WA star parties?

MrB (Simon) · #1 30-01-2008, 08:06 PM

Hi, was wondering if there are still star parties in WA?
I went to the innaugural Swan Star Party in Bakers Hill a few years ago, but I think it's now dead after a change of venue, are there any others?
Cheers.

MrB (Simon) · #2 31-01-2008, 01:46 PM

Nothing?

MrB (Simon) · #3 02-02-2008, 01:29 PM

BUMP
Bound to get a hit eventually!

MrB (Simon) · #4 04-02-2008, 01:46 PM

Bugger! the silence is deafening.
I guess thats a big no then

iceman (Mike) · #5 04-02-2008, 02:01 PM

I thought ASWA or AGWA have their own star parties, but I'm not aware of any general WA star party.

MrB (Simon) · #6 06-02-2008, 01:57 PM

Cheers,
Clubs/associations aren't really my thing(politics), but was briefly with MAS(very casual) before it merged with ASWA.
Not familiar with AGWA.

Glenhuon (Bill) · #7 06-02-2008, 02:20 PM

Its a bit far away MrB, but the Astronomical Society of the South West in Bunbury have a few meets a year at Wellington Mills Camp. Not really a Star Party, but you would be welcome I'm sure. Contact Phil Smith in Bunbury if you are interested. Drop me a PM and I can give you his phone number.

Cheers
Bill

rogerg (Roger) · #8 06-02-2008, 03:22 PM

ASWA has their AstroCamp twice a year down at Dryandra. That's the largest that I know of. Astro Camp's have daytime and night time activities just like 'star parties'. It has attendance of about 40 people/20 scopes and personally I really enjoy the weekends (have been to 14 now). AGWA does have camps I think, I haven't been to one to be able to compare them personally.

The next ASWA one is not long away, check the homepage & calendar on the home page for info. Non-members are welcome, and I'm always interested to meet up with other Ice In Space members there.

I lead the "SDSO" section of ASWA which travels to dark sky locations (Seriously Dark Sky Observing) on a semi-regular basis (about 6 times a year), for between 1 and 4 nights. While not a star party, it is dark sky observing with a group of people.

Edit: Swan Star Party lasted for a few years but I think the organisers (who worked very hard) were burnt out eventually with lack of additional help from others, so it ended. Personally I like the idea of a "neutral" star party, not aligned to any particular club, but I think it will take more people to get involved in the hobby and the organising within WA for it to happen again. I could be wrong.

Roger.

Blue Skies (Jacquie) · #9 06-02-2008, 08:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MrB

Cheers,
Clubs/associations aren't really my thing(politics), but was briefly with MAS(very casual) before it merged with ASWA.
Not familiar with AGWA.

Hmm, you've got me trying to work out who you are, now, since I was one of the organisers of the first two Swan Star Parties and did a lot with the MAS and now a lot with ASWA.

One of the reasons I tried to get the Swan Star Party going was for people like you who are out there doing astronomy but don't want to belong to a club. Unfortunately it was too much work to keep going, too much apathy around and some old grudges too deep to let go of (it was still seen as a primarily ASWA event, but wasn't meant to be). Plus the wonderful Bakers Hill site was sold to a new owner. I can't see another getting going at the moment, some more time and a bigger population base might be needed before trying again, or else a couple of people who are very dedicated to organising such an event and that's all they concentrate on during the year.

In the mean time the Dryandra camps are the closest thing to a star party, but neither Roger or I are allowed to say too much about them publicly here because certain people in the society are worried about the non-financial riff-raff gatecrashing the party and not being aware of certain rules of etiquette ruining it for the regular goers. ce la vie

Glenhuon (Bill) · #10 06-02-2008, 10:03 PM

because certain people in the society are worried about the non-financial riff-raff gatecrashing the party and not being aware of certain rules of etiquette ruining it for the regular goers.

Think thats what screwed things up before,

MrB (Simon) · #11 07-02-2008, 03:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blue Skies

Hmm, you've got me trying to work out who you are, now, since I was one of the organisers of the first two Swan Star Parties and did a lot with the MAS and now a lot with ASWA.

I'm Simon, fairly tall, used to have very long hair. Think I know who you are

I wandered into your store one day to buy Gugolz pitch and you told me about MAS, I then walked out with your shop-copy of the HB Astroatlas(I love impulse buys). Then on my way home I stumbled upon a public display at the Windsor and you arrived a few mins later, LOL. (It was for the opening night for the first new StarWars I think)

I found MAS to be pretty easy going and would probably still be a member, I mostly just hung around the ATM nights getting in the way though

Quote:

One of the reasons I tried to get the Swan Star Party going was for people like you who are out there doing astronomy but don't want to belong to a club.

Pretty sure I thanked you for your efforts after the event, but thanks again. I thoroughly enjoyed the entire weekend, everyone got on well as far as I could tell. Unfortunately I was OS for the second one

Quote:

In the mean time the Dryandra camps are the closest thing to a star party, but neither Roger or I are allowed to say too much about them publicly here because certain people in the society are worried about the non-financial riff-raff gatecrashing the party and not being aware of certain rules of etiquette ruining it for the regular goers. ce la vie

Ahhh, just goes to emphasis my dislike for most clubs and associations....
Once they move from a group of like-minded people to a structured President/Vice/Secretary with nominations and elections etc type club, they tend to be a magnet for 'stiffs' and 'power junkies'.
No offence intended ofcourse just a personality difference, they're not my type of people.

Blue Skies (Jacquie) · #12 07-02-2008, 07:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MrB

I'm Simon, <snip>....Then on my way home I stumbled upon a public display at the Windsor and you arrived a few mins later, LOL. (It was for the opening night for the first new StarWars I think)

I remember that night! I've retrieved a mental picture of you now, Simon.

Quote:

Ahhh, just goes to emphasis my dislike for most clubs and associations....
Once they move from a group of like-minded people to a structured President/Vice/Secretary with nominations and elections etc type club, they tend to be a magnet for 'stiffs' and 'power junkies'.
No offence intended ofcourse just a personality difference, they're not my type of people.

It's not power junkies, more ultra-conservatives, but I'm not completely innocent of that now, either.

I wont hijack the thread with whinging, it could go on and on, but now I remember who you are I would point you in Roger's SDSO section, I think would enjoy that, he's a lot more casual about things than I am!

Jacquie

MrB (Simon) · #13 08-02-2008, 04:12 PM

Many thanks to everyone for their replies, I'm considering an SDSO camping weekend later in the year. Long drive in my old bunky though

centauri · #14 23-02-2008, 01:19 AM

I was thinking of trying to get a mid winter star party going up here for the southerners but i reckon it might be a little far for most.

Blue Skies (Jacquie) · #15 02-03-2008, 07:07 PM

Hi, Centauri, just saw your post! You're probably right about the distance thing but you never know who might come.

It would make a good opportunity for people up that way to get together and find out who's keen about looking up. Even if there are no clubs formed just getting an informal network happening would be a boost to beginners in the region.

hilb · #16 08-03-2009, 02:53 PM

The ASWA Autumn 2009 Astrocamp is on at the end of this month. Send me an email if you are interested in coming along.

HilB...

hilb · #17 05-04-2009, 02:09 AM

ASWA's Autumn Astrocamp for 2009 went off with a bang last weekend. Almost 50 people attended the camp at Dryandra for a superb evening of viewing on the Friday night. I hit the hay around 4am, but some folks stayed on the field to watch the sun come up! Good thing they did as after some great presentations and talks on Saturday, and solar viewing in the afternoon, it clouded over and all we were left with on Saturday night was sucker holes.

Still, a great camp was had by all.

Cheers,
HilB...