The weather is one element that we don't have any control over and while the conditions have been less than perfect the guests always manage to enjoy themselves. It's not often drought breaking weather hits our region, the last was over 10 years ago.
Chasing clear skies a year out from an event sounds a little like a Don Quixote moment.
On the positive side we will be able to consider watersports as a feature at BSG 2011 with the boat shed now less than 200 metres from the lake.
As for clear skies, any paddock, park, remote property on any clear night will give you all the night sky to see in its glory. The only thing missing will be the professional guest speakers, the comradarie of not often seen friends and everything else a star party brings.
See you at BSG 2011
Quote:
Originally Posted by ausastronomer
Hi Petra,
I will send the feedback form back on the weekend. Just to add my comments which I have already discussed with you at BSG.
As you know I have been to every Border Stargaze (4), as a 3RF representative. Myself and 3RF will continue to support it every year, irrespective of when it's held. Outside of the weather and the fact the skies could be a fraction better, it gets a tick in every box. It is held at an excellent venue. It caters extremely well for families and more specifically the non astronomy component of families (Hi David  ) . Most importantly it is extremely well organised and invariably runs like a clock. As I have mentioned to you previously this is the closest star party I have been to in Australia, which resembles the Texas Star Party (1000 people) in how well it is organised. In addition the comraderie at BSG is excellent.
However, one cannot get away from the facts. The main fact is people go to star parties to observe themselves, to image or to look through big telescopes which they don't normally have access to. The later is the main reason myself and 3RF support the event. In 2007 we got a couple of hours observing on the Friday night under very mixed conditions. After midnight on the Friday was a complete wipeout as was the Saturday. In 2008 we had 3/4 qtrs of one night of good observing conditions, with the last part of the night a wipeout. The second night was again a complete wipeout. In 2009 we got a couple of hours of observing under good conditions. The balance of that night and the next day was again a complete wipeout. This year I didn't even get the eyepiece case unpacked. The sum of all this is that in the past 4 years we have had about 10 hours total observing/imaging time. Over those past 4 years my total travelling time to and from BSG has been about 56 hours. Crunching the numbers, I have spent over 5 times longer getting to and from BSG than I have spent observing and running sky tours. Clearly those people who are happy to continue to hold it at the same time of year haven't been every year, haven't been wiped out every year and don't travel 7 hours each way to get there. That all having been said, irrespective of when it is held next year I will be back, because it is a great star party. It has the potential to be one of the best in the country if it can be held at a time of year when the weather is likely to be more co operative, because then it gets a tick in an extra box.
Cheers,
John B |