Pony Club 7th May ?

[Shano592]

What do you all think?

Apparently, we have a few days of really nice weather ahead.

[Rodstar]

Hi Shane, subject to (1) weather co-operation and (2) a leave ticket being issued by SWMBO, I am a starter.

[Deeno]

I have a 30th birthday party to go to. I'll try not to give in to peer pressure and behave myself as I really need a photon fix

[Zincberg]

I am a definite maybe!
My scope is back in its second home being serviced again..(actually, I think my home is its second home..lol).
If all goes well, I should have it back on friday..I will want to test it out ASAP after getting it back so it would be good to go up and see how it goes.
Dont forget that its mothers day on Sunday also is that needs to be worked into "brownie points" for anyone thinking of going up.

[Shano592]

Yeah, I wasn't planning on staying too late, as the mornings seem to be a lot cooler than they were a few months ago. Makes it a lot harder to get up the following day.

Andrew, what broke this time?

[Zincberg]

same old problem, I had to do some more tests to see whether it was the worm gear still or the main gear. was inconclusive but Bintel are on to it.

[ausastronomer]

I will be back on the Central Coast this weekend and weather and wife permitting, hope to get out there.

Cheers,
John B

[GTB_an_Owl]

i'm afraid the owl will be hooting in coffs harbour this weekend

mothers day and all that - visiting the daughter

hope you get clear skies

(keep the key till next week Carlie)

geoff

[Carlz]

Hey we wont be making it this weekend as we will be in Port Macquarie. Bummer :( Ok Geoff sorry i havent had a chance to drop it back, havent been over that way i will though ASAP.

Carly

[sally1jack]

thought i was out , but now a good chance if i get home in time
hope to see you there
phil :thumbsup:

[gb_astro]

Welcome back John.

I'm a maybe.

Do we have a confirmed key holder yet?

Greg.

[Allan_L]

I have a key and I have clearance to come.
weather permitting

Greg,
Can you bring that mount I lent you ?

Do we have a club house yet, does anyone know? :question:

[gb_astro]

Will do Allan.

Greg.

[Inmykombi]

If I go this weekend my voice will suddenly get around 2 octaves higher than it was this morning.;)

I cant make it as I am celebrating my youngest Sons 18th and Mothers day on the Sunday.

Have fun everyone.

Geoffro.

[ausastronomer]

Thanks Greg,

It will be good to get back out there again. It's probably 12 months since I was out there last.

I have really good conditions at Kiama to observe but haven't got any scopes down here yet. I have been up to the top of Saddleback Mountain which is only 5 minutes from home with my 16 x 60 binos and done some binocular observing several times, but some decent aperture will be a pleasant change.

Cheers,
John B

[Rick Petrie]

I guess that would be a 'swansong';):P

If I get a chance to go on sat. it will have to be an early one for me...with Mother's Day!!!!
Or it'll be my 'swansong':lol:

[norm]

I'm planning to be there too :)

cheers norm

[gary]

Hoping to get up there along with a visitor from the U.K who has not observed before.

[Allan_L]

Darn !
And I was going to bring the left over apple charlotte too. :P

[GTB_an_Owl]

no clubhouse key as yet (to my knowledge)

hope the clouds part for you all

geoff

[Inmykombi]

Did someone say " Apple Charlotte "

I am there for sure.:D

[Allan_L]

What clouds?
All looks clear here to me.

Just starting to pack the van (been busy)

Probably look to get there by 6

(Its not the same without the owl party pies, but lets push on regardless :)

[Rick Petrie]

Well folks we finally got some excellent seeing in at the PC.:)
Clouds held off for most of the night and a great roll up attended.
It was good to catch up with some of the old regulars and met a few new observers.
Got to look through some large aperture scopes (thanks Andrew and Rod)and there was some fine views through most scopes as the seeing was pretty damn good and touching brilliant at times.
We had to leave early unfortunately, but interested to know how the rest of the night went.
Cheers :thumbsup:

[gb_astro]

Thanks all.
A short but interesting night.
Good to see a few of the big boys back in the field.
And climbing Rod's ladder, I did feel a bit closer to the stars, :).
John thanks for poining out Antares B, never noticed it before.
Norm, your absence was noted.

Greg.

[norm]

Glad you guys had a good night. I couldn't get organised in time and had some work stuff that I couldn't postpone.

I did pull the scope out in the yard for a few hours, got quite dewy around 1130 onwards.

I was hoping there maybe a meet next week, but wife has reminded me the inlaws will be over to see Andre Rieu and I need to look after the kids :(

Next month hopefully !

Cheers Norm

[Rodstar]

What a lovely clear and still night. Yes, there was heavy dew by the end of the night, which required some drying time on Sunday, but wow, some of the objects we looked at at 400x were superb.

I have never seen Saturn so clearly and well resolved. It was superb.

The skies are not quite dark enough at the Pony Club to do justice to the galaxy clusters I had in mind, but we had some good views of various individual galaxies, globular clusters and planetaries.

Shame you couldn't join us, Norm :-(

It was great to have Gary K, Andrew Murrell and John Bambury join us for the first time in a while, great company guys! Gary explained to me why Stanley Kubrick was such a fine movie director, disecting 2001 A Space Odyssey for me. I will look out next time for all the references to birth and birthdays; I am looking forward to seeing Dr Strangelove (thanks Gary!).

Mai's sister's boyfriend was in tow, from the UK; he appeared to be a little overwhelmed with all the asrronomical info...I guess there is a limit to how much you can soak up in one night!!

AND.....what a fantastic surprise to see (and smell the stogies of) Rocket Boy! So glad you are OK, mate, I was a bit concerned when we hadn't seen or heard from you for a while.

Phil T is always great company, cheers buddy for your companionship, and also some funny chit chat with Joe put a smile on my dial! Also great to chat with Greg during the course of the evening.

Great to see Rick, Geoff (Kombi) and Allan too, although my hands were a bit too full to catch up with you guys properly - hopefully next time I am at the PC we can catch up properly.

It would seem that we are all very devoted to our mothers....I was the last one out, and locked the gate at about 12.15am. Very strange, as the sky was looking clear as a bell (having clouded up a bit in the previous hour or so).

I will be in Paris at the time of next new moon, seeing the sky upside down. I will try to keep you in the loop as I travel around France, and I look forward to seeing everyone in July.

[Deeno]

Good to hear you guys had clear night. It would appear I am incapable of behaving myself and plans of heading up went out the door with the second stein of larger. Mind you, it sounds as if everyone would have left by the time I would have arrived..............