Pony club reunion

[sally1jack]

Hi Guys,
I am proposing a Pony club / paintball reunion, after reading some threads i would like to try to re-united the central coast astronomers & have a meeting of goodwill ( & bbq ).
I showed up at the pony club 3 years ago & was welcomed by Geoff , Rick & Geoff the owl & it was great, I have made some valued friends from these nights.
So if everybody makes an effort including & maybe especially the original guys to come along & have a bbq with all us newbies, we can have nice time & get to know each other a little better.
I would like to add that one of the guys that helped me enormously was John Bambury to which i am great full for that help.John & his family have become friends to me & my family from this.
If you look at those original group there is a mountain of experience there that us newbies can enjoy, if we get to know each other a little better & understand different points of view we can work out our problems.
I am happy to help organise this event , i will suggest the new moon in Aug get there a few hours before sunset, maybe bring your family have a laugh followed by a few photon's
Just an idea
Phil :thumbsup:

[iceman]

Who's bringing pies for the pie warmer? :)

[Octane]

I'll be there in spirit.

H

[MortonH]

Sounds like a great idea!

[Rodstar]

Great idea Phil! I'll be in that, and I am sure the kids would love a family night under the stars.

[Shano592]

... and the pie warmer ?

[GTB_an_Owl]

no access to the clubhouse yet
still a work in progress inside i'm afraid

geoff

[ausastronomer]

Put me down as a starter. I will have to share someones scope as I don't feel like lugging mine almost 600km for one nights' observing. The Mary Rose perhaps ;)

Cheers,
John B

PS: I will need a bed, or a couch, or a horse stable or something Phil :help:

[ausastronomer]

Actually thinking about it, the 14" SDM will fit pretty easy, so I might bring that. While it is a little lacking in cubic inches, compared to the Mary Rose, I am sure a few of the guys might like to check out the Zambuto mirror.

Cheers,
John B

[gmbfilter]

Fabulous I'll be there

[sally1jack]

So Guys are we keen to have a bbq/observing night this new moon, maybe we can contact the original paintball guys & encourage them to come along & have a chin wag.
I dont have a portable bbq so if anyone has one that they could bring that would be great ', i'm happy to organize snags ,onion & bread , get there a few hours before sunset & have a bbq.
lets know who's coming & if you know some guys that are the oldtimers try to get them to come along as well.
what you think ?
phil :thumbsup:

[RB]

Phil great idea !
I've been away sick for a while now and hadn't seen this thread till today.

I'll be there, it'll be great to see everyone again.

LOL I may even bring a scope just to break tradition.....:lol:

[Irish stargazer]

Is this a free for all event?. If so and it's the weekend of the 18th, I'll bring the Weber BBQ and a scope.

[Rick Petrie]

Should be OK for this and hopefully drag the 14" along to take in some good winter objects. Bonus to have a BBQ as well and catch up on all things past and present.:thumbsup:

[gb_astro]

Hard to resist a sausage sizzle, so I'm in.

Greg.

[sally1jack]

Ok are we trying for the 18th , If John could bring his weber that would be great & as we get closer if we can firm some numbers ( family included ) i'll organize the snags,onion etc.
suggestion of about 3.00pm, the 18th free to come along & have a laugh
Phil: :welcome:

[Inmykombi]

I'm in.

My little MEADE coffee grinder might not have the aperture as some others, but it'll be there "whirring" its little heart out.:D

If I remember....:P I will bring some coffee and a camp style stove for boiling water, so bring a coffee cup along....


And RB....I reckon you should bring a scope along at least once:eyepop:

[mozzie]

geez it sounds like a great night you lot are having !!!!!!! iv'e been reading your threads and just may have to come down one weekend.......

i may camp with you pony clubers at iisac 2013 sounds like a lot of fun and heaps of stirring....

[sally1jack]

i may be out for the 18th now is the 25th available for everyone, :question: what is everyone thinking ?
phil

[Allan_L]

excellent!
We'd love to have you join us Peter.
We do have a lot of fun, and we do some astronomy too.
Not so strict as some,
see ya
al

[Inmykombi]

Havent seen you for ages mozzie.it would be great to catch up. 25th may be no good for me. We have a family do to get to.

