Visiting Australia and NZ from the UK

[dan_uk]

Hello,

I was looking for some advice on how to get the most out of my trip from an amateur astronomer's angle. Whilst my trip is not primarily for astronomy I feel it would be a shame to leave my cloudy northern shores to beautiful Australia and New Zealand without capitalising on the southern objects and amazing skies.

I've looked into astronomy tours but have yet to find anything appealing and I was hoping I could get some advice or recommendations on tours, scope hire or even clubs I could join. Whilst I cannot bring my own scope I can bring a nice collection of Televue eye pieces.

We will be in the following places:

Sydney - 24-25th Nov, 30th-1st
Uluru - 26th-30th
Auckland NZ - 13th-16th

Any advice would be appreciated, i'm honestly looking into what it would cost to bring my scope but it would not be fun to drag that around:thanx:

[JeniSkunk]

Obvious question, Dan, What size and type of scope do you have?

[Allan_L]

Hi Dan,
Welcome to IceInSpace :welcome:

Unfortunately your arrival in Sydney coincides with the November Full Moon. :( That makes Deep Sky Faint Fuzzies a bit difficult to organise.
However, towards the end of your trip may be OK if the weather gods play fair. (they've been a bit mischievous of late)
If you can organise to get yourself to the Central Coast (about 90 minutes north of Sydney) I can try to organise a viewing night at our local dark site. Mangrove Mountain (http://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/showthread.php?t=26142). (send me a PM through IIS closer to the time if you are interested)

For Uluru, you may like to try Voyages Outback Sky Journeys (https://www.ayersrockresort.com.au/experiences/detail/outback-sky-journeys)

Good luck and good travels
Allan

[Wavytone]

Hi Dan,

I’d suggest you leave the eyepieces at home - most of us have eclectic collections to suit the scopes we have. Since you’re going to Uluru what I would suggest you bring is a pair of 7 x 50 binoculars, find a nice spot to lie down and look up. Sky Safari on a phone or iPad will be a huge help.

PM’d re observing 1st December.

[silv]

Not far from Auckland is beautiful Coromandel to the south east. There's a b&b who have a garden obs. http://www.stargazersbb.com/booking.html Not cheap, so I never stayed there :'( . Don't know your purse.

These questions turn up once in a while. I wonder whether astronomy club members down under and in GB/Europe could begin multilateral negotiations.

.. a trusted UK club member could then just email in advance to an Oz/NZ club and either get volunteers for a viewing night with their gear at their location, or rent a travel setup for the duration of the holiday, insurance and bond like with a rental car.

Same vice versa.

No membership since x months/1 year? no rental gear.

[Wavytone]

Mmm ... having spent several months travelling in the UK I wouldn’t bother unless it was north of the Cairngorms - uk/European skies are not great compared to what we are used to.

Then there’s the weather to contend with too, plus the myriad of high altitude jet contrails criss-crossing the sky from aircraft crossing the Atlantic.

[silv]

not even the Andromeda galaxy, if only with a 135mm lens on a tracked mount?
But yeah. Obviously, there are less really dark skies and cloud cover is different, as well. Apparently getting weirder and weirder with the arctic and subtropical jetstream being in constant bonding. Like distant lovers who won't let go, now, that they've found each other. If you want to have a look - quite interesting https://www.netweather.tv/charts-and-data/global-jetstream#2018/10/29/0600Z/jetstream/surface/level/overlay=jetstream/orthographic=-6.72,57.59,523
But still. Spending time there and having the opportunity to quickly rent a mount or dob from a club to have a peak at the Northern sky?
I reckon most people travel to Europe only once in their lives. Even if you scoff afterwards and say it wasn't worth it.. to have done it is an item on the bucket list ticked off.

[skysurfer]

In Feb 2017 I was in Whakatane observatory. They have a 35cm scope on a hilltop.

https://www.whakatane.info/business/whakatane-astronomical-society

[Wavytone]

Yes I did take some widefield photos of the night sky - including M31 - and compared with the sky here (same camera and settings). The results left me unimpressed with the night sky there with the exception of the highlands and Skye. But even there you’re low, next to no altitude compared to what’s possible here.

Polaris is quite handy, though.

[dan_uk]

Hello,

Apologies for my super delayed response, I have just started a new job and got caught up with things , no time for astronomy at all :(!

I have a Celestron CGEM DX 1100HD and a nice set of Televues in a handy Peli case , although I suppose it depends on the focal length of the scopes involved but I have a 41mm Panoptic, 21mm, 17mm, 13mm, Ethos and 10mm Delos. I'm also quite a fan of video CCD and have a Mallincam which is great for quick viewings.

I appreciate the responses, I have to agree a reciprocal membership would be giving you guys the short end of the stick, unfortunately our skies are less than ideal when you can actually see them.

I have PM'd Allan, I really would just like one night to enjoy the southern sky with a little bit of freedom I don't think I would get with the Voyages Outback Sky Journeys tour although I may book it just so I don't miss out completely.

As for New Zealand, this would be perfect! It is the only part of my holiday where I have not booked accommodation so thank you very much Silv, I will check it out.

[dan_uk]

Does anyone have advice for observing on Great Barrier Island just north of Auckland?

Ideally I would be interested in telescope hire, and I have found one company who offer sky tours however I feel they are slightly over priced.