Alternative observation area on the Central Coast

[Inmykombi]

Hi all,
I have made this suggestion before, however I thought I would mention it again.
I would like to propose that we try a different observation area that may well be better than the Pony Club.

I have been speaking with a Commitee member at the Central Coast soaring Club an I now have many more details than I did before about this alternative to our Pony Club.

The site itself is on Bloodtree Rd Mangrove Mountain near a sporting field.
Its easy to find in the light or in the dark.
Here is the web-site of the club itself. http://www.ozstuff.com.au/ccsoaring/

Basically the site offers a large area where we can escape streetlights, and which has some very nice facilities for us to use.
These facilities include inside toilets, stove, power for scopes and urns / coffee etc.
There is an on-site caretaker there usually day and night.
The club house itself has one outside fluourescent light which we possibly can turn off or we may need to remove the fluoro tube from on arival and re-fit it when we leave, and I think that would be easier than putting red buckets on lights across from the PC. and dealing with the light down the raod at the PC as well.
The airfield is about 1.5 kilometers long I believe , and there is plenty of room.
The horizon is very good in some areas and some trees seem to block out the majority of sky glow from Sydney from what I saw when I went there one night.

There are a few things we have to do in order to be able to use these facilities though.
These conditions involve each of us paying $5.00 per visit each for the use of power and facilities.
We must leave the club house as we found it, clean and tidy.
We must also send a letter to the committee prior to our first visit to indicate our intentions to try the airfield as our observation area.
This will be answered by a Committee member who will hopefully meet us on site for our first visit ans show us what we need to know about the place.

I personally would be happy to give $5.00 to the club if the site turns out to be worthwhile.

If anyone is happy to try this new venue out, I would be happy to write the letter and get this happening.
Just indicate your approval on this thread and I will work out the finer details needed to get the ball rolling.

I also have been quite happy with the PC's facilities, and quite like the place, But the light down the road is a pest to both observers and imagers and nothing can be done about that.

Anyway I have said enough I feel.
Just let me know if you all want to try a nice new spot to meet and enjoy when we get together.

I have the co-ordinates off Google Earth below.

33 deg 17'07" s

151 deg 12'44" E

I tried to upload a capture from Google Earth but couldnt.

If anyone wants a snapshot of the area and where to turn off, please let me know.


Cheers.

geoffro

[En1gma]

The moment I hear power. I get all tingly.

Sounds very good. I would be in.

Rob

[Allan_L]

I am happy to try the place.
I know the sporting field, and checked it out as a possibilty some time ago.
I didn't know about the soaring club though, it sounds good.
"Inside Toilets " !!! that would be nice.
Happy to give it a try.
How about tonight for a looky see?

[Inmykombi]

Sorry Al, no can do tonight.

I need to send formal notification to them before we try it out.
Of course you can drive past and see what its like though... please do....

Maybe in February after Dunedoo. That may be the first chance we get to see what its like.

Geoffro.

[Inmykombi]

Good work Robert. The more the better.

[Allan_L]

Ten Four good buddy

[Arthur Alchin]

count me in geoffro.

probably quicker by car if i remember is it (watched the gliders once)

[Arthur Alchin]

ps one of my friends is a mate of the caretaker

[Inmykombi]

Excellent Arthur.

After a few more interested observers make a post I will start drafting a letter to the Commitee and get it happening.

It cant hurt to just try the site and see what its like.

[Allan_L]

I called in last night and they were still there (at 9pm).
and showed little sign of leaving soon.

I met the president and he was very welcoming.

I think there may be issues with light if we want to be close to the clubhouse.

However there is lots of spots away from the lights (but up to half kilometre walk to club house.

Horizon is fantastic.

Willing to give it a try.

[Satchmo]

Good to see something moving on this at last and good to meet Allan L from IIS. Until Kurt moved into the club house recently I considered this idea a no-goer as this site is primarily a gliding club and we do have issues of security there.

The reason people were still around on Saturday night was that it was the tail end of our Xmas party. We are usually landed by mid after-noon in Summer and gone by late afternoon.

