SE-Qld get together. Astron's place 25th Feb

[[1ponders]]

Now that Ron is finally back from his jaunting around Australia we can again impose on him and inundate his place with IISers for our monthly dark night get together.

When: Saturday the 25th Feb.
For those of you who haven't been to Ron's before I'll post a map later. Overnight accomodation isn't normally a problem. Bring a sleeping bag there is plenty of floor space, or bring a tent. There is plenty of room to set up scopes etc and power is available for the imaging fraternity. Bring some snags or similar if you want to throw something on the BBQ. (Ron feel free to amend any of this if I overstep the bounds of friendship :lol: ) We normally start to gather about 4:00 - 5:00 though if you turn up later please dim your lights when you come in through the gate.

Those attending:
Astroron
[1ponders]
Moonshine
Nightshift
Zubenel
Peter and his 30"er
Xeelee

[Moonshine]

I'll be there!! :campfire:

[Crash Nebula]

If I can, I'll come

[[1ponders]]

Good onya Charlie. It'll be great to meet you.

For those who need it here is a map and directions to get there.

[Moonshine]

I will bring my van for accommodation - too old for the tent stuff now :zzz2:
If there is not enough room at Astroron's for it I will plonk it in the Cambroon CP

Don

[[1ponders]]

Shouldn't be a problem, there's plenty of room but I'll check with Ron first.

Wonder where he is actually. Normally he's popped his head in and said Hi by now.


You out there in cyberspace anywhere Ron???? :)

[Moonshine]

All of your Ron's are belong to us!!:ship2:

[Nightshift]

Yep, count me in, it's one week before I dissapear on a four week caravan trip down to Melb and back so my last chance to use the scope for a month, look forward to it.

[Crash Nebula]

Ahhh! how far away from Brissy is that? Looks like a solid hour drive... or two

[Nightshift]

Charlie,

It is one hour from Brissy to my place (Nambour), you drive right past my house to get there so you would be welcome to follow me if you are not comfy with finding it. It is about 45 minutes from my place to Ron's through some very picturesque scenery, a pretty drive over the Blackall range. Let me know if you want to meet and follow me. Dennis.

[[1ponders]]

Let's see. Bris Vegas to Maleny about 45 - 50 min, Maleny to Conondale about 15-20 min, Conondale to Cambroon about 10 -15 min. So that makes it between an hour and ten minutes to an hour and 25 min (give or take 5 min. I don't go that way. Astro_south would be able to tell you, he's been there a few times coming from brissy). Or you can go via Nambour then down the Obi Obi Road :scared: out to Kenilworth and then to Cambroon in about an hour and 45 min.

[[1ponders]]

G'day Dennis. You've been quiet around the traps lately. :)

[[1ponders]]

Don, just got a pm from Ron and your caravan is fine, you'll just need to turn up early enough to find a flat spot (not a problem) in daylight

[Moonshine]

Thanks! I am looking forward to it! :)

Don

[Zubenel]

Hi Paul ,
Looking forward to a night at Ron,s as we were clouded out last time.We'll have to do the Nagler swap. Did you get to use the 12 at Lostock??I have modified my 10" to get a 35mm pan into focus by pushing the mirror forward. I hope Bill comes with the 25". Apparently the grass /jungle took yonks to cut. (keep the old bloke fit). Cheers Zubenel.

ps. From Burpengary it takes me about 1hour and 10 min to get to Ron,s through Melany. and 30 min to Chemside.

[astro_south]

I'm not sure if I will make it up....but if I do I will avoid setting up on your spot Zubenel :thumbsup: ;)

Will let you know closer to the event

[[1ponders]]

Hi Zub. I did get to use it once or twice, when I didn't have a camera attached to the scope :)

Yeah lets keep our fingers crossed for a nice clear night. I must admit though that the times I've been out there I've been fortunate enough to have good weather each time.

I can only imagine what the grass was like after two - three months away.

If you've pushed your mirror forward maybe it'll be enough to bring a DSLR to focus not :D

Haven't heard from Bill, but fingers crossed.

Look forward to seeing you there Andrew if you can make it

[Crash Nebula]

Argh I can't come. That's the night of my Cousins 18th Bday Party.

Sorry. :/ I will however be taking my scope there and will post some astrophotos i take, mmkay?

[Zubenel]

To 1 Ponders,
Looks like Bill is headed out to Leyburn next week end.
If a 7 day weather cycle is current we should be in for a good one.
Hey Ron, did you sell your 8" SC?? Cheers Zub.;)

[[1ponders]]

looking forward to it Wes. Getting sick of fine days and cloudy nights.

