Quote:
Originally Posted by rmcpb
Steve,
Battling light pollution is the bane of all urban atronomers but big improvements can be made.
A few simple tricks to try at Meadowbank Park: - Fit a dew/light shield on the front of your scope to keep the off axis light off your objective lense. This can be simply made out of an old manilla folder to start with and need only be about 100-150mm long.
- Wear an eyepatch over your observing eye to preserve dark adaption. This is the main problem with light pollution, your eyes never gain that dark adaption needed to see really faint objects.
- Make a viewing hood that goes over your head and eyepiece when you are actually viewing. Get under this then take off your eyepatch, observe then put your eyepatch on before coming out again.
Then comes the other plug for an astro society WSAAG. Linden should be close to your chosen limits for an observing trip. I can make it from Woodford to Pymble in about an hour with the motorways now.
Cheers |
Hey, cool, we can even pretend to be pirates!
Arrrr! I will see about the observing hood. The scope already has a dew shield of the proper length, so I don't think there is much I can do in that regard.
Quote:
Originally Posted by astronut
Hi Steve,
We at The Macarthur Astronomical Society, located in Campbelltown are always happy to help.
We observe out at The Oaks (west of Camden) from your location it would be approx 1hr 15min trip. I know this above your time, but we have have very dark skies.
Contact me if you're interested.
Cheers, John.  |
Ah, maybe we have a friend out that way who might put us up for the night or something... or we can drive really fast, haha.
Quote:
Originally Posted by xelasnave
Great advice Rob.
Steve take a run up to Mount White (I lived on the river just down from there) during the day and check out the areas a little to the West.
Its close time wise for the both of you and I recall it was reasonable where I was one the river but up on the hills should be great.
OR come up home for a weekend its only 750 klms and its real dark, 200 acres, no neighbours, can not see any lights anywhere or even detect a glow from the nearest big town 70 klms to the South after the forest and rural land, no street lights (hardly a street really, and I am in the State Forrest,
I get maybe 100 seconds exposure in Sydney if real lucky but thats an exception....but up there managed 45 minutes on a wide field which still could have run longer,, you can see the clouds in the Milky Way ... the bright stars are the only annoying "lights".
In fact if anyone wants a spot to camp you would be most welcome..
alex
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I will keep it in mind alex, thanks.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Kal
The darkest Sydney skies I have seen have been out at the ASNSW 'local observatory' (also known as Crago observatory) at Bowen Mountain, just NW of Richmond. While you won't be able to use the clubs observatory (you need to be a member and do an accreditation programme) I'm sure that you would be more than welcome to share the dark skies. There is a link on the ASNSW web page including a map if you are interested: http://www.asnsw.com/ |
That seems to be a pretty good location, thanks Kal
Much thanks to every one for your advice, you guys are all fantastic!
Cheers,
Steve