The area between the clubhouse and the hanger is good as it flat and you could run power out to the scopes. There is a flourescent light that can be switched off I think . There would be one HPS light out on the street visible from there, that is fairly heavily filtered by trees and a fair way away. I don't know how this would effect the astrophotographers.. If you move say 75 meters south `up' the strip you will have the light blocked by the hanger.

My favorite area for viewing is the South end as the horizen all around is fantastic, no lights normally but it is drive down, or a 5 minute walk. The Mercury lights from the soccor field will oblirerate the South end if on , but I've only seen them on a Thursday night.

The council depot also has a bright Mercury light on Monday to Thursday but this may not still be the case. The Northern end of the strip can have the ocassional truck in the distance but up to the end of runway 09 is completely light free as well. All the strips are mowed grass incidentally.

I would be happy to host a gathering up there and help you guys find sutable spots. I have observed from there a number of times and found it better than the pony club due to facilities and that I can find somewhere completely free of lights or cars. . The altitude of 1000 feet helps too. I think there may be difficulty finding one spot to satisfy all the needs of visual and imaging in all the one place but you never know. I don't know to what extent socialising in the club house is important.

Bear in mind that Central Coast Soaring club obtained the land by lease in 1982 and are a very small club with a fragile existance so any use that doesn't meet the agreed guidelines will result in things falling through pronto so tread carefully please.

I would add that we are always looking for new members /students and people who would like to try Air Experience Flights. It can be a great day out for family and friends to try a glider flight. Its a little known and undersestimated resource on the Central Coast. It was a great day yesterday , we got almost 8 hours air time amonst four pilots. I personally had a 90 minute flight tracking out to Yaramalong and topping out at 7000ft , the view was absolutely spectacular. The feeling of riding the thermal updrafts to great heights is probably closest to surfing but with a great deal of comfort and spectacular level of visibilty .

Mark

[gb_astro]

Sounds interesting, definitely worth a look.

Separate imaging/visual areas could be an advantage.

Greg.

[Rhino1980]

Yeah mate I'd be keen to try it out.
Cheers and have a good chrissie

[Inmykombi]

Sounds like we have many positive comments and some good interest in this new spot.
May Isuggest that we try it in february next year and see how it goes.

geoffro.

[Rodstar]

Hey Geoffrey, I'd be keen to give it a go too! That street light at the pony Club drives me barmy.

[Rick Petrie]

I think it is also worth a try.
February sounds good.:)

[astropolak]

Now we are on the right track I think.
I may even realise my dream to have a flight in a glider....

Well done Geoffro !

[Inmykombi]

Well, we may be able to coax the pilots into looking through our scopes one night in exchange for a flight ....

I will also suggest this to them when I write the letter.

:thumbsup:

[Satchmo]

I know the real cost of glider flights and the club has been in a negative financial situation for the last few years . It would be better financially for the gliding club for our club members to go to Kulnura Observatory if they want a squizz at the sky ( and a number have ) . I am always happy to take anybody who is genuinly interested up, for half my costs, and I don't even want a look through your telescope :)

Perhaps the fairest way to go about it if there was enough interest would be to suggest a group booking at discount flying rate and we throw on a BBQ and some viewing afterwards, in which case everyone is ahead.

[Octane]

Mark,

Your suggestion sounds awesome. I'd love a flight in a glider! :)

And, the new location sounds awesome, too.

Regards,
Humayun

[gary]

Hi Mark,

We use to observe from the sports field down the road there for many years
in the mid to late 90's and there were absolutely no lights then. Then the RFS built
a station next to the field and had a porta flood on which spilled over into the
field and totally ruined it. Later I recollect they put some street lighting in near the
stretch of the road near the sports field, is that correct?

Best Regards

Gary

[Satchmo]

Hi Gary



There is a floodlight in the council depot which is never on in the weekend.

I haven't seen the RFS light you mention. It is not visible from the South end if it does shine on the field.

There are a few sodiums down Bloodtree Rd opposite which are fairly heavily obscured by trees at the clubhouse and can be blocked by the hanger in the right place.

The floodlights on the sports field I have not seen in the weekend.

