Katoomba Airfield is being made available to us on Saturday Feb. 25.
This will be the first session at the Airfield since November last year. Let's hope that the clouds give us photon junkies the fix we so desperately need, .
If you'd like to join us, and you haven't been to the Airfield before, access to it is via Medlow Bath. At the villiage's only set of lights, turn into Station Street and then left into Rutland Street. The Airfield is 4km from this intersection, with the last 3km an unsealed road.
Note that the National Parks mob haven't graded their section of this unsealed road for some time now, and there is some errosion of the surface. Take it easy.
On entering the Airfield, keep to the left hand track up to the hangers. Go through the "no entry" sign and turn right at the buildings and up the crest to the main runway. We set up on the concrete slab on the left. See the picture below for details.
If the night happens to be a corker, we are welcome to crash out in the office building for some shut eye. There are loos, but that's it. Everything else is BYO. Power, water, everything.
If you don't have a scope, not to worry. We all there like to share our stuff and knowledge.
Also, if you haven't been to a star party before, please note that white light torches are our worst enemy. We advise that you cover your torches with two, three or four layers of red cellophane as red light is the least damaging to our night vision.
As always, I'll be hoping to get there an hour to half and hour before sun set.
Mental.
Last edited by mental4astro; 24-01-2012 at 02:53 PM.
See you there. Just one thing. Why is the title for the 12th but you said its for the 25th?
Anyway it will be good to see what my new 102 can do under a dark sky.
A bump, and apologies for this time. I will be heading down to Sussex Inlet for the week, taking all my gear, and hoping for clear skies, so the same luck to you guys.
The Gstar-ex clr. Offers me what I want. Live video which is good at star parties, particularly in urban areas as it can capture on a screen much more than the eye can through the eyepiece. Used it on your C8 before the New Year from my backyard. Mate, we could see colour in Eta Carina nebula, the Sombrero galaxy was a cinch, and the detail in Saturn & Mars left me gobsmaked!
I spoke with Rod at the Airfield regarding the recent nasty hail storm up at Katoomba. As luck would have it, the worst of the storm missed the Airfield. Man, would have been loud in the hangers!
Nope, no locked gate. Just follow the path detailed in the first post. You may want to stop by the manager's office to say G'day.
The only other thing is the hat gets passed around to contribute to the case of brew that's the gift we leave Rod to say thanks. More folks that go, the less that needs to be pitched in.
There isn't a finishing time. It's upto you. We are welcome to stay overnight. Can even sleep in the flying school's office. If the night is particularly good and you stay late, may not be a good idea to drive home fatigued. Good to get some shut eye if it is really late.
"We are welcome to stay overnight. Can even sleep in the flying school's office. If the night is particularly good and you stay late, may not be a good idea to drive home fatigued. Good to get some shut eye if it is really late."
I didn't know you can stay over night. Is it free accommodation?
You need to bring your own blankets?(sleeping bag will do)
I could probably get there 11.30pm to 12.00pm.
Would that be worth it?
How many people with telescopes are around at that time?
After all the Blue mountains are far away from Liverpool.
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, hope the sky stays clear for you though
Will try to get there around 6pm.
