Tonight's observing

[shelltree]

I'm going to my first astronomy night tonight! I'm attending the South East Queensland Astronomical Society Urban Observer's night, I am so excited!

[mozzie]

well have a great night shell hope its clear and you see heaps.moon not rising till around 11.00pm so plenty of time for viewing.

its clear here today so im set and ready for tonight woo hoo!!!!

[DavidU]

Enjoy it !
I will be observing Nimbus clouds again for about the 4th week straight.

[Paddy]

Hope you have a great night!

[shelltree]

Thank you everyone, I had a really great night! (besides scraping the plastic part on the front of my car getting over a gutter back onto the road, then stalling, then beeping my horn by accident and stopping to pull stick out from underneath my car...so embarrasing and yet absolutely hilarious once we made a quick getaway)

I almost felt like I was back at school again in the Astronomy Club and not knowing how to find anything and only really knowing some basic sky objects but it was still a load of fun. Met a heap of really nice people and it was my third time using my friend's 10" Dobsonian.

In her telescope I managed to find Venus, Saturn and Mars. I also had a look at Alpha Centauri, M7 and NGC 4755 (Jewel Box Cluster). My friend found M6 (Butterfly Cluster), Omega Centauri and M22.

We had a look at some other objects through another person's telescope (I think it was a Black Diamond 200mm reflector on an EQ5 mount). We saw a blue planetary nebula (NGC 3918), the Sombrero Galaxy and the Lagoon Nebula. It was absolutely breathtaking, especially the blue planetary nebula!! I attempted to find Omega Centauri and failed miserably even though I could see it with the naked eye! I just couldn't find it and only succeeded in finding it when my friend found it then pushed the telescope away from it but I think it was still in the general vicinity. It's all a learning curve though, I know one day I'll find it by myself :)

[Suzy]

Hi Shell :hi:
Great fun isn't it! I too attended one of Seqas's viewing nights when it was held at Indooroopilly (though only 3 other people were there as it was Easter Sunday):sadeyes:. I've seen pics that Johnno sent me of the new site at Bald Hills and it looks a great new site. Johnno is a great guy - was he there?

Glad to see your having so much fun. Next, go point that friends scope at the Wishing Well Cluster and the Carina Nebula, both in Carina - it's a treat!

So when do you get your scope????

[shelltree]

I don't think Johnno was there, I was nervous and forgot names :P The gentleman who had the Black Diamond was David I believe but I can't remember any other names except Julie who runs the show. She was great and extremely helpful!

I should have my telescope in about 5-6 weeks, so long as all my money goes according to plan...which it never does :P And I'll defintely have a look for those objects in Carina next time I'm observing with my friend :)