International Sidewalk Astronomy Night on April 12

[OneOfOne]

I just got an email from Sidewalk Astronomy to say they have set a date for the second worldwide Sidewalk Astronomy Night. It is to be held on Saturday April 12th. Probably the most well known member of this group would have to be Mr Dobson himself. I am sure many of you have heard of him? Perhaps even seen some of his sidewalk efforts....now is your chance to get involved. I was not involved in last years event because I didn't know it existed...

So have a look at:
http://www.sidewalkastronomynight.com/

and sign up! I think last year there were only two groups in Australia :(

[starrynight]

Good to see the news is getting around! True, we did not have a big turn out in Australia last year -I hope its not that most amateur astronomers here don't relish contact with the general public , had a bad experience or consider setting up in a brightly lit area as too much trouble. Anyway the response around the globe was amazing and some participants returned the following week if conditions were cloudy on the night. We get a bit of radio and press coverage which is all good , but its the enthusiasm that most people have in wanting to understand more about the night sky thats most satisfying.
Hope you can set up somewhere.1st qtr moon, Mars and Saturn are on the menu.

Marie and Philip
Starry Night Planetarium
Byron Bay NSW ( thats where we will be)

[Gargoyle_Steve]

I very much wanted to get a local event happening for this last year but due to work cmmittments was unable to - but I happen to be off on 10 days leave this year, might see what can be organised.

Anyone else in the Sunshine Coast area intersted?? Get back to me by pm and let me know or post here.

[astroron]

Yes me:party2:Iwas going to ask you about it,but is slipped my mind:rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes:
Ron

[Gargoyle_Steve]

I've pm'ed you Ron ;)
Hopefully I'll see you soon anyway.

I've had a look to see what's in the sky that night:

Mars and a 7 day old moon sitting side by side only 2° apart in the NW sky, both setting roughly around 10:50

Orion sitting just N of W, starts setting around 10pm

Saturn in the NE-N sky sitting at a convenient altitude, transits at 8:42 pm

Crux, Omega Centauri, Carina Nebula, etc, all similarly well presented to the South, LMC also visible but SMC quite low even early in the night.

The list keeps going on.... A visual feast really!!

[spacezebra]

Hi there

I am confident that we too can get it happening on the 12th.

Cheers

Cheers

Petra de Ruyter

Secretary - Astronomical Society of Albury - Wodonga
Secretary - Border Stargaze 2008 Committee

[firstlight]

We've, (Brisbane Astronomical Society) been doing the public fieldnight in Brisbane for some years now. I think we kicked it off around 1996 or `97.

This event is occurring on one of our nights at Mt Coot-tha lookout. Hope the weather is good. We've got Saturn and the Moon... when does Jupiter rise? Omega is pretty washed out, but doubles like A-Crux and Rigil Kent, especially the tight A-Crux are good. The Jewel Box and the Southern Pleaides for some open clusters, M42 and eta Carinae are good nebulas, although we won't see much of eta Car, but there IS the history.

Really good selection for a range of scopes on this night; the organisers chose the date well. All we need is a brilliant comet, did anyone say they were bringing that? :)

Any BAS people, or for that matter, anyone else going up the mountain on the night? I'm on call, but I might be able to get a few hours.

Tony

[omnivorr]

... for the sake of doin a lil, if I can... a noob with scope and NO knowledge.. I'd be glad to offer my bit to the cause.. with some help from "the crew"...

I've a 6" Eq-1-ish, and a Dob 8" .. but no transport .. no way to "spread the word" on my own.. but, as an "off-sider" I might be semi-useful..

If I can help "make up the numbers".. I'd relish the opportunity to meet some fellows in the field.. ...my basic scopes and my basic "I" await your service.. all being well, ..and in the simplest spirit of John Dobson, and skies clear'nuff to see... I wanna share the views:)

[CoombellKid]

I've been thinking of doing something in little old Casino. Up here
on the north coast.

regards,CS

[firstlight]

Tony Sampson, BAS vice President has registered our regular Public Field Night on http://www.sidewalkastronomynight.com/

Should be a good night if the weather holds. I thing omnivorr was indicating that they need a lift up the mountain... where do you live? maybe some one here or in the club can give you a lift.

Tony

[omnivorr]

Hi Tony, thanks for picking that up.. I'm at the other end of Greater Brissie metro from you.. Deagon.. I've been thinking of introducing the astro-hobby to a mate, who may be curious enuff to give me a lift and see what it's all about.. tho' he's a family man and may be busy on the night..

meanwhile, if any kind soul might have room, for me if not my scope,... I promise to be on my best behaviour, ..and to chip in for the petrol!!

thanks Tony

Russ

[CoombellKid]

Confirmed Glenc and I will be on Canterbury St, Casino outside Woolies and
Bi-Lo Sat 12th April. Anyone on the northern rivers is welcome to attend.
Graham "nightstalker" and Alex "xelasnave" may also be attending.

regards,CS

[rat156]

Is the ASV doing anything? I'd be interested...

Cheers
Stuart

[firstlight]

I only see three groups in Australia registered on the map (you can find in the link that oneofone put in the original post).

I know that Coombellkid, nightstalker, and xelasnave will do something in Casino, and spacezebra is working on stuff down Albury - Wodonga way.

starrynight, I understand that you know Paul Floyd... or at least you bought his planetarium. He told me he didn't like to see it go. :(

[gaa_ian]

GAA are now "On the Map".
It should be an interesting night.
It is a very different group of people you get when doing a sidewalk night !

