I suggest we meet on the Friday before, or at, new moon in 2007.
If it is cloudy that night we can try the next night.
For 2007 the Fridays are:
19/1, 16/2, 16/3, 13/4, 18/5, 15/6, 13/7, 10/8, 7/9, 12/10, 9/11, 7/12
Glen, I know it is a LONG way off, but we are planning to have a family holiday in Byron in September or October 2007. I might be a starter for either of those months!
Store it in the hotel room rod .. I have access to 150 acre block just out of byron with a good west sky .. these guys will prolly even drive down to the coast to. haha..... to be honest though some VERY dark skys are
out casino and surounds.
I will give some serious consideration to bringing the 20" scope, then, boys. I sense a fair degree of interest.....maybe I will just have to leave the kids at home to make enough space in the car.
I will post something closer to the time I am coming up, so we can make some arrangements.
We are clearing the top of the almost highest spot (next door is a smidge higher) in these parts and will even put in a heli pad if you are worried about ruff roads .. but I recon that spot up the hill up home would do justice to 20 inches particularly to the South because I recon it is probably less effected by light polution than the same view at Coona.. still I am biased It is a little hard to think we will ever see the sky again during wet season but when its good its very good. Up home is won back from the jungle and we could manage a few cars and tents ..my observatory is moving ahead slowly near finished up to dome height..which wont be a dome but the bottom of a rain water tank looks the best candidate at the moment But for the present back to Sydney tomorrow
alex
The SkyMapPro file 20070120W shows the SW sky at 8:20pm on 20/1.
Comet McNaught will be 26 degrees to the left of Venus on 20/1.
The file C2006 P1 gives the local altitude & azimuth at 8:15pm for Comet McNaught C2006 P1.
The magnitude will be brighter than what this file says. Refr Guide8.
Thanks for that, there has been some discussion about nabbing
this one in day light. Still after it has it's encounter with the Sun
we might get a nice evening display as it heads south. Might
be time to get me a pair of them Bino's like you have Glen.
Excellent, looking forward to it. It's been slim picking here too. Actually
I cant remember when I last got the scope out, maybe 2 weeks ago.
But I have been chasing o'l Sol with the PST and occassionly the newt.
If it is not clear on the Friday, I should be able to pop down on the Saturday (if it is clear of course )
Come down Saturday anyway, weather permitting. It would be great
to catch up. Are ya bringing ya 12"
Oh' yeah, for the folks up Casino way. Me & Glen are planning a trip
out to Leyburn (the other side of Warrick) to meet up with Andrew
(astro_south) and maybe some other Qld'er IIS'ers. I suppose this
is a heads up for Graham and Alex, we could car pool and use Andrews
scope (a lovely 12.5" truss dob) so we wont need to take any scopes
with us. Are you guy's keen?
we're looking at the weekend of the 17th-18th of March, may want
to head up there Friday 16th come home Sunday 18th.
.... to be honest though some VERY dark skys are 
