SPSP 14: March 31 - April 2 2006

iceman (Mike) · #1 10-08-2005, 11:49 AM

Hi guys.

I know it's a while away, but just noticed on the asnsw site that there's some details about SPSP 14..

http://www.asnsw.com/spsp/index.html

Interesting re the astrophotography competition, should be fun.

Anyone planning on going to SPSP 14 next year? I'm quite sure i'll make the trip again. Hopefully we can get a big IIS contingent there.

For anyone interested, here's a few reports from myself and Rod regarding SPSP 13 earlier this year.

South Pacific Star Party 2005 by me.

Stellar Time, but scope for improvement by Rod.

astroron (Ron) · #2 10-08-2005, 02:45 PM

I don't think I will make the jurney again, but then again one should never say never.astroron

h0ughy (David) · #3 10-08-2005, 03:25 PM

Lets hope they have better facilities and more of them.

This year was pathetic for the SPSP2005.

The QLD Aastrofest left them for dead this year and I could confidently rate both star parties.

Qld = 9.5/10 (they lost some due to no upkeep of toilet rolls ;-))
SPSP2005 5/10 for lack of facilities, electricity, toilets, showers.

Skies - duckadang 8/10
SPSP 7/10.

Then you have the "rigged" astrophoto competition (oh dear stirring the pot again). I will go next year but make sure that Scott Alder has each and every one of his photos entered. Now for technical prowess and skill and the final result he should clean up! not to mention other IISers as well that leaves the entries that won this year for dead. None of this local Sydney only club member winning with a questionable image!!! Hec I didn't even have an image entered and I felt for the ones that didn't rate a mention!!

As for the prizedraw, why not follow the rules. Now some of us may know what I am getting at here ;-).

I look forward to the SPSP2006 with several toilets and showers!

iceman (Mike) · #4 11-08-2005, 06:09 AM

I don't want to turn this into a SPSP bagging, just interested in finding out who's likely to be attending.

Even though I was disappointed with some aspects of SPSP 13, it hasn't stopped me from wanting to attend again. Dark skies, good company, it's still worth it.

h0ughy (David) · #5 11-08-2005, 07:14 AM

sorry mike, after returning from a well organised and successful Duckadang gathering, I was a bit revved up! AstroRon and myself have had several discussions on the subject.

seeker372011 (Narayan) · #6 11-08-2005, 09:14 AM

I plan to go if I can

xstream (John) · #7 11-08-2005, 12:01 PM

We'll be there again Mike.
The dark skies and good company more than make the other problems inconsequential.

Orion · #8 11-08-2005, 07:15 PM

It will be a first for me, if all goes well I'll be there next year.

Greg Bryant · #9 11-08-2005, 07:34 PM

I'm planning to be there next year. A 3 hour drive from home, with 300-400 attendees, it's high on my must-do list.

If attendees are really concerned about the facilities, please contact the ASNSW. But bear in mind that the SPSP site, Wiruna, is still in a state of development. It is funded by members' fees (what's leftover from club running costs) and by SPSP registrations (in contrast to the excellent Queensland Astrofest facilities which are owned by the Lions Club).

The ASNSW has looked into putting mains power at Wiruna. The cost estimates have been in the order of several tens of thousands of dollars just to get the power poles to the property.

There are toilets and showers there - the Amenities Block adjoining the Hall was donated by the late member Max Gardner, and there is also the House at the other end of the property.

tornado33 · #10 12-08-2005, 07:01 PM

I havent been to a SPSP for some years now, but when I did I was a little dissapointed in the facilities (just too many people for the number of toilets and showers available) and I though the entre fee was a bit steep. When I was there there were fireplaces in the camping areas and plenty of wood (very nice on cloudy nights to sit round the camp fire), however I understand there is now no camp fires allowed at all! I dont know why, as they naver caused any problems with observing all the times Ive been there. Ive attended the first 3 SPSP's and a few more later on. The ones Ive been to they had a large generator at the meeting hall (people could charge batteries there during the day I assume, and a few PCs were there running.)
The first few SPSP's ran at the same time as the Texas Star party and they had live ham radio hookups.
Some of the trees in or near the observing areas need to be removed. The year Hale Bopp was at its best, a tree obscured it from several telescopes.
The mindset of people with telescopes at that SPSP was most odd. I stood in a field surrounded by some of the biggest portable telescopes in the Southern hemisphere, one of the brightest comets in decades was sinking in the west, and not a single telescope was on it, they were all feeding their faces on the spit roast in the meeting hall. I couldnt believe it! Finally Andrew Murrel came to the rescue, turning "Hector" on it, revealing fantastic detail of the inner coma. Even on other nights most people with big scopes werent interested in it saying "ive seen it before from my place" gee then I say why bring the telescopes in the first place?
They are just my observations of the SPSP's Ive been to. Ive not been able to go to any other star parties so cant comment on them.
Scott

#11 13-08-2005, 01:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by iceman

I don't want to turn this into a SPSP bagging, just interested in finding out who's likely to be attending.

