No Venus Transit for me :(

[Screwdriverone]

Hi all,

Not happy Jan......

I had June 6-8 all booked in for annual leave with work so I could happily watch and capture the Venus transit (last one for my lifetime - and my first to view, ever) with my spanking DBK21AU618 and solar filter etc....

Turns out, the outdoor wireless LAN system I have been waiting a month to install in Qld for a mine company, just so happens to be needing to be installed on the week of 3rd-8th June, which means I will be working the whole time and wont even get a CHANCE to view this awesome phenomena......personally.....

Pissed off to say the least.

I will be 3 hours out of Townsville in (hopefully sunny) QLD, but won't even get the chance to take this all in when it happens....:(

Looks like I will have to settle for some serious activity here for my fix of this last chance of a lifetime event.....

To say I am disappointed does not even cut it, not in the slightest.

Far out brussel sprout! :sadeyes:

(no Cheers :( )

Chris

[Poita]

Oh man, that really sucks.
No chance of having to duck out to get parts during the transit?

[Ric]

That's a severe bummer Chris.

You don't know any good doctors who can write you a certificate for something from the 3rd to the 8th

Then again there may be some amateur astronomers at the mine site so all may not be lost.

[Octane]

:cough: :cough: :sniffle:

I can feel a cold coming on...

H

[Liz]

Do you have much time in Townsville before you head out west Chris?? A couple of us will be set up in town in front of the Museum.......about 15 min from Airport.

[DavidTrap]

I'll be nose to the grindstone at work too Chris...

Hopefully the weather obliges for November!

DT

[AstralTraveller]

An outdoor wireless LAN you say?? Don't those things need to be 'calibrated' against the solar surface using specialised instrumentation at just the right moment. Something about correcting for the disjobsux effect.

Seriously though .... once in a lifetime ....

[sheeny]

Yeah... or at least IIS eclipse glasses!:thumbsup:

Al.

[DavidU]

LOL, beautiful !

[skysurfer]

Minimal equipment is a solar filter (e.g. Baader) and your eyes. The transit can be seen without optical device as Venus is rather large. I saw Venus in 2004 without telescope as a black spot on the Sun much more contrasty than sunspots.
So you have a good chance to see it !

[bojan]

Quite so :thumbsup:

[Matt Wastell]

Bummer!

[traveller]

I will be working too, but am seriously thinking of taking my 60mm with home brew solar filter to share the experience with others.
Bo

[Screwdriverone]

Hi Peter, I will be outside, but will be working flat out installing the equipment, unfortunately, I will have the binoculars with me as I need to ensure the alignment of the antennae, so I might be able to see it, if I am lucky....



Not likely Ric, but here is hoping....;)



Probably wont help H, but thanks for the thought.



Love to Liz, but will be on site (3 hrs SW) of Townsville, from 9am Monday morning. Will be in South Townsville on Sunday night probably for dinner and some brewskies, in case anyone might want to have a drink? PM me if anyone wants to catch up.



Bad news David, whats on in November?



HA HA HA HA HA, hmmm, I might be able to wangle that.....maybe, nice one! Yeah, bummer, once in the rest of my lifetime sucks badly. Especially since I was planning to photograph and video this.....:(

I think I might still have some old 2009 China eclipse glasses....might see if I can find these Al, otherwise, I have the DSLR with me and my baader film scraps (as well as my 50mm off axis filter I made up with this.....thanks Al.



Hmmm, yep, see above, for the new plan, hopefully....



Yup, 'tis Matt.



Might do the same too....if I have room with all my tools and gear.

Thanks everyone.

Cheers

Chris

[mozzie]

what a dead set bummer!!!!!!!!!

like all of us you have probably been looking forward to this for years!!!!

[Screwdriverone]

Hey Peter,

Yep, a real bummer, waiting for this for a few months at least...;) I was all set too....crap it all...

Cheers

Chris

[stephenb]

:cough: :sniffle: I think I've caught it from you somehow... :whistle:

[Octane]

It's contagious. :)

H

[Jen]

:rofl::rofl::rofl: Thats gold LOVE IT!!!!!!
disjobsux affect buahahah :rofl::rofl:

Oh no Chris i only just managed to get my S**T together today thanks to IIS peeps and a very cool boss :D
Are you sure your not coming down with a cold or something im sure there is a few astro doctors here on IIS that could write you out a certificate :lol::lol::lol:

[Screwdriverone]

Nope Jen,

Unfortunately, I get myself into a position where I am the only one who can do the job that needs to be done, problem with that is that no-one else can fill in or even do it if I am sick.

I'll just have to wait 100+ years for the next one.

Chris

[mishku]

You couldn't flex out your hours over the day, to have a chance to at least observe first/second contact, a few minutes in the middle, and then third/fourth contact? Or start early/finish late (or a bit of both?) Obviously not ideal, but at least you won't miss it completely.... What's a few hours between friends?

[Screwdriverone]

Nice idea Mish,

But we will be flat out for the whole 5 days, including working into the night doing testing and approvals.

**** happens, I just have to deal with it, getting sick of having to though, just want a break sometimes....

Cheers

Chris

[Nico13]

Hey Chris,
Sad you gotta work mate, I've got the day off but we've had two months of cloud down here so I could be standing out there with all the gear set up and nothing to look at.
Yep get those binocs out end enjoy what you can. ;)

[Screwdriverone]

Hi Ken,

Yup, I will try to make the most of it, knowing my luck it will probably be raining anyway...lol

Cheers

Chris

[Ric]

And another one bites the dust. :(

I been waiting for a Certificate IV course in Training & Assessment to start as the organisers have been waiting to get at least the minimum numbers to run it.

Can you guess, they now have the numbers and it starts next Wednesday.

To say I'm cheesed off is an understatement. That guy Murphy and his laws need blowing up. :mad2: :mad2: :mad2:

I'll be taking my eclipse glasses with on the day, hopefully I'll get to see a bit during the coffee breaks and lunch.

[Jen]

Awww not you too Ric :shrug:

[Screwdriverone]

Wait! Hold the phone....!!!!:prey:

Seems there has been a reprieve, due to the bad weather causing the mine site to be a quagmire and they are running behind....

Yet to be confirmed tomorrow, but it seems like the delay of a week, means I WILL be able to view the transit (I have to ask my boss to retake the leave day) after all!

YAY! :)

Cheers

Chris

[Jen]

:2thumbs::2thumbs: woohooo way to go Chris :thumbsup:
I can now picture you running around frantically getting all your solar gear and camera together :lol:

[mithrandir]

From where were you planning on viewing Chris? Sydney's forecast is not good.

[Screwdriverone]

LOL, nope Jen, as I said....its ALL ready, just this job stuffed it all up. All I have to do now is talk the boss into reinstating my A/L day for Wednesday AAAAAAND hope the weather is clear...

Cheers

Chris



Really???? Bugger!, although, the total solar eclipse in China was clouded over, the sun was so bright it punched through the clouds to give a great show anyway....here's hoping.

Anyway, Karma or the gods that I have been praying to, seemed to have answered part of my call, maybe I need to do a rain dance, to make the clewwwwwwds dissssssaaaaaapppppppeeeeaaaaarrrrr !

Cheers

Chris

[Liz]

Great news Chris!!!!! May the weather Gods be kind to you. :astron: