Pony club 13th March 2010

[Arthur Alchin]

New Moon 15th March 2010.

Sorry probably won't get to PC as i fly back from Brisbane 19:00 hrs on the Saturday evening from a conference.

Catch everybody in April unless something is on on the sat the 20th

[gmbfilter]

Drop in on the way over, we could probably sell tickets!

[Arthur Alchin]

Hands up for May new moon @ lostock, I don't want to cram Allan if you are planning something for June though.

I am going to lostock tomorrow morning for 3 nights, back on sunday but won't be taking the scope though (will have some evening frivolity I guess: card games, Karaoke and Drinking etc)).

You can come up if you want: we have the bottom house (up to about a dozen of us from work) and there will be a bit of light though at the back of the house i am thinking.

[Arthur Alchin]

i will have to find out when the SPSP in scheduled

[Inmykombi]

Yeah, lets go....

I dont know when SPSP is but I havent decided to go there as yet.
I get more enjoyment out of the small groups away.

Either April or May would be great for Lostock I reckon....:D

Geoffro.

[mithrandir]

"18th South Pacific Star Party: 14 - 16 May 2010: Register NOW!"
http://www.asnsw.com/spsp

[sasup]

I would like to try to come up again . I have to see if I get any further north this time.;)

[Allan_L]

OK Lostock is covered in a separate thread now.
So lets get this thread back in line with its Title.


At this stage, I certainly plan on travelling to the Pony Club on Saturday 13th March if the weather is reasonable.

I also have a Novocastrian who wants to suss out the site and compare the number of mosquitoes to those of the Shortland Wetlands.

Anyone else with intent at this stage?

[gb_astro]

I intend, but weather not looking so good.

Greg.

[Inmykombi]

I may not make it........:sadeyes:

My dear wife will be coming home on Saturday after being away for 8 days on a Girlie holiday.

I would like to spend some time with her the day she gets back.;)

Anyway, she may have a few presents for me as well....

If I dont make it, I hope you all have a blast without me....


geoffro.

[Rhino1980]

I'm up for May

[GTB_an_Owl]

looks very much like a change of date gentlemen :windy:

geoff

[gb_astro]

So is anyone going regardless?

Greg.

[Allan_L]

Not regardless!

But I am likely giving it a go tonight if it is an even chance of proving worthwhile.

Irrespective, next week is a possible too.

[GTB_an_Owl]

don't get your hopes up boys

it's raining here now
just a shower - but cloud has been getting progressively worse

geoff

[GTB_an_Owl]

try my new weather site and look for the webcam menu to see what the clouds are doing

http://weather.gtbastrowise.com.au/

geoff

[GTB_an_Owl]

skycam faces west

[gb_astro]

Geoff, webcam streaming video, very cool.
Site works well on the iPhone.
Greg.

[GTB_an_Owl]

thats encouraging and handy to know - thanks

geoff

[gb_astro]

Not looking too good, so I'm out.
Maybe the 20th.

Greg.

[Inmykombi]

Looks like I cant get there at all even if the weather changes.
I have to pick up my wife betwen 8 and 10 at Gosford Station.

To any that go, I hope it clears for you.

Cheers.

[sasup]

All this new gear and I have yet to have a clear window. oh well All good things to those who wait and wait and wait!!!! :P:P

[Allan_L]

agreed! not looking good!
Oh well, I will have to content myself with some amber ale and some footy.
Next week, looks better on long range forcasts.

Maybe a mid-week excursion to the PC is the way to go.
I have noticed a few clear nights mid week.

[Arthur Alchin]

can't go midweek, St Patricks day wednesday, guinesses throughout the evening and irish coddle and music gallour and craic

[Inmykombi]

All this at your place Arthur ?:eyepop:

I'll be there at 5 pm....;)

[gb_astro]

Weather for the 20th is starting to look good.
Anyone going up?

Greg.

[GTB_an_Owl]

you betcha

geoff

[sally1jack]

Sounds like a good idea , at this stage i'm in
phil :thumbsup:

[gmbfilter]

I probably won't be there :(

[jakob]

Can't make it, family duty!:mad2:

[markman123]

Are new people welcome? I won't ask too many questions, promise.

If so, tentative at this point - my weekend will firm up a little later in the week.

Mark

[GTB_an_Owl]

I didn't realise that Baulkham Hills was so far away Mark ?

(think your lat and lon may be wrong in your settings)

you are more than welcome to pop up and see us Mark - as is anyone else
hope we see you there
weatherwise it is looking very good at this point - maybe a bit dewey but

geoff

[Arthur Alchin]

Sorry guys, won't be there, in Hobart this weekend, maybe april but definitely MAY @ lostock (this Sat afternoon and evening session in the Irish pub in bathurst st Hobart and then dinner)

[gmbfilter]

Got the new 22 incher up to Pony Club
Created some havoc in the paddock
Should be fab for Saturday night.. i might be late and scope less
Keen to drink though:thumbsup:

[gb_astro]

Good one Geoff, it was getting a bit long last time.
Hope the ponies aren't too upset.