Even though I was disappointed with some aspects of SPSP 13, it hasn't stopped me from wanting to attend again. Dark skies, good company, it's still worth it.

Sorry Mike,

No bagging intended, but I have heard not to many nice reports about SPSP and dont think it is worth the distance to travel. One was the company wasn't that great, so a newcommer like me might not feel so welcome.

But Like Astroron that may change _if_ enough IIS'er go

regards, CS

iceman (Mike) · #12 13-08-2005, 03:40 PM

Well I guess if we have some suggestions, like Greg said, now's the time to make them. No point complaining about it if we don't put any ideas forward on how it could improve.

Quote:

One was the company wasn't that great, so a newcommer like me might not feel so welcome.

But Like Astroron that may change _if_ enough IIS'er go

Well, it's up to us then, isn't it? Looks like so far there's half a dozen of us, if we plan to go for some good IIS company in a nice location, we also might be pleasantly surprised by the rest.

Yes there was an element of the newbie feeling unwelcomed, or not part of the "in-crowd" (ie: an ASNSW member), but not overall, only pockets of that. For the most part, it was as you'd expect, people very welcoming to come and look through their big scopes etc.

If nothing else, if there's enough of us there, we might have influence to turn some of these things around. No doubt IIS will be more well-known in 2006 than we were in 2005.

astroron (Ron) · #13 13-08-2005, 04:20 PM

SPSP has been going for a long time,if they don't know what needs done by now they will never know, but a few suggestions.
(1) porta toilets, I had to walk over 200mtrs to go to the toilet.
(2)BBQ facilities, the kitchen is a long way away for quite a lot of campers.
(3) Better signposting(not tiny little thing stuck on posts

on dark country roads.
Greg mentioned the house, only members of long standing have accesse, at $35:00 a night for camping in a dry dusty field, which in my estimation netted them $15,000,I could not see any value for my dollars,I could go on but will leave it at that.
I enjoyed the observing but can do the same from my dark sky site in Queensland, but it was also great to meet some of the people i have read about and talked to by email.
I hope things improve for next year, we will just have wait and see. astroron

xstream (John) · #14 13-08-2005, 04:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by xrekcor

One was the company wasn't that great, so a newcommer like me might not feel so welcome.

But Like Astroron that may change _if_ enough IIS'er go

regards, CS

Sorry Rob, but I disagree on that point.
This year was the first for Anna and myself and we were made feel more than welcome by those that we spoke to and met. In general it's probably like most things, if you sit back like a wall flower and don't join in you'll feel left out; I would think Mike, Rod, Robby and Narayan would agree overall with me on this point. But then again I'm not generally shy about coming forward.

#15 13-08-2005, 05:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by xstream

Sorry Rob, but I disagree on that point.
This year was the first for Anna and myself and we were made feel more than welcome by those that we spoke to and met. In general it's probably like most things, if you sit back like a wall flower and don't join in you'll feel left out; I would think Mike, Rod, Robby and Narayan would agree overall with me on this point. But then again I'm not generally shy about coming forward.

No Prob's

since I haven't been to a SPSP yet, I can only go on word of mouth. So I guess then it is 1 vote for yes

and 3 votes for no

But hey convince me more...

Also having not been to one before I wouldn't know what to suggest... except make it like AstroFest QLD? nice food available at a reasonable price, a red hot raffle with lots of neat prizes, fun activities during the day and things for kids to do.... to name a few

I wouldn't know about sitting back, I'm not too shy myself

regards

#16 13-08-2005, 05:12 PM

Jeeeeeez... $35.00 per night camping, does include them putting your tent up for you Astroron????

regards

astroron (Ron) · #17 13-08-2005, 05:16 PM

NO

xstream (John) · #18 13-08-2005, 05:16 PM

What more do you need?

Us IIS's will be there.

Should be more than reason enough.

iceman (Mike) · #19 13-08-2005, 05:40 PM

I agree it is expensive but it's once a year for me so I can justify it. It was also disappointing that the vendors didn't have more "specials" on offer.. most of what they had on sale was at normal shopfront prices.

I'd recommend the ASNSW (strongly) suggest to the vendors to have more items on special.. It doesn't take much to convince an amateur to buy gear..

#20 13-08-2005, 05:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by xstream

What more do you need?

Us IIS's will be there.

Should be more than reason enough.

ummmmm.... errrrrrrr hehehehe mmmmmm..... some dancing girls?

just kidding

regards