The Southern end has absolutely no lighting visible ( when the sports field lights are off) and has a great horizon and probably 200 X 200 metere usable. There are other light free places around too particularly on the Northen end up Runway 07.

Have attached a Google pic that makes things a little clearer. The small building at the top is the clubhouse and below that the large shed is the hanger. Power could be run from either. You can see the South end is well away from Bloodtree road and protected by trees, and the horizen is very good. The sport field is to the left.

The most critical thing to investigate is when the sports field lights gets used. I have only ever seen it on a Thursday night when they train.

Cheers

Mark

[Satchmo]

Google picture attached.

[gary]

Hi Mark,

Thanks for the description. It's been at least a couple of years since I detoured
off down the road on the way back from Bucketty one night to see what it was
like these days. We did pull into the parking bay there at the airstrip and
as you report, the trees near the clubhouse did a really good job of screening the
streetlights further down the road and it certainly looked like a good spot
to observe from given its proximity to Sydney and the Central Coast.

A funny story was one night in 1996 when we were observing from the sports field
at the end where the sheds and car park are, it was then very dark with absolutely
no artificial lights except for the dim glow of lights inside the houses across the
road. Mai was seated in a fold-up chair taking notes when suddenly she heard
this heavy panting immediately followed by a wet tongue across the face.
Unbeknownst to the both of us, a large black dog had apparently come from one
of the properties across the road and decided to give Mai a welcoming lick.
It was quite startling and I scrambled for the white light to find out what
was going on in the dark. The light revealed the dog happily wagging its
tail with its tongue hanging out obviously delighted to have some human
companionship in what was normally a lonely place. :lol:

Hope you are still get some good gliding in and we'll have to go up with you one day! :)

Merry Christmas from Mai and I!

[sebastien]

Hey everyone,

I got a new scope couple of days ago, and both me and my parents are keen to go to try it under dark skies, so this could be worth it, but I was wondering when will this be happening (what date and time) Thanks a lot :)

Clear Skies,
Sebastien.

[gary]

Hi Sebastien,

Congratulations on the new scope!

After sunset on the Saturday nights closest to both the Last Quarter Moon
and New Moon periods every month is when people tend to go to the
Pony Club. Watch for announcements in the thread regarding the Pony Club.
The Pony Club regulars are looking at an alternative site in the Central Mangrove
area which is the discussion of this thread.

[sebastien]

Thanks a lot Gary, greatly appreciated :) I will try to be there s=for some of the nights, during my holidays :)

With much appreciation,
Sebastien.

[Shano592]

Geoffro, sounds like an inspired find.

Please add my name to the weight of numbers!

[Rodstar]

Gary, your story about observing at the sports field reminds me of the first time that Mike Salway and I went observing together back in about January 2005. We had set up in the middle of the sportsfield at Mangrove Mountain and had observed for about an hour when someone went into the clubhouse and decided to turn ALL of the lights on. He was sorting out the supplies for the following day, I think. We were like startled rats!

After hoping for a short while that he would see us there and put the lights back off, I went over and asked him to get the lights off. He said something along the lines of, "I was wondering what you guys were up to, it all looked a bit suss". I am not sure if he thought we were terrorists with missile launchers, or what, but I thought it was pretty funny.

[iceman]

I remember that :) Very funny.

I also remember having to carry out gear that long way from the car park and over the fence to the field lol

I took my in laws observing there once.

[Satchmo]

Thanks Gary, ok I'll prompt you on that :) And Merry Xmas !

Mark

[sally1jack]

Sounds good geoffro, anything for good skies with a little comfort :thumbsup:
Merry xmas to all

Phil

[Arthur Alchin]

Merry christmas everbody and have an awesome new year, see a few of you in January at the Dunedoo event

[gary]

Hi Rod, Hi Mike,

Merry Christmas.

Good story! :lol:

If you have ever seen the Stanley Kubrick comedy, Dr. Strangelove, there is
a terrific exchange in there between Peter Sellers, playing the role of Group
Captain Lionel Mandrake and Keenan Wynn, playing Colonel Bat Guano.

