Do I dare: Blue Mountains- July!

[mental4astro]

What the heck.

'Once is bad luck, twice coincidence, three times conspiracy!'

We have a chance for real sience now, a real theory to prove, even if we don't get observasion time!! ;):whistle::rofl::P

Hargraves, anyone, :).

Mental.

[hickny]

I can't make it this weekend, family commitments. Still interested in a dark sky location observation opportunity though. maybe later in the month.

[mental4astro]

I'm looking at 25'th.

[GeoffW1]

Hi,

Not Hargraves I fear, I'd be lobbying for the Kings Tableland site or thereabouts, on grounds of being a distance wimp.

Cheers

[Wavytone]

I'm on for the 11th and 18th, if the weather is up to it; Kings Tableland if its less than ideal but Hargraves is possible if it is one of those really perfect nights.

Could do KT midweek if there is an exception night looming.

At this time of year, if its cold and there is a breeze, Hargraves will bring tears to your eyes and freeze the proverbials off - thermals, ski gear top and bottom and headcover are essential there but I don't have the gear these days. I used to dream of having something like a down sleeping bag with arms and legs, so I could observe or just lie on the ground and not get cold.

You can get lucky though, with reasonably tolerable conditions if the day has been warm and it is dead calm; it does happen.

Maybe we should find a notional place to check to see who's gone where, someplace where there's mobile/web coverage nearby.

[lacad01]

I could be up for 18th and/or 25th weather permitting :prey: :)

[hickny]

I'd be on for the 18th or 25th.

[Wavytone]

It is not looking good, as usual.

[lacad01]

Oops, :( got functions on both those weekends so it's out for me :doh:

[mental4astro]

I'll be heading to Hargraves on 18'th with Hickny.

In making the effort to get to the mountains, may as well get a little darker skies. Sure will be cold, so I'll go prepared... coffee+thermos & thermals. Wont be pretty.

[GTB_an_Owl]

any time you blokes want to visit us at the pony club - you will be made very welcome

its only a short run up the expressway

may not be the darkest of sites - but the facilities are great

geoff

[Wavytone]

If it's looking good I'll definitely make Kings Tableland, but Hargraves is at best a maybe.

[mental4astro]

Hi 'Owl,

I'm thinking of coming to the PC on 25'th, this time I'm after the darker skies. I'd like to talk to some folks before I take to the Odyssey with a router.

Mental

[Wavytone]

Looking promising. More a social occasion for me (dinner with a with friend first) so I'll be at Kings Tableland a bit later, about 8:30 pm if it holds.

[mental4astro]

Looking to be at Hargraves tonight from 5pm.


Cheers.

[Wavytone]

Mental it must have been pretty dreadful at Hargraves, it was pretty unpleasant at KT when I arrived there after dinner, set up for a brief 90 minutes then came home.

[mental4astro]

Hey Wavy,

We were fortunate that where we set up there was the shelter & a big tree that buffered the wind. We had had enough by 10pm, the cold also became too intense by then.

Amazing sky, though. Mag 6 or better viewing. Sydney sky glow obvious to east, but too close to horizon anyway to be of any consequence.

I was even viewing Centuras A, M104 & M83 easily through a 30mm finder! Unbelievable!

Definate arm structure viewed in M83 through my 17.5"! Truely beautiful. Bok globuals in the Omega Nebula, & spectacular structure in the Trifid!

Hickny & I also managed to track down Neptune, too. Very blue in colour, with a tiny disk.

Forecast at this stage looking good for next weekend. Toss of coin for pony club or Hargraves. Sky just so gooooood there.

[Wavytone]

Yes agree it was surprisingly dark for KT too... similar experience with things easily spotted in my 50mm finder. But my friend was a bit underdressed so we stayed only for 90 minutes or so.

I was a bit surprised to find Jupiter looking a lot clearer than I expected - with the wind I was expecting to see it hopelessly washed out with turbulence.

Fingers crossed for 25th.

[Wavytone]

I'm not going... other priorities.