[Carlz]

25th is better for Michael and I, as we both arent working that weekend.

[ausastronomer]

Hi Phil,

I can't make the 18th, but I am looking forward to coming up on the 25th.

Cheers,
John B

[RB]

LOL maybe we should split the difference and meet midweek (Wed 21th, 8am). :lol:

I'll come to either or both reunions, 18th or 25th.

:)

[Rick Petrie]

BBQ would be good but the moon's presence will be felt until well after midnight on the 25th.:shrug:

[Irish stargazer]

I'm good for the 18th and possibly the 25th

[gb_astro]

As Rick says the moon will not set until about 1:40am on Sunday 26th.
I'm not sure there is enough love to get us through till then. :)

Maybe September, if the the 18th Aug. is out?
Might be a bit warmer too.

If the weather is good on the 18th I guess a normal observing night
will happen regardless of the BBQ.

Greg.

[sally1jack]

ok i can't make the 18th & 25th the moon isn't playing fair so are people open to sept 15th, please lets know( it will be a bit warmer as well )
phil:thumbsup:

[RB]

sept 15th is fine for me.

:thumbsup:

[ausastronomer]

Hi Phil,

Put me down as a definate for the 15th September. It will be good to catch up with everyone again.

I am pretty sure Andew Murrell and Gary Kopff are going to try and make the 15th September also.

Cheers,
John B

[RB]

Awesome John !
Wouldn't be the same without you guys there !

:)

[Arthur Alchin]

Have an engagement party saturday night. ? Sept new moon might be a goer otherwise ill be at bretti in october.

Has been difficult to get to the pc due to shift work, personal illness and legal issues with the kids in canberra

[Irish stargazer]

Still on for the 15th? I'm in Ireland next week but should be back in time.

[gb_astro]

Hope so.
Greg.

[sally1jack]

Yep the 15th is still a goer as far as i'm concerned
phil :thumbsup:

[fauxpas]

Where do you meet (Can't find the actual address on google)? What times? You okay accepting a newcomer?

[Rick Petrie]

Hi Tony
You are certainly welcome to attend this meeting and any others at the PC.:welcome:
I think from a previous post the night will probably start about 3 PM so there will be a fair bit of light beforehand to indulge in a sausage sizzle, set up scopes, meet everyone etc.
Bring a scope if you have one but, if not,there should be plenty to view through on the night.
Welcome to IIS and meet you on the night.
There is a thread on how to get there at the start of the Star Parties section here, but if you are having trouble PM me and I'll give you directions.

[fauxpas]

Cheers for that. What time do you guys go to? I'll likely be coming back from a party in Sydney...

[Rick Petrie]

Depending on the roll up and how good the weather/sky is, then sometimes we go to early hours of the next morning, some of the diehards have been known to see the sun rise.:P
If you do come later, then it is usual etiquette to try and keep any bright lights to a minimum as you enter the access road and the field. Most people usually arrive before it is totally dark to set up etc.
You are still most welcome to arrive whenever you can make it. See you there.:)

[Allan_L]

Follow the directions in the thread in the "sticky" section, and as you travel down the road nearing it, you will see a yellow road sign on the left with a pony.
Put your right blinker on thenand slow down.
The next gate on the right is it.

If it is already dark, slow down as you approach the clubhouse, there is a gate to the main field just before the clubhouse.

I wont be there this month, but I know Rick and the regulars will make you feel very welcome.

Hope to meet you next time (as I am vacationing in SA at the moment)

[bones]

Sorry all, but I can't make it this weekend. It would have been good to see you all again but I'm out Hill End with my son looking for some yellow stuff. Hopefully I'll do better than last time, all I found was nails, bullets, nails, bullet shells, nails, screws, nails, ring pulls from cans, nails, cans, and of course I can't forget to mention nails.
Tony

[sally1jack]

Ok Is everybody interested in a bbq sat arvo , if so i will organize the snags & so on , can someone bring there bbq as i don't have a portable one, & can we get some numbers of who's coming & at what time , i suggest 3.30 or 4.00
Any suggestion are welcome
phil :thumbsup:

[ausastronomer]

Hi Phil,

I will come to your place and we can go from there in one car. I should get to your place about 2:00pm.

