newbie asks: recommended viewing locations north of sydney?

daveyoung (David) · #1 22-10-2006, 06:27 PM

Hi, broke all of the recommendations, went and bought myself a scope BEFORE joining an astro club ;-) I am located in Artarmon (about 4km nnw of Harbour Bridge), and am looking at finding a dark, level site, without reasonably clear horizon for viewing (hopefully tonight). I am happy to travel upto an hour from where I live, and was thinking of heading north up the F3. Alternate routes/recommendations welcome.

Can anybody recommend anywhere in particular, on public land, with easy access (by car), reasonably dark and where the horizon is relatively unobstructed?

I will be lugging an 80mm APO refractor on an EQ3 mount, and also have a set of really old 12x50 binoculars (WWII vintage) I inherited from my grandad. I am holding off replacing them until I've met other people with binos for comparison upon the night sky.

best regards,

Dave Young

iceman (Mike) · #2 22-10-2006, 06:30 PM

Hi Dave.

to the forum! How did you hear about us?

Probably a bit short notice for tonight, but next Saturday we'll be meeting up at Kulnura (we usually do it on new moon, but it was raining last night).

It's only an hour north of Sydney, good skies and great company. It's not public property, so I can't recommend going there tonight.

You could try Mangrove Mountain soccer fields - Rod and I have observed there once and i've been there twice. You have to park a little way from the field, but once you get onto the field it's great observing.

Hope to see you at Kulnura next weekend!

daveyoung (David) · #3 22-10-2006, 07:05 PM

Iceman, thanks. Found the iceinspace site on my searches for telescope and binocular recommendations. Good to see a forum for australian based astronomy :-)

We're from Perth originally, how far is Mangrove mountain? I've had a look in my Sydney UBD but couldn't find it. Is it just off the F3, a turnoff for Wiseman's Ferry by any chance?

I've actually got a social commitment (cousin's housewarming) next saturday, but keen to team up with other amateurs for viewing sessions. Just joined the North Sydney Astro Society.

best regards,

Dave Young

[1ponders] (Paul) · #4 22-10-2006, 07:49 PM

Queensland is nice and dark

to the site Dave. You're in good hand with the Kulnura crowd. Just don't let them talk you into the hedghogs

iceman (Mike) · #5 23-10-2006, 05:49 AM

Hi Dave.

I'm also a member of NSAS, as is WavelandScott (another forum member). They're a nice bunch, though i've been neglectful going viewing with them. I always end up at Kulnura as it's darker and closer to my home (near Gosford).

Hope to see you there in November.

What scope(s) do you have?

daveyoung (David) · #6 23-10-2006, 09:27 AM

Just a modest 80mm skywatcher APO refractor on an EQ3 mount, 600mm focal length. 40mm, 13mm and 5mm eyepieces. I've also got some (very) old 12x50 binoculars.

Managed to get out to Mangrove Mountain sports field last night, as per your recommendation. Quite a dark sky. The lights on the building are a bit of a nuisance, but overall a lot , lot darker than Artarmon :-) We probably didn't find the best place to setup, but it was quite dark.

Whilst I've been interested in astronomy as a science for quite a while, I am quite inexperienced at finding my way around the sky (I know binoculars are better for learning this :-) ) and particularly in trying to polar align my scope. However, although I missed scorpio and saggitarius last night (didn't setup until about 9pm), I did manage to get some new views of Orion through the cloud bands. My wife came with me, we eventually succumbed in to the cold about 11pm. A good beanie, motorcycle neck warmer (i've got one somewhere) are going to be worn next time.

ving (David) · #7 23-10-2006, 11:37 AM

we seem to be having a bit of a cold snap at the mo... weird.

i used to live in artarmon a while back. nice suburb

head out of hornsby 1 hour and find a flat spot

you'll be set then

Rodstar (Rod) · #8 23-10-2006, 01:45 PM

Welcome aboard Dave! Hope to see you out at Kulnura sometime soon.

I have come across a few David Youngs in my time, but none from Perth.

You choice of first scope is a great one, particularly if you are ever interested in imaging in the future.

Satchmo · #9 23-10-2006, 03:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by daveyoung

Managed to get out to Mangrove Mountain sports field last night, as per your recommendation. Quite a dark sky. The lights on the building are a bit of a nuisance, but overall a lot , lot darker than Artarmon :-) We probably didn't find the best place to setup, but it was quite dark.

Hi Dave

Full marks for enthusiasm and effort

. You'll enjoy the Kulnura observing nights . Mangrove is a great spot , only 5 min from Kulnura, keep exploring and you'll find a spot nearby free of the lights.

I used to live at Artarmon in the 1980's and used to travel up to West Head ( along West Head RD about 45 min from Artarmon ) and even had a concrete paver to put my Dob on , in a clearing off the road there permanently . An O111 filter gave me views of the Veil Nebula with a 12" that were hardly inferior to the darkest skies. 80% of the light pollution that criples you on the fringes of civilisation is very local so get into the Kuringai National Park and the sky will be much better.

( Rewind : In 1972 I could see the large Magellenic cloud from Artarmon with the naked eye after midnight , only 9km from the center of Sydney )

Mark

daveyoung (David) · #10 23-10-2006, 10:31 PM

Mark, Rod, Ving,

thankyou very much for the words of encouragement. Have just spent a couple of hours with a demo version of starry night, binos and scope. Spent most of my time with the binoculars and software. Really makes finding my way around the sky a *lot* easier.

very tempted to get the "full version" which i believe allows you to display the night view in red, as not to totally destroy night vision.

hope to meet you all in person at kulnara. does anybody know if the north sydney astro society have an observing night tomorrow night? I sent off my joining papers last week, but haven't heard back from them yet.

best regards,

Dave Young

iceman (Mike) · #11 24-10-2006, 06:24 AM

They have viewing nights on Friday and Saturday nights usually, at the North Turramurra golf course, on the 3rd quarter moon and new moon weekends.

So I wouldn't expect them to have a viewing night this week.

wavelandscott (Scott) · #12 25-10-2006, 09:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by iceman

They have viewing nights on Friday and Saturday nights usually, at the North Turramurra golf course, on the 3rd quarter moon and new moon weekends.

So I wouldn't expect them to have a viewing night this week.

I was going to add that...just got back in country a couple of hours ago (been in Japan and China for business)...I live in Roseville...mostly for me it is the backyard for a quick look or up to Kulunura...let me know if I can help...

Cheers!