[starrynight]

Only 3 days to go. Thanks to everyone who hopefully will be taking their scopes out on Saturday. We have Byron Bay, Casino and Brisbane covered up this way, but don't seem to have any posts for the other capital cities, but I am sure there will if its a fine night. If it is cloudy why not try the Sunday? Dont forget to post your report for the event,- they make interesting reading!
Links to the map of participants and for reports:-
http://www.sidewalkastronomynight.com/id20.html

[GrahamL]

Guys I'm mobile again ,but will be over sufolk on saturday evening .
where/when do you plan on setting up Phil and Marie,as I'll be pretty close to byron that evening and will try to get over ther if I can.

cheers graham

[smenkhare]

I believe SASI will be participating at cronulla.

[CoombellKid]

Hey starrynight, are you going to register on http://www.sidewalkastronomynight.com/ ?
I don't see your marker there, the more flags/figurines the merrier :thumbsup:

regards,CS

[CoombellKid]

register on http://www.sidewalkastronomynight.com/ :thumbsup:

regards,CS

[CoombellKid]

btw, Graham,

Great to hear your mobile again

regards,CS

[gaa_ian]

Come on West Australians and Tasmanians we need AA's in every state getting into this ! ;)

[spacezebra]

Hi Guys

ASAW is now on the map! We are ready to rock and roll!

Looking forward to a great night!

Cheers Petra

[dsmith1055]

I hope you guys have a great ISAN! We are happy to have so many of you participating.
Donna Smith
Sidewalk Astronomers

[GrahamL]

welcome to IIS Donna

regards graham :)

[gaa_ian]

Thanks Donna
So long as the storms stay away we should have a good night here in Gove NT.
I have put out a press release for the event, unfortunatly it only came out late last night, even though I submitted it earlier in the week !
http://pressexposure.com/Astronomers_-_On_Your_Street_Corner-15517.html
I am sure this event will go from strength to strength as it becomes better known.
Great to see you on the forum, I hope you will stick around a while.
You will find lots of AA's keen on public outreach astronomy here.
Cheers
Ian

[Zuts]

Hi Guys,

Probably too late, but is anyone in sydney planning on doing anything for this?

Paul

[skwinty]

Well, you are guys are probably still at and i am preparing for the open night at the SAAO here in Cape Town. Wind is blowing at a fair clip but there are no clouds so the public should get a good nights viewing. No cameras , only visual delights.
The observatory will open the Maclean telescope which is over 100 years old.
Big refractor housed in a huge dome with elevator floor. The public love it.
However my 12" Newt gives a comparable view and normally end up with a large line of people waiting to look at whatever the target is.
It seems a the bigger the telescope the greater the attraction.
Anyway hope you all had fun and I sure will enjoy tonight.:thumbsup:

[OneOfOne]

Well, Melbourne was well and truly clouded out, even the Moon was difficult to find. I feel a bit guilty, being the thread starter but not actually doing anything :sadeyes: I was hoping to get something happening at Fed Square but with the Easter break, then we went away for a week, and the clear weather went away and the clouds rolled in. I have put little "fliers" in the letter boxes of several neighbours for tonight...but the sky at the moment is not looking so good, but I am in Melbourne so the weather right now bears no resemblence to the weather in the next hour :)

[firstlight]

Thanks for waking us up to it OneOfOne. We had a pretty good night at Mt Coot-tha Lookout in Brisbane. Lots of scopes, lots of people and lots of good views planetary and deep sky stuff.

Here is a shot of the Moon with the vixen when I got selfish and took 5 minutes at the scope for myself :D. Image cropped to about 80% and trimmed and resized to 1600 x 1200. Minimal processing in PS.

A lady came up with a 40D and I was able to take my 400D off and let her use prime focus and the TC-80N3. Hope she was happy with the results.

Tony
41235

[gaa_ian]

As the afternoon storms roll in here in Nhulunbuy I can reflect back on a very successful ISAN.
We had 3 scopes out,an 8 and 10 inch Dob, plus an LX-90.
We had probably 50 or 60 people stop for a look, many of whom had never looked through a telescope before.
That fact alone made the night a great success.
They did an Announcement over the PA at the adjacent club, that bought a few people out for a look.
Targets for the night were: Moon, Mars, Saturn, Sirus, Alpha Cent and the Orion Nebula.
Make sure you guy's put a report up on the ISAN site.
http://pub29.bravenet.com/forum/2432970464/show/827072

Cheers
Ian

[GrahamL]

I decided to go down here last night . I was surprised that probably 30 people finished up having a look and a chat..I actualy packed a chair thinking I'd be definately be doing a bit of sitting alone in the dark..not a chance though never got it out of the car.

To sum up the evening a young woman just before I had to leave... looked at the view of
Saturn for the first time through a 7m nagler and gasped .. serious :)....Hope everyone else had a great night

[spacezebra]

Hi all

We had 4 scopes set up in down town Albury and had 118 people look and talk to members.

A Defence Force Bus pulled up!, the Police Breathalyzer and numerous locals on the way to or from various functions.

Overall a great night!!!

Cheers Petra

[skwinty]

Hi all
Herewith some pics from last night at SAAO.
Had loads of fun and about 100 folks turned up:thumbsup:

[gaa_ian]

Petra
Great to hear it went well for you too

Steve
That is one handy "Little" scope you have there :eyepop:
Cheers
Ian

[nosmas27]

Here are a couple of shots of our night

[firstlight]

I glad we got some shots of our night at Mt Coot-tha. Thanks Tony (is it?)

Usually when you have children look through the scope, even at Saturn, the response is often, "Yeah, that looks great" and they leave within seconds. One child stood staring through the eyepiece for several minutes, hints from her father to stop hogging the scope went unheeded... it was great to see someone so obviously enthralled with their experience.