SOS: Call for help at School Observing Night at Gosford

Rodstar (Rod) · #1 07-07-2014, 07:38 PM

Hi all,

I have been asked to run an observing night for some high school students at St Edwards College, East Gosford. At this stage we are looking at the night of Friday 22 August 2014.

It will be a heavy burden for me to do this alone - if some other members of IIS who live in Sydney or the Central Coast could bring their scopes and provide some help, I would be very very grateful!

Please let me know if you think you can help.

Cheers,

Rod

killswitch (Edison) · #2 09-07-2014, 07:13 PM

Hey mate I should be able to help out.

Hows the sky around those parts?

Shano592 (Shane) · #3 09-07-2014, 10:22 PM

Hi Rod. I'm happy to put my hand up to help.

Rodstar (Rod) · #4 10-07-2014, 05:56 AM

Hey Edison and Shane, thanks so much for your offers of help!

Edison, the school is situated on Brisbane Water right near the heart of Gosford. There is quite a lot of light pollution. Because of the nature of the evening, we will just be looking at a few of the brighter objects in the sky, such as Omega Centauri, Saturn etc.

Cheers,

bones · #5 22-08-2014, 05:12 PM

Hi Rod, night sound a bit late to ask, but is this still going ahead tonight??? I thought it might have been rained out but theres a bit of blue sky at the moment.
Tony

Rodstar (Rod) · #6 22-08-2014, 05:35 PM

Sorry, should have posted earlier. It is postponed until 24th of October. Bizarre how things have cleared when the forecast was looking so crap!

bones · #7 22-08-2014, 05:53 PM

Thanks for letting me know. I drove up Russell Drysdale St on the way home from work. There were "oval closed" signs out on the fields and it looked pretty wet still. I thought it might not be going ahead tonight. I might be able to help out 24 October, but it's a tentative this point in time. Tony.

Rodstar (Rod) · #8 22-10-2014, 04:17 PM

Hi all,

The observing night at St Edwards East College has been moved to THIS FRIDAY evening, 24th October. About 15 boys have signed up, and I am inclined to go ahead this time, even if the cloud cover is a bit iffy. I will have a bit of a presentation organised with slide show so that the kids will get some value for coming, even if we do not get outside.

Any helpers would be welcome - please let me know so I can advise the school who is coming.

Cheers!

Shano592 (Shane) · #9 23-10-2014, 10:05 AM

Hi Rod,

What time are you planning on starting?

Rodstar (Rod) · #10 23-10-2014, 11:11 AM

Hi Shane, kick off is at 7.30pm, running till 9.30. I will be giving a 30min talk at the start in a classroom to allow time for the sky to darken a little.

The group is gathering at the bus shelters near the main school hall - next to the main oval.

I plan to get there about 6.30pm to set up the Mary Rose etc.

Rodstar (Rod) · #11 24-10-2014, 11:41 AM

Hi everyone - just heard from the school that they are calling off tonight's session. The forecast is for possible thunderstorms, and they don't want to muck people about. Good call, I think!

Thanks to Tony (Bones) and Shane (Shano592) who had put their hand up to come tonight. It is great to have the support of the astronomical community for these sorts of events - so guys I take my hat off to you both.

Cheers!