Where is your Observing site

[gaa_ian]

OK ... we have done the very popular "What mod's have you made"
So now tell us about your observing site, what's good about it & perhaps show us a picture :cool:

Here is our club (Gove Amateur Astronomers) DSS between the airport & the mine.
Not perfect dark skies but close enough to town that people will still travel from town to get there.
The site is marked with a red square.

[ving]

cant really beat that...
this show my rig too tho! :)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v46/ving68/8inch_dob/Dsc03554.jpg

my backyard.

[gaa_ian]

Yep ..I've got a site like that too:astron:
in my front yard ...shaded from the street lights
Just right for dragging the Dob out for a quick hr of so of viewing when time permits.

[rumples riot]

Back yard of my Unit. 2 metres x 1.5m with pier in development to get a little higher.

[Striker]

I have built a professional concrete based floor observatory....most people call it a driveway....lol...

[gaa_ian]

With a professional observatory like that you will have to apply fro a research grant :astron:

[ballaratdragons]

Up on the hill in the back paddock.

4 street lights in the whole town and one of them (at front of my property) shines all the way up there!!! :mad2:aaarrrrgggghhhh!

Neighbour won't let me shoot it out.

[ballaratdragons]

Oops! I need to learn how to send photos the right size.

Sorry everyone. :ashamed:

Hope Mike can fix it.

[ving]

mike the admin!
can he fix it?
yes he can!

:P

[iceman]

Goddamn Ken that was some attachment! I've resized and reduced quality to meet the image guidelines.

Use any photo editing software to reduce to 800x600 or smaller, and depending on the program, when you save as jpeg you can choose the quality - choose a quality where the saved file is less than 60k.

Try irfanview - it's free (just google it).

[ballaratdragons]

Sorry Mike but you must have changed the size whilst I was trying too. You may have to check it again.

I have worked out how to get it smaller! Thanks.

[Exfso]

Ok here's mine, roll off roof job between back of house and garage. Tak not shown, did not have it when photo taken.

[ving]

its still monsterous!!! :eyepop:

[gaa_ian]

Very good .. I like the roll off roof observatory.
Having all you gear set up ready to go must be good.
Little effort required = more time observing:astron:

[rmcpb]

My most common viewing area is my backyard but the trees are a problem!! Get a narrow view to the north, south east and east. West is a wipe off as I have to go out the front and there are two street lights there :(

My dark sky site is Narrabri where my family live. No neighbours for at least 3km :)

[[1ponders]]

My favourite viewing site,

[[1ponders]]

and inside

[iceman]

Awesome Paul!

[[1ponders]]

:D

[gaa_ian]

Wow ....:cool:
That is impressive, would this happen to be your observitory paul ?

[[1ponders]]

I wish Ian :P This is the Mapleton Observatory on the Sunshine Coast, about 5-10 min from where I live. I run the occasional public viewing night here. Fortunately though I can use the facility whenever I want when its not booked out for viewing nights. Nice skies there at night.

[[1ponders]]

BTW Anyone is welcome to come up and play if I'm there. And if I know you're coming I'll make sure I'm there.

[RAJAH235]

Hi Guys,
Nice neat looking Observatory Paul. What a position to be in, eh! You can tell people that the *equipment* broke down,when there is a major event coming up!!!*snicker, snicker*.
:wink2:

[RAJAH235]

Hi Guys, Here's our site,with first arrivals last night.(W.C.on right).

[gaa_ian]

Thought it was time to bring this thread up Again
Lots of new forum members now
So where do you observe from :astron:

[janoskiss]

My backyard usually. The house is a "poo-poo"-hole but the backyard is awesome! I think I'll go ahead with the cheap digital camera purchase tomorrow, which means there'll be a pic at the end of this post soon.

[ballaratdragons]

Laurie,

I hope that mountain in the way is in the South West!

[rumples riot]

This is my observing site. Love the new deck. Located at Blackwood in the Mount Lofty ranges. Pretty dark for this close to the city.

[ballaratdragons]

That is looking great now Paul.

Watch that first step, it's a doozy!

[gaa_ian]

Your observatory is looking great Paul
How do you go with the neighbours lights, they look pretty close by there ?

[acropolite]

Works in progress on the driveway, no observatory (no proper scope yet either :() but lotsa sky (and sheep.....eat ya heart out Ken!) :D

[Striker]

That house is bloody huge.......Can I be your friend.....I could see myself relaxing in that back yard......
I didn't even know they had house in Tazmania.....
http://www.users.on.net/~striker/man_enjoying_coffee_mug_lg_nwm.gif http://www.users.on.net/~striker/man_lochness_in_whirlpool_lg_nwm.gi f

[RAJAH235]

Ken, See edited pic. Just trees about 30 degs. hi on E & SE. L.

[acropolite]

Had the house 5 years, bought the land and built the house for not much more than a house block costs in Sydney's outer suburbs.

[Astroman]

This is my little Observatory in my backyard in the Northern Suburbs of Adelaide.

http://www.theastroweb.com/astronomy/observatory/observatory2.jpg

Good views but Neighbours trees have out grown the little thing.

[ballaratdragons]

I have discovered Tony's favourite viewing spot.