Under orders, Guano has just put Mandrake under military arrest and is holding
him at gunpoint and Mandrake says -

"Colonel! Colonel, I must know what you think has been going on here!"

and Guano replies -

"You wanna know what I think? I think you're some kind of deviated prevert.
And I think General Ripper found out about your preversion, and that you were
organizing some kind of mutiny of preverts. Now, move!"

:lol:

[Inmykombi]

Hi Mark ( Stachmo )

Thanks for your help and input to this suggested change.

Can you organise a key for February if possible.
I will send a letter / fax to Board / Committee Member Rob that I know.

Once I do that we are all go I hope for February..

[Inmykombi]

Mark,
Can you get a key for this place ? or do I have to get another member of the club to open up for us on our first night.?

cheers.

[Satchmo]

Geoff

The caretaker can open up on the agreed night , but I'd imagine we won't be giving out security details until its established that the site is going to be useful and worthwhile for the club to reach an arrangement.

I don't recommend having a general open night advertised on IIS until a few people who are central to use of the Pony Club have had a good look at available spots and that arrangements with club house use and lighting are all satisfactory. Representative of visual and photographers would be good to ensure all are catered for. Some things may need to go to a committee meeting in the process of working out an arrangement. I am happy to help co-ordinate the needs of the club and the astronomers. There are no guarantees but it may work out ok.

Cheers
Mark

[Inmykombi]

Mark, I think you misunderstand me here.

I wasnt asking for security details, nor was I asking for a general open night to be advertised on IIS.
The matter of a few of us IIS'ers using the airfield has already gone to the Sailplane culbs committee and it has been agreed to allow us to use the site for a first or trial night.
It seems that the interested people are OK with paying a $5.00 fee to use the facilities as this fee was set by the comittee.

I only thought that you may have been able to help with access as I believe that you fly there and may want to attend the first trial night to see what its like and check positions for equipment of visual observers and imagers.

I will contact the committee and get the caretaker to give us access.

Geoff

[Rodstar]

Thanks Gary - I have not seen that movie, but it sounds a crack-up! I can just imagine the bloke at Mangrove Mountain oval saying something similar!

I fear his concern was rather indicative of a post 9/11 hysteria which can colour people's perceptions of all manner of things....the "Be alert but no alarmed" campaign has a lot to answer for!:P

[Satchmo]

Yes , coordinate with me a night and I will show you where I think the best spots are and we'll see how we can sort power etc. If you have been given aproval of a trial `pathfinding' visit then all we need to do is pencil in a few good potential nights moon-wise and we'll meet up there on the first available good weather. I can open up the club-house if Kurt isn't there, but we need to let them know at least on the day if we are meeting.

Mark

[Allan_L]

How About ...
This Saturday??? :)
Moon up probably wont be until about 2:30 am (guessing)
That sounds like plenty of time to assess.

If not I will be suggesting a Pony Club night anyway.

[Inmykombi]

I had a phone call today from one of the Committee mambers who said my written request via formal letter will be duscissed at this weeks meeting.
It was mentioned that there should be no problem with our plans.
The club just needs to sort out a few details to formalise and finalise the matter.
Here is a copy of the letter I sent them recently for their attention.

___________________________________

Date: 11/01/2010



Central Coast Soaring Club
PO Box 1323
Gosford NSW 2250


Dear Committee members,
As you are no doubt aware, there are a few Amateur Astronomers from the Central Coast and surrounding areas, that are keen to try our New Moon observing sessions at your club grounds on Bloodtree Rd Mangrove Mountain.
Your club seems to offer better / darker skies and better horizons than our current observing site at the Pony Club on Wisemans Ferry Rd.
After some discussion with the interested people, we are happy to pay your club $5.00 per person for using your facilities each night we attend the club grounds.

If possible, we would hope a committee member could attend our first night to show us “ the ropes” and to inform us of the do’s and don’ts associated with your club house and grounds.
It would also be good for us to meet with your caretaker and get a contact phone number or email address, so we can inform you or him / her of our intended visits in advance.
We usually meet once a month near the new Moon which gives us the darkest skies on which to observe.

We would also like extend an invitation to any and all of your club members who may be interested in looking through Telescopes at the night sky. We have some of the most advanced telescopes and equipment available to amateurs, and we would be more than happy to make it available if you wish to do so.

