Snake Valley Astro Camp

[danielsun]

And a few more.
The last shot is the moon with Jupiter.

[robin]

Glad you guys got some clear skies & it looked like a great turnout. Would've loved to have been there again this year but my mother is battling the 'C' word & had a big operation the week of starcamp. Next time for sure.

[erick (Eric)]

Phil W’s binoscope:- Yes, 47 Tuc takes on a whole new life through these – mesmerising.

TeleVue Ethos eyepiece:- That sure is different, but I’m not sure I want to give my neck and back that much exercise to observe through an eyepiece. I cannot see the edge of the field without significantly moving my head from side to side and up and down.

Extra inches:- Compared 12” GSO to my 8” GSO on a few targets. Sometimes much better, sometimes much of a muchness.

First prime focus images captured with my little Logitech webcam:- After mods some months ago, I could finally test it out. I reached focus with 2 mm to spare! Great! Images the crescent Moon – now can I stack and process them?

The return of Saturn:- Beautiful on Sunday morning in what looked like good seeing to me. Lovely steady image, rings closing up, some moons were visible to me.

E & F stars in the Trapezium:- First observation - I picked them up sometimes over the weekend!

Saturn (Planetary) Nebula:- Located and observed for the first time! Definitely a PN, but couldn’t verify the lobes.

Stellarium:- Having it running on my computer (with effective red perspex shield) for the first time while observing. Very useful. I found it taking precedence over my star charts.

Watching Bird in action with his system:- all calm and his apparently effortless actions belies the degree of technology, preparation and experience combined in his imaging sessions

Jupiter:- Observing, then walking across to look at Bird’s laptop screen and seeing the surface markings just as I observed them.

Faint open clusters:- How do you find them?? – it’s all stars up there!

The Sun:- not a spot in sight. Tested adding a yellow filter so when I show people later it will be an expected and acceptable yellow colour!

Sounds:- Some mounts grinding away, others whisper quiet. A gentle murmur of voices. Frogs, crickets, birds, fish splashing. The distinctive sound of Bird’s filter change. Piano practice from the rec room. The gentle snoring from some tents.

Equatorial Table meltdown:- In my excitement to get started, connected the crocodile clips the wrong way round – apparently it’s red to positive and black to negative! Blew the protection diode in the speed controller, followed by the wires overheating and molten coating being dropped over everything (it peeled off!). Thank goodness I had a spare diode (thanks Darren for confirming the problem) and my soldering gear, so it was repaired the next day after a visit to Dick Smith for more wire. Also added a cigarette lighter plug to ensure correct polarity! Got it running the next night. Sort of worked following a rough south align and level – well, east and west targets were the best. But I need to have that motor turning very slowly – it seemed to turn over successfully at that low speed, with the table fully loaded with the telescope.

Temperature change:- Going to sleep early morning around 2 deg C – waking up sweating profusely at 10am in a closed tent with the sun beating down!

Lack of spousal observation:- Eat what I wanted, when I wanted and throw my clothes all over the floor of my tent! Snore as much as I wanted (sorry neighbours!)

Eric

[janoskiss (Steve H)]

Ken & co, Did you guys manage to get that rotten spotlight turned off after the first night??

[erick (Eric)]

Yes, Steve. Ken made various phone calls, the result of which was Powercorp coming and extinguishing it on Saturday.

[Louwai (Bryan)]

Originally Posted by erick

Sounds:- Some mounts grinding away,
Eric

That must have been mine you heard Eric. My poor old CG-5 is overloaded to buggery. It makes some strange noises.
I must admit, it's a hell of a lot better since Martin did a job on it for me.

I'm thinking of a CGE. I saw a nice one on the field. I wonder if it would be missed. Maybe if I remove the owner he won't notice.........

B

[danielsun]

Originally Posted by Louwai

That must have been mine you heard Eric. My poor old CG-5 is overloaded to buggery. It makes some strange noises.
I must admit, it's a hell of a lot better since Martin did a job on it for me.

I'm thinking of a CGE. I saw a nice one on the field. I wonder if it would be missed. Maybe if I remove the owner he won't notice.........

B

Who..,this guy.. Trevor... Naa he won't notice..

[Stephen65]

I could only make the Sat night but I had a great time, was nice to put some names to faces. Highlights were seeing Bird's wire-festooned planetary newt, the 15" SDM and Phil's 10" binos. Also very kind of Phil to lend me his Ethos for an extended evaluation in my FLT132 but I fear its an experience that may end up costing me $800...

For a refractor freak it was nice to see the range of medium and small size refractors, both achros and APOs, from the very nice ZS110 down to Cameron's exquisite little Tak 66 fluorite.

[PhilW]

That eyepiece has hitherto only been used in reflectors, & I was grateful for the opportunity to look through a scope with a lens up the front.

I enjoyed the sheer diversity of the instruments on the field: from the perfect Tak 66 through to the majestic SDM 15", with every kind of optical train & mounting imaginable. My thanks to Ken & the crew for a most enjoyable weekend. I did have my doubts as I drove up in torrential rain, but they were erased as the clouds rolled away. I still can't quite figure out how Bird gets all his equipment packed into his car though - a failure of spatial imagination on my part.

Phil

[erick (Eric)]

Here are some photos - from a little point and shoot.

[erick (Eric)]

Some of the folks, leading, relaxing and tossing!

[erick (Eric)]

From covered to getting ready to Observe!

