Blue Mountains, 7th May - Katoomba Airfield

[mental4astro]

Hi all,

It has been too long since a good photon fix has been had. If the sky is clear I'll be up at Katoomba Airfield this coming Saturday night.

Rod's asked me to mention that if you do go up, stick your head in the door of his office to say g'day so he knows who and how many folks are up there. I'd suggest taking a six pack too.

Any one got some firewood to throw into the combustion heater? Otherwise some will have to be bought.

Cheers,

Alex.

[sasup]

would love to come but im doing a coastal ocean trip and Ill be shattered

[dulwich.hill]

Yep, I'll be there if the clouds are still hiding!

[Wavytone]

Perhaps a telescope should be sacrificed to appease the weather gods :) Anyone got an old wooden dob they no longer want ?

I'll show if I'm not flying on the day.

[ArcaneMagik]

Depending on my uni work load I hopefully will be able to come.

Maybe I can cut myself slack and count it as practical astronomical study.

Count me as a maybe dependant on the weather and how the rest of my week goes.

[eclipse]

At this stage I don't think that we will be able to come. Hope the weather is good for you all.

Les and Deb

[AG Hybrid]

I'll be there. I won't be holding my breath though if history is any indication.

[ArcaneMagik]

I have 3 chapters of physics i need to work through. So as long as I can get that done, I will be free to come up. That and having enough dollars for petrol. Damn being a pov student.

[mental4astro]

It's looking good! It's looking GOOD!

[mental4astro]

I use this site from the Scenic Skyway at Katoomba (http://www.scenicworld.com.au/index.php?option=com_wrapper&view=wrapper&Itemid=44) to help me gauge the sky quality up there.

Right now the Megalong Valley is filled with "cotton wool" and the tops of the ridges forming islands. Just Beautiful.

[GeoffW1]

I can't make it :( due to emergency grandchild minding.

I've fixed my Synscan difficulties too.

Ah well

[orestis]

Good luck to you guys:thumbsup:,

Alas Katoomba is way too far for me(about 5 hour drive:eyepop:).

Cheers Orestis:thumbsup:

[ArcaneMagik]

*sighs* Woke up with a sore throat. That counts me out.

I wish you clear skies and have fun guys.

[yusufcam]

if the sky looks clear when i finish work i'll try and get up there.

hmm..... which scope(s) to take?

is dew a big issue up there?

no wood here, but i'll chip in if i make it

if not enjoy

[mental4astro]

Colin, your 8" dob!

I'm hoping to leave home by 4.

[Wavytone]

Webcam shows it is calm and clear, though somewhat hazy - not as transparent as it can be.

[AG Hybrid]

hope to be there before 7

[Ket]

I'll head up with my 10" dob

[morls]

Hope the skies were clear at Katoomba...hope to get up there next time.

[AG Hybrid]

Turned out to be a nice evening. It clouded over for about an hour with a bit of high cloud. Great turn out though, the concrete block was once again full of scopes. Not one of them was the same either. Lots of good discussions about equipment and what not.

The sky was spectacular as usual with minimal light pollution for our proximity to Sydney. Milky way was clearly visible streaming across the sky from north east to south west. It only got better as the galaxy centre raised higher over Sydney.

Seeing did turned to rubbish later on though when the wind picked up. Looking at saturn at even x180 was a pointless exercise. Mind you when omega centuri was up at zenith the views were pants crapping material as Alex will happily attest to. :)

[yusufcam]

first time out there and i was impressed with the seeing (during the early part of the night).

figured it had to be the extra height ( 1000ft ). wouldn't have thought it would make such a difference if i hadn't have went and saw it for myself

nice people, nice night

[Ket]

fantastic night indeed. Damn you Adrian :) (for letting me use your explorer EP in my scope). I now want to get some decent ep hehehe

[AG Hybrid]

It was bound to happen eventually :P