Public Viewing Night at Parramatta Park Sydney - FREE Heritage Festival Event

Inmykombi (Geoff) · #1 11-04-2010, 06:04 PM

Hi all.
I just found out about an Event in Parramatta Park on the 24th April presented by Parramatta Park Trust in association with Sutherland Astronomical Society, Astronomical Society of New South Wales and Western Sydney Amateur Astronomy Group to bring Amateur Astronomers and the Public together to see through some telescopes and attend some talks etc.

I have put my hand up to help them out and was just trying to see if anyone else was interested in attending and bringing their equipment on the night.

Here is a link for more information.

http://www.ppt.nsw.gov.au/things-to-do/events-1

Cheers.

Geoffro.

En1gma (Robert) · #2 11-04-2010, 06:12 PM

its just down the road so i'll go if i have nothing on

rob

Inmykombi (Geoff) · #3 11-04-2010, 06:20 PM

Good on ya Robert .

Its just down the road from My sons place too, so I can stay down there for the night..

Inmykombi (Geoff) · #4 11-04-2010, 10:03 PM

Thx for the info,
I had no idea about Macquarie UNI on the same night either.
My post here may be a late one, but there may be others that can help.

I can't help with Macquarie UNI, but I have contacted the parramatta park directly to offer my help for their night.

Hope others could too.

Thx

Geoffro

iceman (Mike) · #5 12-04-2010, 05:09 AM

Andrew - your info is better posted in a new thread. I've moved it to a new thread.

Here's some more info regarding the Parramatta Event:

Quote:

Heritage Festival Event

Star gazing @ Parramatta Park: an endorsed Macquarie 2010 Bicentenary Commemoration event.

When: Saturday 24 April

Time: 6-30 pm to 10 pm

Where: Salter’s Field

Parking: Parramatta Park will be open to vehicles until 11 pm

Refreshments: Parramatta Park Café will be operating.

Cost: FREE

Join us for a great evening of family fun at Salter’s field and be prepared to be amazed as amateur astronomers share their passion for the night sky. The event will be in two parts: amateur astronomers will provide a range of telescopes to view the night sky and there will be talks on the legacy of Governor Macquarie in Parramatta and his achievements at Parramatta.

The park will remain open until 11 pm to allow access to Salter’s field where amateur astronomers will provide telescopes to view the evening sky.

Amateur Astronomers from the Sutherland Astronomical Society, Astronomical Society of New South Wales and Western Sydney Amateur Astronomy Group will be set up in Salter's Field with telescopes and will show you the wonders of deep space. Go to our web site www.parrapark.com.au to down load a guide to the objects on view.

The event will run from 6.30pm to 10 pm and will be at the southern end of the park in the area outside the Dairy Cottage known as Salter’s Field. This area has been chosen as there is less light pollution and easier access for those attending.

There will be three fascinating presentations at the Event Centre which is next to the Parramatta Park Café.

7.00 pm -730 pm UWS Associate Professor historian Dr Carol Liston will speak on the change in use of the Domain from Macquarie’s landscaped parkland to Brisbane’s scientifically focused developments including the Parramatta Observatory that he built adjacent to Old Government House.

7.30 pm – 8.00 pm Expert astronomical historian Sharon Rutledge will tell us about the people involved in the Parramatta Observatory and how scientific knowledge had developed over the Macquarie era leading to the establishment of the observatory.

8.00 pm – 8.30 pm Astro-photographer Dr David Malin will talk about Discoveries from the Parramatta Observatory. Dr Malin is an internationally recognised expert in this field so if you missed his presentation last year then be sure to catch it this year.

So rug up, bring a torch covered with red cellophane and be prepared to be amazed.

For more information please call T 8833 5000

Inmykombi (Geoff) · #6 12-04-2010, 04:06 PM

Thanks very much for the info Mike.

I hope a few others besides me can make it.
I always get a buzz out of showing the public whats up there.

Cheers

Geoffro.

seeker372011 (Narayan) · #7 12-04-2010, 07:02 PM

Geoff and anyone else interested in supporting the event..dont forget to register in advance with Susan Clunie and let her know your car rego number..that way you can drive right up to the observing field with your scope-

if the weather is good you can expect a very large crowd-last year it was cloudy and there was lightning in the distance and still very many people showed up.

Inmykombi (Geoff) · #8 12-04-2010, 08:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by seeker372011

Geoff and anyone else interested in supporting the event..dont forget to register in advance with Susan Clunie and let her know your car rego number..that way you can drive right up to the observing field with your scope-

if the weather is good you can expect a very large crowd-last year it was cloudy and there was lightning in the distance and still very many people showed up.

Thx Narayan,

I have spoken to Sue Clooney and she was supposed to send me an email for more details, though she hasnt as yet.

If you have a contact email for her, please PM me with it and I will give her my car rego details etc.

Cheers

Geoffro

seeker372011 (Narayan) · #9 12-04-2010, 09:01 PM

PM sent

narayan

En1gma (Robert) · #10 23-04-2010, 01:24 PM

Hi All,

I will also be attending to this one.

If anyone requires a google map image sent from sue. Let me know.

Rob

Inmykombi (Geoff) · #11 23-04-2010, 09:38 PM

All details sorted now,
I will be there about 5 ish saturday arvo to set up.

See you there and I hope the weather is as good as it has been this week.

Cheers.

Geoffro

Robh (Rob) · #12 26-04-2010, 06:56 PM

I was there on the night (Parramatta Park).
After setting up scope, it began to rain and we all had to get out plastic sheets and tarps to cover equipment. Unfortunately, the weather was not very kind to us, with only a few small and very brief openings in the clouds throughout the evening.
Considering the weather, there were still visitors who attended the talks and were keen to see something- the odd Moon crater view or a brief look at Saturn. There were many questions about scopes and a few interesting conversations about the origin of life on Earth and the Universe itself.
Volunteers made the best of poor conditions (we're used to it), with club members engaging in good humour and talking about life in general.

There was some talk of perhaps holding another night around June sometime as there were many disappointed kids on the night.

Regards, Rob.

Inmykombi (Geoff) · #13 26-04-2010, 08:06 PM

Hi Rob, I think you have described it just as it was.
Very disapointing for all the visitors, but a lot of them seemed to make the trek down to the visitors centre where the talks were being held, which I hope was a treat for all of them.

I set up on the Cricket Pitch at the end of the line of cars, and only managed to show one family a view of the Moon between clouds and just before the rain came down.
I just got my scope away in time.

At the end of the night , I was speaking to the Park Rangers who said there may be another Astronomy night this coming June perhaps. Lets hope the Weather is better.

Thanks to all the other dedicated folks who braved the Weather to set up.
I gotta say that 30 inch Dob was a Monster Scope....

Cheers.

Geoffro.

Robh (Rob) · #14 26-04-2010, 11:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Inmykombi

Thanks to all the other dedicated folks who braved the Weather to set up.
I gotta say that 30 inch Dob was a Monster Scope....

Cheers.

Geoffro.

Yes, that scope was something to obsess over (30" Obsession)! I think the visitors were suitably impressed. You would have to be damn careful getting up and down that ladder at night to see through the eyepiece.

Regards, Rob.