Public Viewing Night at Parramatta Park Sydney - FREE Heritage Festival Event

[Inmykombi]

Hi all.
I just found out about an Event in Parramatta Park on the 24th April presented by Parramatta Park Trust in association with Sutherland Astronomical Society, Astronomical Society of New South Wales and Western Sydney Amateur Astronomy Group to bring Amateur Astronomers and the Public together to see through some telescopes and attend some talks etc.

I have put my hand up to help them out and was just trying to see if anyone else was interested in attending and bringing their equipment on the night.

Here is a link for more information.

http://www.ppt.nsw.gov.au/things-to-do/events-1

Cheers.

Geoffro.

[En1gma]

its just down the road so i'll go if i have nothing on

rob

[Inmykombi]

Good on ya Robert .

Its just down the road from My sons place too, so I can stay down there for the night..

[Inmykombi]

Thx for the info,
I had no idea about Macquarie UNI on the same night either.
My post here may be a late one, but there may be others that can help.

I can't help with Macquarie UNI, but I have contacted the parramatta park directly to offer my help for their night.

Hope others could too.

Thx

Geoffro

[iceman]

Andrew - your info is better posted in a new thread. I've moved it to a new thread.

Here's some more info regarding the Parramatta Event:

[Inmykombi]

Thanks very much for the info Mike.

I hope a few others besides me can make it.
I always get a buzz out of showing the public whats up there.

Cheers

Geoffro.

[seeker372011]

Geoff and anyone else interested in supporting the event..dont forget to register in advance with Susan Clunie and let her know your car rego number..that way you can drive right up to the observing field with your scope-

if the weather is good you can expect a very large crowd-last year it was cloudy and there was lightning in the distance and still very many people showed up.

[Inmykombi]

Thx Narayan,

I have spoken to Sue Clooney and she was supposed to send me an email for more details, though she hasnt as yet.

If you have a contact email for her, please PM me with it and I will give her my car rego details etc.

Cheers

Geoffro

[seeker372011]

PM sent

narayan

[En1gma]

Hi All,

I will also be attending to this one.

If anyone requires a google map image sent from sue. Let me know.

Rob

[Inmykombi]

All details sorted now,
I will be there about 5 ish saturday arvo to set up.

See you there and I hope the weather is as good as it has been this week.

Cheers.

Geoffro

[Robh]

I was there on the night (Parramatta Park).
After setting up scope, it began to rain and we all had to get out plastic sheets and tarps to cover equipment. Unfortunately, the weather was not very kind to us, with only a few small and very brief openings in the clouds throughout the evening.
Considering the weather, there were still visitors who attended the talks and were keen to see something- the odd Moon crater view or a brief look at Saturn. There were many questions about scopes and a few interesting conversations about the origin of life on Earth and the Universe itself.
Volunteers made the best of poor conditions (we're used to it), with club members engaging in good humour and talking about life in general.

There was some talk of perhaps holding another night around June sometime as there were many disappointed kids on the night.

Regards, Rob.

[Inmykombi]

Hi Rob, I think you have described it just as it was.
Very disapointing for all the visitors, but a lot of them seemed to make the trek down to the visitors centre where the talks were being held, which I hope was a treat for all of them.

I set up on the Cricket Pitch at the end of the line of cars, and only managed to show one family a view of the Moon between clouds and just before the rain came down.
I just got my scope away in time.

At the end of the night , I was speaking to the Park Rangers who said there may be another Astronomy night this coming June perhaps. Lets hope the Weather is better.

Thanks to all the other dedicated folks who braved the Weather to set up.
I gotta say that 30 inch Dob was a Monster Scope....:eyepop:

Cheers.

Geoffro.

[Robh]

Yes, that scope was something to obsess over (30" Obsession)! I think the visitors were suitably impressed. You would have to be damn careful getting up and down that ladder at night to see through the eyepiece.

Regards, Rob.