Greg.

[GTB_an_Owl]

your a champ Geoff

by the way - you got permission to do it some time this afternoon ;) :lol:


geoff

[sally1jack]

Nice work geoff :thumbsup:
Phil

[Deeno]

Weather is looking good for saturday night!

[Rick Petrie]

Maaaate....you're back. And they said you'd left the planet.;)
Welcome back to the PC forum and be good to catch up Sat night.:thumbsup:
Have you bought a new 45 incher yet?:P

[Shano592]

Saturday sounds good for the PC.

[sally1jack]

I'm unsure if i can make it, Peter read is coming over to do a little work on my scope & I don't know when when he will finnish, if there is time i'll be there. :shrug:

Phil

[Allan_L]

I hope to be there, early.
Just hope this cloud cover burns off.

[markman123]

Thanks for the hot tip, Geoff. I think I've remedied my coordinates...

I plan to be there tonight - what time would you recommend to arrive? What time are you planning on getting there, Allan?

I see you guys have got some serious gear... Hope it's not a cardinal sin to setup a 90mm refractor... ;-)

Mark

[iceman]

I'm hoping to be there tonight! Weather looks good.

[gb_astro]

Hi Mark.
There is always someone there around sunset, 19.07 tonight.
Things should be pretty relaxed until after moonset, 21.14.

Phil, no chance of dragging Peter Read along?

Greg.

[Allan_L]

Hi Mark,

I will be leaving shortly.
I expect to be there before 7.
90mm is fine.
Even binoculars are great to use up there.
I will aim to have a look through it myself If OK?
We like to share our views generally.
** Bring some Warm clothes in case it gets chilly**
See you there.
Al

[GTB_an_Owl]

C'mon - wake up you guys

it's not as though we observed to dawn

not as many as we expected - but a happy little bunch enjoyed some clear sky for a good while
light cloud started to build after midnite from the south
still we got some reasonable views of Orion and later, Saturn.
i thought i had had one too many tooheys when i was seeing a double image of Saturn's band - but others confirmed what i was seeing

any one else observe that effect anywhere else last nite ?
or was it something in the air at the pony club ?

good to see Mike out and about again - and we were assured that Deeno had not packed up and gone to America to have another look through that 48 incher he was mesmerized by

hope our newcomer Mark had a good nite and we look forward to his next visit

we locked the gate about 4:20 am

geoff

[gb_astro]

Thanks to Phil for bringing Peter Read along.
Great to catch up on the latest SDM developments.
(For a moment I thought Joe was going to order one!)

Saw the multiple stacked Saturn rings myself.
What was weird was that the double stack was often quite stable, five seconds or more.

Greg.

[Inmykombi]

Glad you had a good time and the skies were clear.

sorry I couldnt make it. I was rostered on at Surfcom today and I need to be on the ball when working the radio in an emergency situation.

Next time i'll be there.

C ya leter.

geoffro

[markman123]

Had a fantastic time - had a few laughs, and alot of fun - will definately be back!

Thank you very much for such a great night - good bunch of people out there.

See you round like a doughnut,

Mark

[Rick Petrie]

Once again we all had a good one. It was great to see what everyone was looking at and lots walking around comparing views in different scopes to see what each other were looking at. It seemed quite funny when The Owl was 'seeing double' rings around saturn, we thought if he had another drink it could have ended up a 'three ring circus':P
Thanks Deeno for sharing those great photos of your trip, you and Amanda must have had a ball. :thumbsup:
Nice to meet Peter Read and Mark. You sound like you enjoyed our crazy group Mark and good you will come again.
Well I'm of to USA also and will catch up at Lostock in May.
Cheers:)

[Allan_L]

Yes, it was a great night.
Thanks to all who came for great company and interesting sites.

The DEW prevention tent worked wonderfully! Not a drop was evident over the entire field. :)

Great to see Deeno back. Missed you mate! - Photos?
Great conversations and observations as ususl with usual suspects, Geoff (owl), Geoff (filter), Rick(-apoody), Greg (GB). And special guest appearances from Phil&Peter(scopeless) and Joe (binoless).

And nice to catch up with Iceman again! Its been so long he forgot to bring half his kit!

Welcome Mark, hope you enjoyed the escape from the big smole! And hope to see you again.

[Deeno]

Great to catch up with everyone! Nice to see some reasonable dew free conditions for most of the night.
Spent most of the night drift aligning with the D200 riding piggy back for a dabble into the "dark side".

High cloud appeared out of no where just as I was ready to fire the first frame of course but, did end up with three frames of 5 minute exposures at iso 800 and about 90mm focal length.
Nothing special, just a successful trial.

Looking forward to next month.....
Deeno