Thanks you for this opportunity to use you facilities, and I will await your reply before I fix a date in February for our possible first visit.


Best Regards

___________________________________ ___________________________________ _


Its looking good for a Feb. or March get together at the new spot.

Keep your eyes here for more updates.

Thanks to everyone for your patience in this matter, its been a bit of a while since I first mentioned over a year ago, but hopefull it'll be worthwhile.

Geoffro.

[Octane]

Well done, Geoff!

H

[Inmykombi]

Update 22/1/10

dear All.

We have the go ahead for our first night observing.

Here is a copy of the letter I received from the President of the central Coast Soaring Club.

Hello Geoff
Thanks you for your recent letter enquiring about use of our clubhouse/grounds in Bloodtree Road for New Moon observation sessions.
As promised I took your request to our committee meeting this week and all were happy to have your "team" utilise our facillities as required. As discussed a fee of $5 per person would be payable to cover incidental costs (tea/coffe/lighting etc etc).
It would be best that each date be arranged through me and then I would advise Kurt (live-in caretaker) of the intended date(s). We would like him or some other member to be in attendance on each occassion (initially particularly). We have members that may well delight in perhaps taking you up on your invitation to "have a look."
I would point out that we only have tank water on site which should not be consumed unboiled. Also, we would request that toilet flushing be restricted to No 2's (?) only, except at end of evening of course. Most of what you would need to operate reasonably comfortably is available for use.
Give me a call if you want to organise a February visit - I note you/we have a new moon on Sat 14 Feb '10.

Kind Regards
Wayne Page
President



Thanks to everyone for your patience with this, its taken a while from the initial idea to this point where we can try it out.


I guess the first thing to do is pick a date or two for February, so we can have our first visit.
I need only to advise the President and / or the Caretaker af the dates.
So lets go, lets get a date happening on perhaps even a new thread so I can advise them of our intentions.

rgds.

geoffro

[Satchmo]

Geoff , I thought you were going to arrange a night for a small group to determine suitability of the site before inviting the public via this forum.

[Arthur Alchin]

Thanks Geoff, i will keep an eye on the thread for further developments.

Also thankyou for doing the ground work with the committee

[Arthur Alchin]

ps Geoff i think i have solved the Schmidt newtonian/ binoviewer issue with the purchase of an OSA

[Inmykombi]

Mark, Thanks for bringing forward your comments about me inviting the Public to the new site.
Maybe I worded my reply wrongly to use the word "everyone". Now its been removed....
I will make sure that I word my replies a little better next time.

If you count the replies to this thread, there are only the regulars and 2-3 newcomers to the PC that have indicated an intention to try this new spot.
As an active observer and a regular to the PC, I dont want to just resrtict this new site to a closed Group. Restricting it this way would be a move that may seem unsociable to those who may be looking for a regular observing site on the Coast here.
This group of regulars who have indicated they may attend, is only a small group of observers who want to try a new location. We have discussed it many times at our regular observing sessions at the Pony Club.

I cant speak for all the regulars to the PC, as some have a passion for imaging and others just like to observe.
My feelings are that a broad spectrum of opinions on this site would be better than a " select few" in making a decision to change our observing location.

It sems there is a lot of interest in changing to a better spot, and I am myself hoping that it will be better than the PC.

But hey, if it isnt any better, we still have the PC to fall back on.
And I have never seen great numbers of the public at the PC in the past, just the regulars with a few welcomed newcomers from time to time.

Geoff

[Satchmo]

Sounds like a plan.

If someone can PM me when the night is decided I'll try and be there if I am not flying that day. I have a good knowledge of the site. I would recommend bringing some super long extension cords for photographers power if the area between the hanger and clubhouse is not dark enough due to streetlight.

Mark

[Rhino1980]

Good work big fella. Looking forward to a gathering there if it turns out to be suitable.

[Inmykombi]

Hi again, See the other thread re: a roll call for the night of the 13th at the new site please.

Thx

Geoffro.

[Inmykombi]

See discussion abouth the new site on the "Central Coast February Observing" thread.

Cheers

Geoffro.