QLD astnofest

[OneCosmos]

Sad day😟

[thunderchildobs]

Out of habit, I spent 4 hrs packing the car last night before remembering there is no astrofest this year. :)

[OneCosmos]

I’m tempted to pop along anyway for a night. I’ll check if Belinda is there and if they are open 😉

[Dennis]

Oh, I've just returned from 3 nights at Camp Duckadang and wondered why it was so quiet - bliss.;):)

Cheers

Dennis

[h0ughy]

Really!!?

It's raining here, I'm still in NSW and it's been 12 months since I have appreciated dark skies and strange people

[multiweb]

Now... that's cruel. :lol:

[h0ughy]

Yes that was

[multiweb]

2021 will be a big reunion. Let's keep that goal in mind. :thumbsup:

[Dennis]

Whoops - should have used more "wink-winks" and "tongue in cheek" emoticons to reveal my dastardly lie...:):lol::P:D

Cheers

Dennis

[multiweb]

So did you image anything?

[DarkArts]

I know what you mean. On the other hand, there's no shortage of dark people and strange skies. :screwy:

[Dennis]

Hi Marc

I was just being a little mischievous and teasing Mr Hough :) - I actually was in my back garden in Brisbane trying to gather some data on UKS1, faint globular indeed.:)

Cheers

Dennis

[multiweb]

:poke:

[h0ughy]

Since talking to a mount Dennis has lived in shame and never returned

[multiweb]

Then I'm ashamed to say that I tried to sweet talk mine for smoother guiding at times. It never worked.

[pmrid]

I'm determined to get there in 2021 also. It's been several years for me. Since I've sold my farm and moved into the 'burbs, I need a dark-sky fix at least once a year.

Peter

[OneCosmos]

So, I spent the afternoon and evening today at Duckadang for what turned out to be a quite exclusive Astrofest 2020, attended only by me. The entire camp was devoid of people except for Belinda, who kindly agreed to host me.

Duckadang seemed weird without all the telescopes set up and all the windows Sporting custom frames to block the light.

Actually no blackout materials were required because the whole camp was pitch black and after a fairly cloudy and windy day, the night was still and wonderfully clear.

I am currently between scopes having sold both my 6” refractor and my 16” SDM and awaiting completion of the new 28” SDM. I therefore decided I’d use the night to test the EOS Ra on the EQ35M with the Sigma 105mm f/1.4 and the Sigma 14mm f.2.8. As you can see in the photos I was the only telescope on the field. The Astro pictures attached are some quick JPEG grabs over WiFi which I think massively compressed them. The individual frames have not been processed.

I was hoping these photos would mean I won ‘best of the fest’ 2020 but knowing my luck I have only come in second!

[OneCosmos]

A few more photos and a bit of a stretch, again using the phone to bring out the photons a bit more of an individual is frame.

[gaseous]

Nice photos Chris. I can almost guarantee you won't be alone at any star parties if you lob up with a 28" SDM! What's the ETA on that beast?

[OneCosmos]

It was Astrofest but it is now looking like November/December timeframe.

[OneCosmos]

Kind of processed the image after a fashion.

Stacked and integrated in PixInsight: 30 x 30s @f/2 and ISO 800.