HI from Sunny Lostock!

[iceman]

Hi everyone, from sunny Lostock!

I'm at the top of the nearest hill, near Mount Disappointment where we viewed the spectacular Comet McNaught in January 2007!

I get full NextG reception up here so can use my PCMCIA modem and check my email :)

We've had a great time so far - it was very windy on Thursday and half of Friday, but today there's hardly any wind and it's very warm.

We had about 3 hours of clear skies early on Thursday night (until about 10/10:30pm), and last night it was crystal clear ALL night. Just beautiful. 2 spectacular fireballs lit up the night sky last night, and a light breeze kept the dew away all night.

I headed to bed about 3:30am last night, and the sky tours went until about 2am. Probably the best night we've had up here at Lostock in the 4 years. No dew, no clouds, dark skies, lots of meteors. The seeing wasn't great but you can't have everything.

The forecast is mixed for tonight - looks like some cloud may come later tonight, but in any case it's been a brilliant time so far and it's great to catch up with friends again.

Lots of photos to process, lots to catch up on, but just wanted to say hi and i'm sure there'll be more reports flowing in later today and tomorrow from others as they get back home.

Time to head back to camp and go for a swim!

[DavidU]

Good work ! Have fun.
I'm just about to leave for snake valley.I'll be on line.

[spacezebra]

Great news guys! Keep the reports coming in!

Looking forward to hearing about all the news.

Cheers Petra d.

[montewilson]

its a welcome distraction from studying - keep the reports coming in!

[dpastern]

Hi Mike, glad you're having fun. Clear sky wishes for tonight. I had planned to do stuff with the scope today/tonight, but alas, I've been in bed all of today with some sort of cold :(

Dave

[Dennis]

Hi Mike et al

Thanks for the news on the camp and I look forward to hearing all the astro tales and seeing heaps of images of the skies, the camp action and its inhabitants!

Cheers

Dennis

PS - wishing you a speedy recovery from your cold.

[gary]

After a sunny day at Lostock on Saturday, we had luck until some time before around
23:00 when the clouds started to roll in.

However. some great observing was had and if anything the seeing was improved on
the Saturday night compared to Friday night.

This morning (Sun) we awoke to a light sprinkle of rain, which thankfully cleared
to allow everyone to pack up for the drive home.

Special thanks to Mike for all the effort in putting on such a fantastic event.
It was great to hear that Mike said he was more relaxed this time than in previous
years because of the accumulated experience he's had from organizing IISAC.
Nevertheless, the work he and his helpers put in is incredible and it paid off
in dividends of fun in what turned out to be one the most relaxed star parties
in years. Plus the bonus of observing which we all appreciate is never a given at
a star party.

It was fabulous to catch up with so many familar faces and to meet some new
ones.

It was gratifying to assist John Bambury and Andrew Murrell with the two 3RF
18" Obsessions we had available for sky tours and we had sizable queues
of both first time and experienced observers wanting to catch a view. It was
a lot of fun.

Special thanks for the Gresford RFS for the catered dinners again this year.
Let's face it, few of us want to cook at a star party let alone wash up afterwards
but these good folk arrive with military precision, cook three courses, wash
up, pack up and set off again. It doesn't get any easier for attendees than that!

IISAC 2009 was an absolute success. See you all at IISAC 2010!

Best Regards

Gary Kopff
Wildcard Innovations Pty Ltd
Mt Kuring-Gai NSW

[mozzie]

great stuff mike sounds like a cracker of a night last night
mozzie