I got to use your 12 a couple of times. Spend most of my time imaging though.

Shame it's going to be cloudy out at Leyburn for him :lol:

[Xeelee]

Count me in

[Crash Nebula]

Ahh s'too bad I can't come, we are same age, same intrests, would have liked to meet you. oh well.

[[1ponders]]

There's always next month Charlie. Maybe you can talk Chrissyo into coming as well

[Xeelee]

Well my BAS obeserving sessions are on at the same time as this. But last time there was only 2 other people there.

I'm told more come during the winter.

[[1ponders]]

You'll certainly get more than two people here Chris. Some nights more than twenty, but 10 to 15 is about normal. About the best we've had is somewhere between 20 and 25 people.

[Moonshine]

Umm - anyone else in SEQ notice that we have had cloudy nights continuously for weeks? :mad2:

Don

[[1ponders]]

:( :( :( Yes :sad::sad::sad::sad:

I looked out at 7:30 last night and did a little jig as it was lovely and clear. I only took me 5 min to set up and by the time I had finished it was cloud from horizon to horizon. Hopefully I left it out for 2 hours and then the showers started. Pulled it all back inside. Half an hour later clear as a bell. At least the showers came back :(

(In the voice of Yoda) "Frustrated, I am! Mmmm?"

[Crash Nebula]

Last night ti was luvverly and bright, didn't want to set up on footpath by myself though, no one would come with me :(:doh:

[dhumpie]

Yeah it was clear last night. Too bad I was zonked out by work :(

Darren

[[1ponders]]

Any more takers for Saturday Night. I've put in an order for clear skies. :D

[astro_south]

Paul

Ian (gaa_ian) is in town and he is keen to come up. I am still a possible...won't know till later. Ian will be driving from the sunshine coast and might be looking for someone to follow from Maleny. If anyone can help him with a 'convoy' they can PM or e-mail me and I can put you in contact with him (just in case I can't get my leave pass signed :) )

[[1ponders]]

Yeah I spoke to Ian the other week and hopefully he'll contact me for directions or a lead out there.

Hope you can get away andrew. We haven't seen you for a while ;)

[Striker]

Hope the weather holds out for you guys...the forcast is not looking promising at the moment...lets pray.

[astro_south]

Unfortunately I can't make it up there this afternoon....hope you guys have a good one :thumbsup:

[[1ponders]]

It's not looking good atm. Showers forecast.:confuse3: I'll leave it til the last minute though.

[Moonshine]

Yup - looking pretty ordinary on the coast at present - I'll decide later on, but I don't feel like dragging the van for 2 hours or so to get rained on all night :shrug:

[[1ponders]]

If it doesn't happen tonight the moon is pretty good this week so there is always next weekend :D

But let's hope and keep out fingers crossed anyway

[jjjnettie]

Early last night it was very cloudy then cleared to quite pristine skies. Crossed fingers it will do the same tonight.

[[1ponders]]

I don't know what it's been like at Ron's lately but we've had rain here every night for the past four nights :(

[stinky]

Weeks of tease. Cloudy, clears, set scope up, cloudy, put scope away, clear ... ad nauseum

[jjjnettie]

My night of observing here has fallen through. Some seem to find going to the movies more enticing than a night under the stars/clouds.
So I'm taking an afternoon drive up to Kenilworth and see what happens up there.
Byeeeee.

[astro_south]

Well guys....what happened? Who turned up? What did you see? Photos? Astrophotos?

[Xeelee]

No photos I think but plenty of DEW

[[1ponders]]

Not the best of nights, but at least it didn't rain while I was there.

Roll call:
Astroron
jjjnettie
Xeelee and dad (Sorry Chris I've forgotten your dad's name)
Peter of the BIG scope (no scope unfortunately)
You'res truely.

Ground mist started to move in around sundown and hadn't lifted when I left around 9:30, though as I was driving away it seemed to be clearing. :shrug:

We did manage to get a bit of viewing in during breaks in the thin overhead mist. Bit of aperture from Ron's scope helped. Couple of galaxies, 2903 Centaurus A M104 and a couple of others. Few nebulas, Eta Car, Tarantula, Orion, planets mars and Saturn, couple of multiple stars, Omega Centauri, and just generally scooted around the sky.

