Cambroon 27/12/08

[astroron]

As I have had a few inquiries about next weekend, Cambroon will be available for observing next weekend, weather permitting:)
If you have got over your Christmas hangover and want to do some observing then come along.:astron::stargaze:
I wish you all a Happy Christmas :xmas:
Ron

[lesbehrens]

I'll be there. if people have the patients too, could u teach me a bit about astrophotography.
see you there.
les;)

[AlexN]

I'll be there...

Les, Im more than happy to help you wherever I can...

I'll bring up the website ron, and we'll go over a few last things that Im not sure if you want or not, then I'll get a look at integrating this weather info during the day.. :)

Cheers.
Alex.

[Gargoyle_Steve]

Looking forward to it Ron, Joy and I are planning on coming up early, setting up the tent and camping out Cambroon style overnight!
;)

Might bring my new GSO Alt/Az tripod mount to show you - not that I have a scope mounted on it (yet) ..... :doh:


See you there!

[astroron]

:hi:Les,Alex and Steve I look forward to catching up with again for possibly the last time this year:thumbsup:
Ron:astron::stargaze:

[AlexN]

Likewise Ron...

Steve, I can bring up a scope for you to put on the alt/az mount... Whats its capacity? I could bring the ST80 at around 1.8kg/Megrez 102 at around 4kg.... I'll be bringing the whole shebang anyway... so if you'd like to use one of them on the night, feel free to ask.

Alex.

[[1ponders]]

'fraid I'll still be in Tully Heads catching cobia, coral trout and red emperor. :D

[AlexN]

ooooohhhh... Bring us back a few red emperor fillets!! :D

That sounds like a beaut way to spend christmas!

Oh, forgot to mention Paul, that D plate arrived safe and sound... I've got a pair made for my Megrez 102 (top and bottom).. Unfortunately, I had to buy the Losmandy plate for the C11, because I couldnt make the radius blocks myself.... At least that was reasonably priced.. It's got me beat, how a 17" long bar with radius blocks for the C11 is $149, and a 7" bar on its own is $115... Who understands pricing these days! :)

Cheers.
Alex.

[RobF]

I'm looking forward to coming if the weather behaves.

Alex - sounds like you're back is behaving now? Sounded nasty last time?

[AlexN]

yeah mate.. 3 weeks off work, physio every other day... feeling 80% ok... Ok enough to enjoy some great company and dark skies! :)

[jjjnettie]

I'll see how I feel when the time gets closer.
Not been the best lately, got to have another stupid op.

[Tandum]

Sorry to hear that jeanie. Hope you feel better for xmas.
I'll put my name down again but it's going to be wet and stormy according to the weather experts.

[Gargoyle_Steve]

Thanks Alex, that is a very kind offer indeed!

I have to admit that I don't know what the rated capacity is of this thing. No data sheet / instructions came with it, but it seems fairly sturdy. Since it will eventually have an 80mm refractor on it how about we try the ST80? I assume it has it's own rings / dovetail bar? (haven't ordered mine yet, damn astro shops closing for Christmas break)

I've bought this mount as I need something to hold a 80mm refractor (900 mm f/l) that my son and I are building (assembling from various sourced components would be a better description) as a kind of personal tribute to Galilleo and the 400th anniversary of his telescope / International Year of Astronomy.

[lesbehrens]

hi. r there rooms to stay in there or do we need to bring a tent? same with food?
les

[pmrid]

Hi Ron,
won't be able to make it. Up to my proverbials in rellies and probably empties as well I expect. Tell Paul not to worry about that piece of S/Steel pipe. I've sourced an alternative and have it in-ground. The foundations are actually down and tomorrow (all bein g well), I'll start on the raised floor. Piccy attached.

Peter

[AlexN]

Can do Steve... The ST80 is in rings (adjustable guide rings) with a vixen style dovetail on it...

:)

You'll need your own diagonal however, as I may or may not be using mine... its 1.25" focuser only... But im sure someone there will have a 1.25" diagonal should you need one.)

