NACAA 2010, Canberra ACT

[iceman]

Who's heading down to NACAA this year?

Some info from their website (http://www.nacaa.org.au/2010/about):

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NACAA Inc is pleased to announce that the 24th NACAA will be held in Canberra over the 2010 Easter weekend, April 2-5. The theme for the convention is "Astronomy in the On-Line Age."

The venue for the convention will be the Rydges Capital Hill Hotel, in Forrest ACT.

The programme is packed with content. The highlights include


The inaugural John Perdrix Address by Dr Tom Richards
Two workshops on Friday April 2 covering the new version of the VStar variable star analysis software package from David Benn, and expert advice on high-resolution planetary imaging from Anthony Wesley
Hristo Pavlov will convene the Fourth Trans-Tasman Symposium on Occultations on Monday April 5
A tour of the new Mount Stromlo Observatory prior to the BBQ on Sunday April 4
An excursion to the Canberra Deep Space Communication Complex at Tidbinbilla on Monday April 5
Dr Simon O'Toole will talk about the hunt for exoplanets and the role of amateurs
The entertaining Dr Charley Lineweaver will talk at the dinner on the question of life in the universe
Dr Daniel Shaddock of the ANU will talk about detecting gravity waves
And the diverse range of talks and poster presentations we've come to expect from the NACAA community

You can find all the details about NACAA XXIV -- the full programme, venue details, and help with accommodation and transport -- via the navigation menu to the left of your screen (http://www.nacaa.org.au/2010/about). When you are ready, head to the registration (http://www.nacaa.org.au/2010/register) page to participate in NACAA XXIV.
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Some excellent guest speakers and talks!

[SMR]

Hi Mike

Thanks for mentioning NACAA. I'd just like to add that you don't have to attend the whole event -- the registration system is very flexible, so you can pick the sessions and workshops that most interest you. The Anthony Wesley workshop, for example, should be of interest to quite a few IIS members.

Looking forward to meeting up with some of the IIS crowd in Canberra at Easter.

Steve Russell
NACAA General Secretary

[jjjnettie]

I'm booked!! Looking forward to it.

[sasup]

Im there

[rogerg]

I'm booked in to almost everything possible :thumbsup:

First trip to the eastern states other than QLD for me ... looking forward to the conference and seeing something of the area in the week following.

[Blue Skies]

I'll be there, too. Looking forward to seeing some old faces and meeting some new!

[Outbackmanyep]

I'll be there from Sunday lunchtime onwards.....
How many of you are staying for the BBQ and TTSO 4???

[rogerg]

So... NACAA at the end of the week. I hope there's a few more IIS'ers going than indicated by this thread - I was hoping to meet you eastern states people while I was at NACAA :)

Fly in to canberra late on Thursday. Hopefully be worth the trip :)



I'll be there for the BBQ and TTSO 4 .... not sure if I'm going to be out of my league at TTSO, being a beginner, but am interested in learning what I can.

:)

[jjjnettie]

Enjoy your time there everyone.
I won't able to make it there this year.

[Blue Skies]

Sorry to hear that, Jeanette. Perhaps the next one, then? Where ever it may be...

[AstroJunk]

You must have travelled all that way just to arrive in time for my talk Chris. Gosh, I'm touched ;)

[AstroJunk]

:sad:

[Outbackmanyep]

Hi Roger!
You won't be out of your depth, i will be doing a 20 min talk on how i do asteroid occultations at TTSO 4, which is pretty basic compared to the dudes with video equipment like Jonathan (Astrojunk)! Gees i hope i don't stuff it up and have you leave without any inspiration! :D

BTW Astrojunk, thats why i have to leave Walcha at 2:30am, to get there for your talk on Sunday!
I won't be there until lunchtime, and they're not gonna let me check in until 2pm at the place im staying at, i told them it'll be an 8 hour drive for me or so, i'll just see what the tools say when i get there!

See you all there! :thumbsup:

[markman123]

Have fun everyone - I hope someone does a mini report on this next week some time - would love to hear how it all was.

Does it happen annually or bi-annually? Hope to get there next time.

Mark

[AstroJunk]

Biennially (every two years)

Look forward to seeing you in 2012!

[rogerg]

Well, day 3 of NACAA today and I'm enjoying it. It's very inspirational - gets you wanting to go home and continue on your own projects. Which is good and bad, because I've been busy enough at home lately without doing any astronomy! :)

I've been surprised how professional the event is - from both an organization/running perspective and from the content. So many of the presentations by amateurs are really in my opinnion full of professional content. And then there's of course a couple of talks by professionals which have been great.

I've met a few new people but not many IIS'ers, in fact only Anthony I think. I keep wishing the badges had on them if the person is an IIS member :)

Looking forward to visiting Stromlo this evening for the BBQ event, never been there before so should be good.
:)
Roger.

[AstroJunk]

Hey Roger, I bet you met more iiisers than you realise!

As the event draws to an end, I have to contgratulate NACAA Inc, the Programme Committee and the Local Organising Committee (Canberra Astronomical Society) for a fabulous event.

The Berenice Page Memmorial prize went to Dave Gault for his superb contribution to the occultation world.

David O'Driscoll was absolutely on form and delivered a superb address that picked up best in show - the Astral Award.

The next NACAA in 2012 will be hosted in Queensland by the AAQ with the help of our friends in the other fantastic societies.

Terry Cuttle will be our Convenor, David O'Driscoll will make up the remainder of the Local Organising Committeee. I have been elected to the National board, and I am the 2012 Programme Chair.

All of the afore mentionned are ice-in-spacers :)

It is going to be a blast - watch this space :thumbsup:

[jjjnettie]

Woo hoo.
I'll be there with bells on.