but for a 10" model maybe...... Hmmmmm... :) Time to get designing!

Great event. We'll be at the next one.

[ving]

you can tell you you are used to night time photography... theres some really over exposed day pics there :lol:

loks like a great event was had! congrats to co-ordinators and participants :)
and thanks for the pics all :)

[Omaroo]

LOL! Yup - they were taken with the phone.

[Ric]

Wow, that Bino unit is awesome from the photos, the view must be something that has to be seen rather than described.

Cheers

[janoskiss]

awesome piccies guys. Thanks. I'm sooo envious of your comet. :)

[iceman]

Here's the obligatory group shot, taken on Saturday afternoon.

More photos when I get a chance..

[Striker]

This is great to read.

It sounds like it was even hotter then last year....I reckon I had around 50 iceblocks last year..all paid for obviously...lol
I wish I could have made it but was not an option this year.

Great turn out guys you have all done well.

[venus]

Someone pinch me think I've just had a 'NDE' uno the type when your heart skips a beat and you're lost time when you recover.
An awesome experience of a lifetime I will cherish forever!
Thank you Mike and IIS team for creating a phenomenal astmosphere and astronomical event. The 'comet' was cool too;)
some of my pics

[Orion]

Here are a few shots of the camp.
My write up is in the write up thread.

I took these pics with my $60 camera that's all I had, I think they turned out alright.

No particular order. enjoy

[33South]

Here's some of my better snaps, still trying to come to terms with a modded camera for terrestrial(?) use.

The view of tent city only shows about a quarter of the actual site.

Others need no comment.

[Phil]

more photos guys and girl looks like everyone had a great time.
Phil

[Orion]

more...

[iceman]

Great pics Ed and Chris!

Ed, where's your writeup?

[Orion]

http://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/showthread.php?t=16686&page=2

[Deeno]

Lots of great images!
Need some more practise at this.
Just going through some pics that were badly under exposed when a shooting star appeared.

[Omaroo]

LOL! I thought that you were just trying to be funny until I opened the image! :lol: :thumbsup: Excellent!!!

[gary]

Wildcard Innovations were proud to be a sponsor of the 2007 IIS AstroCamp
and we hope you all had a great time. We certainly did!

The highlight was certainly the comet but I also had a splendid time observing
with Mai, Andrew Murrell, Tony Buckley, Lachlan MacDonald and John Bambury
on the array of Argo Navis/ServoCAT equipped Obsessions.

The views through Mark Suching's 20" binocular telescope were also
truly memorable. It's amazing how much better the brain performs
when both eyes are fed with information.

As usual, it was great to meet up with fellow enthusiasts including
many of our customers. We appreciated your good wishes and support.

Mai and I look forward to seeing you at IIS AstroCamp 2008.

Best Regards

Gary Kopff
Managing Director
Wildcard Innovations Pty. Ltd.
20 Kilmory Place, Mount Kuring-Gai
NSW. 2080. Australia
Phone +61-2-9457-9049
Fax +61-2-9457-9593
sales@wildcard-innovations.com.au
http://www.wildcard-innovations.com.au22576

[h0ughy]

Gary where did you see the snake!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!???????

[gaa_ian]

I was wondering the same ? Looks like a harmless python though !

[danielsun]

Excellent shots!! Looks like it was a great camp!! :thumbsup:

[gary]

There were a whole bunch of them slithering around the observing
field at night. It's okay though, you were probably too busy looking up. :whistle:

Just kidding! :thumbsup:

It's a non-venomous diamond python. On the Friday night, we headed-off
to view the comet some time after the main convoy had left. Rather than a 5 minute
drive, we went for about 15 minutes until we encountered a group of about
twenty AstroCamp-goers who had made the same mistake. As it turned out,
this higher piece of terrain was probably a better place to view the comet,
purely from an observing point of view, but that's another story.

Afterwards, as we headed down the gravel road, I spotted the juvenile python on
the road ahead and braked in time. He was just happy sitting on the road
soaking up its remnant heat, so we just patiently waited for him to do
his thing before he moved on. He was very pretty.

Imagine sticking him in someone's sleeping bag. :evil:

The following day, Lachlan MacDonald went for a day drive and returned
with a Bandy Bandy snake he had found dead on the road somewhere.
Very pretty.http://lamington.nrsm.uq.edu.au/Documents/Rept/BANDY.HTM

Anyway, I thought the photo of the python would get some people's attention
as Mike had never advertised the bonus of native wildlife for campers.


Best Regards

Gary
Mt. Kuring-Gai.

[astronut]

Aren't we having another astrocamp in OCT 07

[gary]

Not until October 2008.

However, be sure to attend the South Pacific Star Party at Wiruna 13th-15th
April 2007. See http://www.asnsw.com/ for details.

Best Regards

Gary Kopff
Wildcard Innovations Pty. Ltd.
Mt. Kuring-Gai, NSW, Australia

[iceman]

That was the initial plan, John, but I don't have the time or energy to organise another one this year.. so it will be 21 months away :( In October 2008.

[astronut]

Thanks Gary & Mike:D

[ausastronomer]

Gary,

What most IISAC 2007 attendees are not aware of, is that Lachlan's snake spent the last 2 days of the camp in one of the refrigerators in the kitchen :lol:

CS-John B

[Outbackmanyep]

Was anyone drinking and observing there? I'd like to know if they saw more stars than was actually present in their telescope!

Love the pics, keep em coming!
Unfortunately i couldnt attend as my brother came up to visit from Sydney, saw the comet from a very dark sky on a friends property and busted some bunny's on the way out!
Hopefully next time i can attend the IISAC....sounds like i'll have heaps of time to plan ahead!

Cheers!

[Satchmo]

Paul Shopis certainly did a fabulous job on these binoculars. Great to see another convert to the the Bi-Newt principle ,Chris ;)

The huge 40 % contrast increase gives objects a sense of `presence' that only optics with a discreet optical system for each eye can give.

`Bi-Newts' have a big dose of the `ahhhhhhhhhh' factor which is very hard to describe , its the highest fidelity for the eyes , right now, accessable to the Amateur Telescope Maker in an age where optical mediocrity and price point seem to be holding sway in the fairly non-visionary commercial market.

It was a great Star Party , marked by such a spectacular comet indelibly etched in my mind.

Mark

[WadeH]

All these pics are great. Would have loved to have been there. Margaret (my wife) has already suggested comming to the next camp, so its time to start saving.

[h0ughy]

you have until October next year;)

[iceman]

If anyone else has any pics lying around, please post them. I'm currently gathering together some pictures to send along with my writeup article for AS&T, so I may use yours! I have contacted some of you via PM already.

h0ughy where are your pics? Did you take any? Or did you fill the memory card with the comet instead? :)

If anyone has any pictures of the field, telescopes, people, etc, they will all be great.

If you have any funny stories or anecdotes, please PM or email me with them as well.

Thanks!

[Orion]

I don't know about a funny story but the photos of George grinding a mirror in the swimming hole seems to be strange enough......especially when someone doesn't know that that's normal for him :lol:

[RB]

Where else would you grind a mirror for a periscope ?

:confuse3: :whistle: