Dark Skies Around Melbourne

[cattikins]

Hello hello,

I'm a newbie in this astronomical world and was after some advice on some dark sky sites around melbourne, preferably south to eastern suburbs as i live in mount waverley, but not afraid of a drive.

Having huge amounts of fun with my 10x50 Binoculars but sadly there is a limit - which has been reached very quickly - to what i can see from my backyard and the footy oval :(

Thanks guys :D

[erick]

cattikins, I live further east. I sometimes head north to Romsey/Lancefield. Not bad there but still a lot of Melbourne glow to the south. Snake Valley, which is west of Ballarat is superb in every way! It's 180 km from where I live (Knoxfield) but well worth the trip. Not only that, they have an Astronomical Association with great folks and which I have very happily joined. Check them out and come along one Friday evening:-

http://snake-valley-astro.homelinux.org/

I have also been thinking east (shorter drive), and plan to check out the back of the Dandenongs soon, right out Gembrook way. There will be Melbourne glow to the west, but it might be OK.

The Mornington Peninsula Astronomical Society (MPAS ) might interest you. Check here:-

http://www.mpas.websyte.com.au/site.cfm?/mpas/

and this thread:-

http://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/showthread.php?t=16412

Here is another thread you may wish to read:-

http://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/showthread.php?t=16238

Good luck, but please give Snake Valley a try one month! Eric :)

[janoskiss]

Hello fellow Mt Waverlian! There are a few of us here, we should get together sometime. Just drive in the opposite direction to Melbourne for darker skies. If you want really dark, drive down to or close to the Prom. Or the skiing half of Mt Baw Baw is also excellent - you have dark skies, altitude, and big open spaces. But any farther from Melbourne than here will give you better skies.

Here is a light pollution map of Vic.

[janoskiss]

And you should come along to this:
http://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/showthread.php?t=16412
:)

[EzyStyles]

hey cattikins welcome to IIS!. i'm actually inbetween all you guys mt waverley and knoxfield.. thats it.. glen waverley :) thanks for the map steve. seems like a few of us around here. we should get together one night.

[LX200]

Great map there! Would be interesting to note the seeing values of the colours

http://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=23056&d=1170322962
Hey I,m in the Black can,t get better than that:P

[janoskiss]

I think it's a 3-fold increase in brightness with every colour increment, or about 1.2 magnitude difference between the faintest stars you can see.

[astro_nutt]

Hi Cattikins and welcome to IIS..I reside in the Northern part of Melbourne..and I venture out to a spot outside the Kalkallo Cemetery...but it would be a great idea for all of those in the Eastern subs to meet up somewhere..
Great map you got there steve....I might have second thoughts of where to retire!!!

[erick]

I must admit I found it a quite dis-heartening map :sadeyes:

Probably moving to the Moon is our best bet? Then we'd have to put up with that horrid earthshine! But no atmosphere - wouldn't that be great (well not for breathing - but don't you hold your breath at the eyepiece, anyway? :D )

[janoskiss]

Hey Erick, have a look at the Europe light pollution map and cheer up: http://www.lightpollution.it/download/euromini.jpg

[erick]

I feel better now.................I think?


Wow! Check the middle of the English Channel!

[cattikins]

Man, never been so glad to not live in europe :(

Thanks to everyone for the advice, will definantly come along on the 17th Feb.

Would also be extremely interested in meeting up with the eastern suburbs people at some point. Better to learn from people than my little star atlas, tho it has been doing me well thus far.

Any other advice you'd like to offer would be very much appreciated!
Thanks
Cat

[janoskiss]

I'll try to organise something for after next new moon.

... see here: http://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/showthread.php?t=17041

[erick]

You might start a thread? - I'd like to be in a meeting of SE suburbs people - and I note several areas are in the area.

(I'm interState and busy 17 Feb, unfortunately - so no stargazing fun for me that weekend :sadeyes: )

[EDIT - check the new thread first Eric!! :doh: ]

[andys]

Hello fellow Waverlians. Funnily enough I'll be down in Mornington at my parents house on the 17th - If I can manage to fit in my scope along with the 3 kids, pram, etc... then I'll come along to the Briars.

And yep I'd be interested in a Eastern Suburbs meetup.

[psadams]

Do you know if there is a light pollution map available for South Australia? I haven't been able to find one.

[janoskiss]

The one I posted here is a crop from the Australian map (incl. SA) at www.lightpollution.it