It was interesting to notice the way different scopes dewed up differently. Xeelees white sct had a waterfall running off it, jjjnetties GSO silver dob was quite wet, yet my little 80 ED was hardly damp yet my finderscope lens was totally dewed...go figure??

Ast least we had the night out under the stars. Let's hope for a clearer night next Saturday night.

[dhumpie]

Well at least you guys got some dark sky action. Over here in Indooroopilly the skies were cloudy till after 11pm. Got out for about two hours before thin clouds spoilt the views close to 1am. Well it was okay as we had guest over till about 10.30pm. Overall not a bad night. Got some good views of the major objects in the southern sky plus a good view of old jove's belts.

Darren

p/s: finally got round to flocking the 10" dob :)

[Sausageman]

I went to our Aratula site on Friday evening, the forecast was for cloud and rain so I left the scope at home.
First port of call was the pub, where we celebrated the completion of our Solar power project, with a meal and a drink.
Drove on to the site and.......
You guessed it, it was probably the most perfect night I have ever seen there. I could see the magellanic clouds easily, so I relaxed with a beer and just looked up. The Milky Way was awesome.
The Starlight was so bright, I didn't need a torch to find my way around, I could see easily.
I'm never going to believe the weather man again.

Mike

[dhumpie]

That happens does it. And it sucks ;)

Darren

[Nightshift]

I stayed home after much deliberation, and I am glad I did as it sounds like it wasnt worth the drive. I set up on my rear deck as the skies cleared and had a reasonable poke around the south before, you guessed it, clouded over in 30 seconds and then rained on me, lucky I dived on the lens cap for the 12" before any rain hit the mirror, the ETX I threw a plastic bag over. Geeee I hate summertime in the tropics.

[dhumpie]

Highly unpredictable the weather is (as in Yoda speak)......

Darren

[[1ponders]]

Forecast isn't looking good for this weekend either :(

[Moonshine]

Excuse me Master Yoda - but highly unpredictable the weather is not! Constantly raining and cloudy it is! :poke:

[dhumpie]

As of last night it is :(

Darren aka Master Yoda

[jjjnettie]

Here's a couple of pics I took while we were setting up.
I should have taken a couple of the Tattoos that now grace my telescope.
( the things you do when it's overcast)
I had another great time at Master Ron's. Educational as well as very social.
Chris and his dad had their first heavy dew experience. Fun isn't it?
I gave up with my scope after my finder and mirror went foggy. Lucky for us Ron's scope was fully operational. Who needs a finderscope when you have Argo Navis?
Thanks for having us over Ron. We appreciate it.:thumbsup:
Jeanette

[astroron]

Thanks jjjannette,the scope hasn't seen any light since that night, it's either been cloudy, raining, or windy, I was hoping to get a look at the S/N in M100 but no luck so far, :( things might clear up by mid week, fingers crossed.
Good luck with the house. Ron:thumbsup:

[dhumpie]

Did you guys get any clear skies up there? All we got was rain and more rain :( Did anyone purchase a large scope recently.....

Darren

[[1ponders]]

The skies themselves were nice and clear Darren. Unfortunately the mist/fog was playing havoc with the tranparency, but every now and then a window of opportunity would open.

[jjjnettie]

Darren,
It seems you no longer need to purchase a scope to spoil the weather, just having a desire to observe will now bring the clouds rolling in. :lol:

[dhumpie]

Arrrggghhhh this cloudy/ rainy weather is driving me insane. Have not had the scope out in ages (the last time was two Wed ago) since I got it flocked. And the moon is going to get in the way this weekend....what is a person to do just for a minute of starlight time!!!!! Bugger it I am going to get the scope out this weekend even if it means looking at luna....

Darren

[jjjnettie]

A hah!!!
It's your flocking fault for all this rain.

( sorry but you left yourself wide open for that one Darren )

PS I can see myself deleted for this.

Tee Hee

[Zubenel]

Hi Guys ,
I have got up at 4.00am to find the Comet P___ski and found cloud every morning except this morning. AS clear as a whistle. Its a pity the comet is off the Feb Map?? I didn't find it. But wasn't the Large sag Cloud awesome. It's good to know that the stars are still there waiting for us!!

How is the week end of the 25th looking for Ron,s Place!! Cant wait.

Cheers Zub.:thumbsup: :hi: :D

[[1ponders]]

I'll be there along with a certain nagler wrapped in cotton wool :D I think it's feeling a bit neglected Wes as it hasn't been out of the eyepiece case since forever!