Sydney 15/11/09 impromtu star party, Randwick

[mental4astro]

Hi all,

A couple of us can't make it to a dark site this month, so with the time we do have we're putting up the offer of a session open to everyone for this Sunday 15'th of November at Randwick Girls' High School in Sydney's eastern suburbs.

Hickny has made their oval available for a 7pm start.

Bring yourself, bring your scope or scopes, bring your enthusiasm.

Mental

:stargaze::astron::anaut::party2::2 thumbs::D:love::clap::rover1::cool:

[En1gma]

Since it's on a Sunday

I'll be there

rob

[lacad01]

Sounds good, I'm in :)

[Wavytone]

Can't make it, it clashes with something very important. Next time...
Have fun, folks.

[Manav]

Can anyone with a scope and enthusiasm turn up? I'm not a member or anything and I would like to bring my scope and learn the basics (free tutorials) :)

Let me know!

[mental4astro]

Hi Manav,

I'm only a member of IIS. "Open to everyone" is just that. Please do come, most welcome, :thumbsup:, & there will be plenty of 'tutors'.

A mate of my mentioned he's haveing trouble to nail NGC 253. We should be able to pin this sucker pretty quickly, plus many others from inner Sydney.

[Manav]

I'll just confirm with the wife but I should be there. :thumbsup:

[lacad01]

Alex, will the Odysey be there?

[mental4astro]

The 'Cannon' will be there.

[Manav]

:eyepop:

[lacad01]

:D super!

[Trojan]

I didn't realise that thing was movable!!

[mental4astro]

These things were considered 'Portable' when new. I discover new muscle groups every time I move it. We tend to forget just how massive the original Dobsonian telescopes really were back then. These Coulter dobsonians were revolutionary for a commercially made dob as the mirror cell they employed didnot require the primary mirror to be removed for transport, something not even contemplated these days.

[telecasterguru]

Alexander,

Monster scope. I would love to get over but not sure. I've been in scope rehab for way too long.

Frank

[mental4astro]

:wink2::wink2::evil::evil: Go on Frank, just ONE peek, won't hurt, really! :evil::evil::wink2::wink2:

[flawedprefect]

Hey folks! Just got onto this forum - I'm brand-spankin' new here. Got a nice 6" Newtonian to bring along and learn how to use properly. Eager to meet up with some Sydney Astronomers! Like many here, may have to check with the wife... or just bring her along.

[mental4astro]

G'day flawedperfect (or is that perfectlyflawed?),

:hi: & :welcome: to IIS.

Hope you can make it this Sunday. The 6" Newt., your first scope? Pretty good stuff if it is. Mine was a little 2" refractor. Still, I learnt the ropes with it. I'm now contemplating converting it into a 'new' finder.

This get together is a chance for all newcomers to this hobby to pick the brains to some older heads. We ALL learn from these experiences. I wish I had these opportunities when I started out.

Below is a map of where the school is in Randwick, corner of Avoca & Barker streets. Entry to the school is via the roundabout on Barker Street, opposite the Prince of Wales Hospital. The entrance is right on the roundabout. Head down the driveway to the Hall/Gym and turn left at the signs we'll put up. Access to the oval is a little further down on the right immediately after the Hall:

http://maps.google.com.au/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=randwick+girls'+high+school&sll=-25.335448,135.745076&sspn=31.154942,56.162109&ie=UTF8&hq=randwick+girls'+high+school&hnear=&ll=-33.92123,151.239392&spn=0.003303,0.006856&t=h&z=17&iwloc=F

[hickny]

Hi All,
I intend on opening the :welcome:gates around 7:15pm. Sunset is at 7:37pm and astronomical twilight begins around 9:13pm. Mental4Astro will be erecting a few sign s:driving: on how to get out onto the oval. Here's hoping for a clear night :stargaze:. See you there:hi:.

[Trojan]

Will there be power points or do we need to make sure our equipment will run from batteries?

[flawedprefect]

I shall be there with bells on. Am gonna try out the scope tonight down at Stanwell tops. I know it's not "ideal" but I want to try out a few things - some alignment techniques, the new barlow I picked up, and see how far I get. Tomorrow night, I hope to learn HEAPS more, and have some folks check out my scope and give me tips for alignments and stuff. Hope to meet some faces around!

(and it's flawed PREfect. A play on words to be sure; but mainly because FORD prefect was taken :D)

[mental4astro]

I now know where the 'flaw' lies, :rolleyes: :rofl:.

Better make sure that your batteries are working OK. I'm not sure of the power situation. Hickny will know, but from what I've seen, you will need some very long leads if you don't want trees in the way.

[Manav]

Cloudy :(

[mental4astro]

Yeah, cloudy. I'll still go as it may still clear up, and maybe chew the fat.

[Wavytone]

Only a true optimist would go, when we have a solid cloud deck.

[GeoffW1]

Hi,

We had visitors, so I hung out to see whether I could make it over to Randwick OK or not.

They have just left and I am partied out, so I will have to make it there another time.

I have a new (to me) mount, a motorised EQ5 to try out, so should have that ready.

Hope you are having a clear night there right now.

Cheers

[Manav]

I really had my heart set on getting the alignment learnings done today. One thing is for sure, I have no faith in Bureau of Meteorology. Don't know what those guys do, as their website shows fine when its actually drizzling in Westmead. It would be worth outsourcing those jobs to Amazon monkeys for better results.

Alex - Sorry I couldn't make it tonight will hope we get better conditions next time.

[mental4astro]

Optimistic? Too much.

Solid deck of cloud all right. Probably carve it and make a table with it.

Peter, Adam & Paul joined me for a good chin wag and a play with Paul's new baby. Only thing to be seen through a scope was the red aircraft warning lights on top of the Hospital. Good thing about this was it allowed for an opportunity to compare eyepieces' field of view qualities.

We'll see about maybe next Friday, again at the school.

[lacad01]

Fingers crossed for next week then :)