I will be bringing my new "baby" SDM. This is a 10"/F5.3 SDM with Mark Suchting mirror. Peter and his wife Kim delivered this to me last weekend, so this will be first light. The woman in the photo is Peter's wife Kim.

Cheers,
John B

[Irish stargazer]

I have Weber Q200 which I will bring

[gb_astro]

I'll be there about 4pm.
I'll bring the potato chips.
Weather is looking ok.
Greg.

[fauxpas]

do i have to byo table for my huge beginners dob?

[sally1jack]

Thanks John

[Inmykombi]

I have had Bronchitis for a few weeks now.
If I am feeling better I will be going. I may just come along scopeless and
" rent-a-scope ".

I hope its a cracker of a night.

[Arthur Alchin]

Change of plans, might be able to attend scopeless also for a short time, have to get up 0500 hrs sunday morning to go to work

[Allan_L]

I am in Canberra on the last leg of our around Australia trip.
Not sure if we will be home in time.
Possible scopeless on way home if I can convince Jo. :question:

[Irish stargazer]

Hope you can make it Allan

[Inmykombi]

Just awaiting Arthur to pick me up and then we will be on our way.
See you all there....

[GTB_an_Owl]

sorry folks
can't make it to-nite
i am a little under the weather and have been handed an emergency with some of the websites we host
a couple have been hacked and i need to get them back up and running

was looking forward to a couple of snag sambo's too

geoff

[Rodstar]

Hi all, I will try to make it, but I will be very late. My eldest is performing in a concert tonight, he should be home by 10ish, so hopefully I can get up there by 10.30/11.00pm. By then the skies should have cleared....

[fauxpas]

I won't be there, my scope hasn't turned up :(

Someone else bought the same scope from the same website and got it in a day... I've been waiting all week for mine...

[Irish stargazer]

Just got home. Thanks to everyone who showed up and many thanks Phil for providing the food.
Here is my first draft image from the evening with the Tokina 11-16mm lens. Still some work to do here

30 second subs ISO 1600

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8182/7988312470_75aa48c18c_k.jpg

20 second subs lower ISO- looks cleaner

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8458/7989811821_f491e4ec38_k.jpg

[Rodstar]

HI all, glad I arrived when I did (10pm), had it been any later, no one would have been there! Bit disappointed that so many had already left, but it was good to catch up with those still there - Rick, Greg, Joe and (new) Geoff. Thanks for the coffee Rick, Greg I look forward to checking out the form of your new mirror when it arrives, Joe always a pleasure mate, and Geoff thanks for the quick view through your 16" Lightbridge (about 30 seconds) before clouds completely blocked our Delphinus!

[Allan_L]

Sorry we did not get home until midnight.

But I will be looking to get the scope out and make sure it still works if anyone wants another night up the hill, or wherever

[gb_astro]

Yes, a short but enjoyable night.
Phil, thanks for the food.
Turn out was a bit dissapointing though.
Maybe we could try another BBQ around Xmas.
Greg.

Edit: Also the excellent fireball a few of us saw early in the evening.

[Rick Petrie]

A very pleasant evening with just the few who turned up. As Greg said, a little disappointing to see that not many of the original 'old boys' were there. The BBQ was a great idea Phil and thanks go to John for all his help and all.
The sky was quite good despite the early arrival of clouds that shortened the viewing. Thanks for the views guys through all the binos and scopes and it was nice of Rod to make the effort after what he has been through of late. Till next one. Cheers:thumbsup:

[Inmykombi]

Great to see those who made the effort to turn up for the Barbie and a laugh. Thanks Phil and Letitia for the snags and who did the cooking. mmmmmmmmmm snags and kebabs hit the spot.... Thx to Rick for the kebabs....

Not as many there as I expected.

Anyway, thx for all the views through everyones scopes.

When I shake this Bronchitis, I will be back to my old self....getting there early and staying till late.