[Zubenel]

Hi All ,
I am hopefully going to be there. Sounds like there will be enough scopes on the field to invite a few extras?:whistle:Would that be alright??
I have the "new Lappy up and running so am keen to give the guidance on the scope a crack:thumbsup:.Looking forward to it. We'll have to look out for those pesky storms that are forecast.
Hope your feeling better JJJ :sadeyes:.
Cheers Zub.

[AlexN]

Generally, those pesky SEQ storms float around Cambroon in every direction! :) Last time I attended in October, there was a rather ominous looking storm approaching from the North East, it split apart at dusk and disappeared off to the South East and West, leaving us with beautiful clear dark skies... [1ponders] house however (15mins drive away) was peppered with Hail... :)

The sky gods must have been smiling upon us that evening!

[jjjnettie]

Last month was cloudy but cleared up beautifully to give us a few hours of dark sky goodness.

[astroron]

Hi Les, quote from post past
Bring something for the barbecue, bring along something nice to drink, bring along your tent and sleeping bag, there's plenty of room.
Also a chair warm clothes and of course your scope or other astronomical gear:astron::astron::astron::starga ze:
Ron

[astroron]

Yes Wes , all the more the merrier:thumbsup:
Ron

[astroron]

Sorry we will not see you Pete :D
Observatory looks like it is coming along Great:thumbsup:
Paul is in North Queensland Fishing:)
Have a Happy Christmas.:thumbsup:
Ron

[lesbehrens]

cool, thanks. how dark is it compared to kilcoy there?
tryed looking at the horse head neb here just manged to see it, bit of a sky glow tonight.
les:P

[Zubenel]

Yes Wes , all the more the merrier:thumbsup:
Ron

The Reply as per what what was expected:thumbsup:

Hope I don't have to do any of this:bashcomp: infront of friends. Could get ugly:ashamed:.
I also presume that was Saturday night??
Cheers Zub

[Nightshift]

Hi Ron,

I will be there if the weather holds out, looking forward to a few beers with the gang.

Hey Steve, we will actually be there at the same time at last, havn't caught up with you since god knows.

Cheers, Dennis.

[Nightshift]

Hubble makes two passes over Rons this Saturday night.
27 Dec (http://www.heavens-above.com/PassDetails.asp?SatID=20580&Session=kebgcobnkkffgdldoljcopda&Date=39809.4259198975)1.820:09:0110 W 20:13:1972S 20:15:5124ESE27 Dec (http://www.heavens-above.com/PassDetails.asp?SatID=20580&Session=kebgcobnkkffgdldoljcopda&Date=39809.4942694184)4.321:50:5910 W 21:51:4515WSW21:51:4515WSW

and for any one nuts enough to still be awake at 3am then we have a flare
28 Dec03:04:15 (http://www.heavens-above.com/flaredetails.asp?SatID=25276&Session=kebgcobnkkffgdldoljcopda&Date=39809.711283906&Mirror=2)-143°283° (WNW)45.4 km (W)-8

See you then.

[astroron]

Dennis, It will be great to catch up with you again after what seems a long time:thumbsup:
Ron

[AlexN]

if the sky is clear, I'll be nuts enough to see the flare! :D

[Gargoyle_Steve]

No worries Alex, I HAVE bought a 1.25" diagonal for the scope I'm building, I just have to rememebr to include it in my usual kit. My mount is built to hold the Vixen style dovetail bar.


DENNIS mate, will be GREAT to see you again! YES, it has been ages, I'm thinking probably a year or more possibly. Will be great to see you.

Jeanette I hope you're feeling well enough to get up to Ron's, sorry to hear you'll have to endure another op. You'll have our wishes for a speedy recovery again of course. Look forward to seeing you Saturday too.

Dang it, looking forward to seeing everyone: Wes, Robin, Les, whoever can make it!

[jjjnettie]

Wes,
Anne and Dave have asked me to say Merry Christmas to you and your family.
They dropped over today for a visit.

[lesbehrens]

hi. hows the weather up there?. is it still worth while coming up? or come next month?
les

[RobF]

I think I may have to give it a miss too. Weather looks even grimmer now afternoon updates are in.

Oh man. I've been looking forward to this so bad since October. Poop! Still not beyond heading up tonight if a miracle occurs.

[Gargoyle_Steve]

Well I have to report that Joy and I had a great night at Ron's last night.
Before you all start cursing, no, the weather didn't change, in fact it would be the only time in near 3 years of visiting Ron that we didn't see a single star, at all, not one! Not there, not on the way home, nothing at all.

However we had modified our plans too, no tent, no sleepover, and didn't take my 12" either (though I did have the 20x80 bino's on board just in case) but we had a great afternoon / evening with plenty of "illuminating" ;) discussion, ranging from "who's doing what" here on IIS through to the life cycle of kangaroos, the life cycle of stars, snake catching, the Big Bang & Cosmology in general, planning some "footpath astronomy events for IYA 2009, String Theory, and where to get a really good knockwurst in Germany. I kid you not!
:lol:

On the way home we explored some new (not completed) backroads in the Caloundra area which led us to sitting in the car watching a youngling fox off the side of the road, who was both intrigued and slightly wary of us. About 70 metres back we'd seen 2 hares on the newly layed and watered green turf, I figure he was lining himself up for a 1am bunny snack when we came along.

Anyway thanks Ron for your hospitality, was great to see you again. Looking forward to next time, maybe we'll even get to do some observing if the weather behaves.

[jjjnettie]

So what was the verdict on the side walk astronomy?
Glad you all had a nice visit.
I wouldn't have been able to come, even if it was fine. Spent Friday night at the local hospital being jabbed with various and increasingly painful injections. The worst was the morphine, I thought it was supposed to take the pain away!!!! It still feels like I've corked my thigh.

[astroron]

We had a really Dark Sky at Cambroon last night with lots of Grey Nebulosity:lol: but not a star to be seen:(
But good company was had with Joy And Steve enjoying the Peace and Tranquillaty and the fresh Country air of the Conondale Valley.
We discussed as Steve said many things, but I don't know if we are any the wiser:P
Jeanette we will be in touch as to the "Footpath Astronomy" in the near future;)
Happy New Year to all :thumbsup:

[Zubenel]

Hi Ron , Sorry i didn't make it.:( Looks like my weather prediction was close to the mark this time.Looks like I missed out on the Presentation from the one who waxes lyricle.:whistle:On ya Steve:thumbsup:.I'll be up on the smell of a clear night:D .
Cheers Zub.

[Zubenel]

HI Ron ,
Thanks for a good night. Pity about my hardware. The 16" just had too suffice!!:D
Early in the evening , once the storm clouds cleared we had 6 stars visible in the trapezium . Good seeing. Much time was spent looking into the Homunculus Nebula. I have never seen so much detail within the nebula. Ron pointed out the jet off to one side.At 300x mottling and a irregular edge on the brighter lobe was an easy bag!!:eyepop:WE toured galaxies in Eridanus making sure no extraneous stars were supernova.
By 12:30am I hit the wall and retired for a few hours sleep whilst Virgo made it's graceful climb into the heavens.
At Mag 15. this was no:eyepop: but IC 4221 provided my second only view of a supernova. Thanks Ron.. NGC 4945 provided the first a few years ago.
The last view which is by all accounts a show stopper was Saturn with a knife blade across its face!! The placement of its moons topped it off with them almost kissing the ring at both ends!!
Till next time. Cheers
Zubenel

[astroron]

Thanks Wes, I am glad you came up and enjoyed a night on the 16":)
At Mag 15. this was no but IC 4221 provided my second only view of a supernova. Thanks Ron..
The Supernova is in M61 (NGC 4303) Wes but it was still worth you getting up for :thumbsup:

[Zubenel]

Sorry about that chief!!
Error noted :whistle:
Cheers Wes