[ballaratdragons (Ken)]

Hi everyone, and thanks for the thanks.
I would've been sunk if it wasn't for the great assistance from Darren, Angus and Dave. Thanks heaps guys

I've only just managed to get myself together, so sorry for the late posting. I am suffering what I can only call 'Post-Event Exhaustion'.

I finally got away from the Camp at 6:30pm on Tuesday after having to semi-pack, race into Ballarat for a Centrelink appointment, return to continue packing and Camp cleaning, then return again later to search for my glasses! Yep, I have lost my glasses.

A big thankyou to the ladies of the Snake Valley CFA Auxilliary for another fantastic Saturday Night Feast. CFA recieved $250 from the Feast.
Also a huge thankyou to Evelyn (SVAA Treasurers wife) for the fantastic deserts and Pavlovas. The whole lot was a tremendous feed for $15 and we were still eating the left-over roast meats and deserts right up until Monday lunchtime!!!!

Anyhow, report time!

This Camp was our largest to date, and also the one that gave us more sky time

On Friday, the Camp was preceded by a fantastic afternoon Thunderstorm right over our heads (I ordered it to clean the sky for us )
Just as sunset approached the curtains drew back and revealed the magnificance of dark country sky.

As reported by others, almost every combination of scope, mount, and imaging device was represented. The Dining room was converted into a processing factory with laptops madly stacking and processing images not long after they were captured, then returned to the field to soak up more photons.

I personally couldn't go 4 nights without my whole imaging outfit, so I dug up all my underground cables, pulled my control room apart and took everything including the built-in desk!

Many familiar faces, and lots of new ones made the whole event a great success on the social side of things, and the great sky made the Observing/Imaging side a success.

The Astrophotography Exhibition/Competition was well represented with all manner of images on show.

The BINTEL shop was also a big hit, thanks to Anthony for setting it up for 2 days. Many items were purchased.

There are so many great things to say about the 5th Snake Valley Astro Camp I could go on for ages, but rather than waffle on, I will let the others continue with their posts.

A very big Thankyou to our November 2007 Sponsors: BINTEL, M.D.A.M. Imports, Australian Sky&Telescope, MyAstroShop, & Dave Girling Tent Supplies.
Also thank you to Greg (taminga16) for the donation of the Boxed Presentation Wine which was also raffled off (Chris didn't get a hang-over).

A BIGGER thankyou to all who came (pity they all didn't make the group photo). Without you, it would be very dull sitting in the field all by myself!

Winners of the raffles, comps etc are:

Door Prize- Angelina
SV-100 - Eric & Anna
Counterweight Toss - Mick
Raffle - Mill
Raffle - Chris
Astrophoto - Peoples Choice - Eric
Astrophoto - Judges Choice - Eric

See you all at next March or Novembers Camps

Some images:

1. My cable digging exercise. I was determined to Image.
2. My control Room set up INSIDE my tent.
3. The Astrophotography Display
4. Eric with his Peoples Choice & Judges Choice winning images

[ballaratdragons (Ken)]

Now that I have given my report, I hope all the folks out at VicSouth had a great time too. Apparently the skies were good for them too.

Hard to beat an Astro event in Australian dark skies, whichever one.

Just a few more general pics from Snake Valley

1. Eric - SV100 winner, presented by dave 47Tuc
2. Anna - SV100 winner, presented by dave 47Tuc
3. A pic of Camera-mad Daniel
4. Eric setting up
5. Chris hiding

[iceman (Mike)]

Excellent report and pictures, everyone.

Originally Posted by ken

I've only just managed to get myself together, so sorry for the late posting. I am suffering what I can only call 'Post-Event Exhaustion'.

I know what you mean - it really does take it out of you. Such a relief when it's all over.

But then you gear up again for next year

[OneOfOne (Trevor)]

Originally Posted by danielsun

Who..,this guy.. Trevor... Naa he won't notice..

Guys, I seem to have left something behind when I left Snake Valley...has anyone seen my mount? I am sure I packed it....

[Dave47tuc (David)]

Hi all,
A big well done to those who took part in the SV100.
Congratulations to Eric and Anna for being the winners of the SV100 challenge.

My thanks to Steve Massey from My astro shop for sponsoring the event.

Many thanks to the SVAA (I'm soon to be a member)
Also the ladies of the SV CFA great food on Saturday night.

Great photos guys thanks for posting them.

Also john thanks for the entertainment chasing the Moon, it was very funny.

[Louwai (Bryan)]

Originally Posted by OneOfOne

Guys, I seem to have left something behind when I left Snake Valley...has anyone seen my mount? I am sure I packed it....

Sorry Trevor, haven't seen it . But if I do come across it, I'll make sure it still works OK until the next time we meet.

Unfortunatly I don't think I can make it to the next couple of SV Camps, so "if" I happen to find it, you might be waiting a while until I can get it back to you......

[anna]

I really enjoyed doing the SV100 challenge Dave. It was a last minute
decision to do it, and I'm so glad I did. Not only did I come away with a beautiful new book to add to my collection, but I also got to see some
objects I hadn't seen before.

[erick (Eric)]

Originally Posted by Dave47tuc

My thanks to Steve Massey from My astro shop for sponsoring the event.

Many thanks Dave, for your efforts and support of the Camp.

I've just sent an email of appreciation to Steve M. (Edit: and he has promptly responded. Nice guy! Quick, everyone buy something from My Astro Shop!)

Eric