Some Naked Eye Stuff at SV

[barx1963]

Have just spent the Easter weekend at the Snake Valley Camp. A bunch of us who belong to the Colac Rock'n'Roll Dance Club hired it for our annual camp this year and luckily everyone enjoyed the weekend (luckily as it was my idea!)
Although there was a bit of moonage, I put in a and hour before moon rise to gape at the Milky Way and other stuff with just my eyeballs.
M7, Eta Car, the area around M8, Omega Cen, the LMC, Saturn, the Emu and the Coalsack, the Jewell box, were all clearly picked out. Spent a little time tracing a few constellations and trying to pick out some obscure ones.
Had to get up at about 5am to visit the WC and had another look. Moon was high but could still see heaps. Enif was above the hosizon and Venus was just poking over the trees on the other side of the lake as bright as I have ever seen her. If I could have stayed up Mercury, Mars and Jupiter would have followed. Then was treated to the ISS slowly moving acroos the the eastern sky, very bright and visible for over 5 minutes!
Nice to get out without all the gear and just look and enjoy the night sky. Also enjoyed listening to the birds around the lake, though I am fairly certain I heard a rabbit getting caught by an owl, which was not so nice.

Malcolm

[orestis]

Hi Malcolm,

Great to see you enjoying the night sky.It is always wonderfull to look at the splendour of the milky way from the countryside.

Cheers Orestis:thumbsup:

[Paddy]

Sounds a lovely evening Malcolm.

[Suzy]

Ah Malcolm, nothing quite beats a glorious sky full of shimmer and beauty. So relaxing, just to sit there and take it in. It's incredibly peaceful and shows us just how minute we are.
I don't have the incredible skies you saw at SV, but I really do feel when I just sit and take it all with nothing but my own eyes, I can breathe, really breathe. If that makes sense.

Would you believe when I attended my first star party at Ron's, I spent half of the time just sitting on Ron's deck with nothing but my naked eyes just taking it all in, despite Ron's 16" on hand and my binos on the floor next to me. :screwy::lol: Even my dob barely got used (it was dwarfed by Ron's 16" standing right next to it so I used his- no brainer :rolleyes::lol:).
:question: Note to self, when setting up at future star party, ensure one plonks scope next to comparatively sized or smaller scope. :ashamed: :lol:

And then I read your last line and I nearly feinted :scared2:. I went from a warm and fuzzy feeling within a second to horrified and sick. :scared2: Eeeeeow!
:lol: I cannot watch the Nat.Geo channel for this very reason, honest. :rolleyes:

[barx1963]

Thanks Suzy. I always find myself just enjoying the night sky whenever I go to Snake Valley or any astro camp with just the naked eye. And it is nice to just enjoy without worrying about the scope or dew or eyepieces or charts.
Sorry if I upset you with the other bit, not my intention, it may not have been what I thought but thats what it sounded like. Just part of nature I guess!

Malcolm

[Suzy]

No problem at all Malcolm, added to the reading experience. :eyepop: :lol:

[ballaratdragons]

Good on you Malcolm :thumbsup:

And just think, Eric and I were exactly 2.5k away from you at the SVAA clubsite with all sorts of gear set up and enjoying the sky.
Big SDM Dob, 6" refractor, 2 AstroVideo Cameras watching the sky 'live',
:lol:

But yeah, naked eye is soooo relaxing. :)

Gee, where did you get the idea of using the SV camp? :question: :rofl:

[barx1963]

Thought you might be out and about Ken. Must try and make it up to the club site sometime, seing as its only an hour away.

[danielsun]

Sounds like it was a great weekend Malcolm.:thumbsup: I just love that camp spot there with the lake, so peaceful and tranquil, probably would have seemed a little empty without all the scopes out there on the field.

Cheers Daniel.:)

[barx1963]

We had about 6 or so vans on the field, but it did look odd with no tents glowing in the night or red lights!