Good Evening or Day One and All,
This weekend I have travelled to Hobart as it's the first weekend for month that I haven't been at work.
Friday Evening I drove out to the University Of Tasmania Observatory at Mt Canopus at Cambridge for there weekly clouds or no clouds viewing nights. Last night was mostly cloudy so no actual viewing took place but I was just wrapped to meet some really serious astronomers with some really serious gear. I apologize that I didn't take notes as to the specifics but generally I was able to go inside and inspect the University's main telescope which was on a scale approaching the Telescopes at Mt Stromlo(pre bush fire that is).
It is presently being used to observe and measure light from eclipsing binary stars to deterime magnitude, mass ,orbital period and distance. It will also play a role in the upcoming deep impact project where apparently a probe is going to collide with a comet in order to observe the effect of impact and simulate an interception with such a body should it be discovered to be heading our way. Also the project will be used to further explore the material of the comet to help further understand the origins of the Solar System and so on.
Also down the road a few kilometres away towards Richmond the University has a small to medium sized Radio telescope.
The Astronomical Socity itself has three seperate observatories onsite as well. Two containing Meade Smidt Cassegrains of notable aperture( SORRY ABOUT THE VAGUE DETAILS) one in a traditional dome shape the other in a colour bond shed with a sliding roof Etc. The other is a 16inch Newtonian telescope, with interchangable secondary and tertiary mirrors, that belongs to but not in use by the University which the society uses via a video link for highresolution lunar obs up spatial resolution of 1kilometre. Its mounted on a rotating horse shoe like mount.
One of the other highlights was meeting Shevill Mathers who has his own observatory(Souhtern Cross Observatory) just a few kilometres down the road. He provided video footage for the ABC of the recent Trasit of Venus at Campbelltown further North in the Tasmanian Midlands.
Upon revealing the glorys of my Saxon 76mm reflecter we traversed the Ads in Sky and Space Magazine and in line with advice recieved from other Astronomers on this Forum he recommended a 6inch dobsonian as good value for money with quick and easy operation for my next step up. I also have been reserching DSC's and this might be worth the investment to speed up the eficiency of my viewig sessions. However It might just be a bit of fun at first to attempt this manually in order to get a good appreciation of what can done for you with little or no effort.
By the way guys a few of the Tassies on the forum have lamented about the high cost of delivery to Tassie however Shevill has been buying gear and using a frieght company with no troubles for about a $100. 00 fee. I can't give you specifics but will do when he gets back to me with the details or I get back to him whichever comes first.
I will be formalizing membership soon as the cashflow allows and this seems good value for money as it includes a SKY and Space subsription along with few other benefits and discounts around the traps.
They are keen to get some kind or regular viewing night activity going up in the North of the State so any of the Northern Tasmanians (sounds very parochial doesn't it but thats a whole other story) who have similar aspirations contact me or the Society and who knows.
Once again I apologize about the lack of technical details but as I learn the lingo and the Jargon I will become better at relating to and retaining this type of information. Also I promise next time I go I'll take a camera and put then on the forum for all to see.
Regards and God grant you all heavenly views.
Viewing Night Astronomical Society Tas
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Good luck on getting an active group together for Northern Tassie.
