What time are people likely to arrive? I probably can't get there until after dark, which won't be popular if people are on the field. I know turning right into the reserve, you flood the reserve with white headlight beams.
What time are people likely to arrive? I probably can't get there until after dark, which won't be popular if people are on the field. I know turning right into the reserve, you flood the reserve with white headlight beams.
I'll try to be there around 8:30 - but it depends when I get away from work and can get packed up.
I recall that there's a streetlight as you are coming up to the reserve - after dark, drivers should be able to drop to park lights as they get close. Don't worry - this is not a "dark sky" site!
No trees to the west (lights though), south and east. From memory there is a line of trees along the road to the north, which probably blocks the horizon to about 30 degrees up (just guessing).
Here we go - Google Earth location. (I'm cheating - rename the file to a .kmz file and drop into Google Earth! Hope that works.)
Perhaps there is more unsealed than I remember? However, you can see where the trees are. The oblique view is not correct - the road is at the highest elevation, so you look down the hill to the north-east.
A picture is worth a thousand words..
So here we have 2000
North and South-west view, taken from the road. From the actual site the North direction will be a little bit covered with trees but up to 15 degrees, not much more, and there are only couple of bigger ones... Clouds might be a bigger problem....
Erick, did you mean "rename the file to a .zip then unzip then.. " :-)
Actually no, it is a .kmz file format, which is the format of a Google Earth coordinates file (I think). Cause the forum wouldn't accept that, I just renamed it to .txt and attached. I did experiment afterwards - I saved the attachment, renamed it back to .kmz, double clicked on it and it fired up Google Earth and went to Johns Hill Reserve. I hope it works for others.
Thanks for the images. As places close to the city go, it's pretty good for North and South, and not bad to the East. And if you are not interested in anything under 40 deg elevation, you'll be smiling!
Actually no, it is a .kmz file format, which is the format of a Google Earth coordinates file (I think).
This is interesting, because if you rename it to .zip, you can unzip it and you will find doc.kml in it... which looks like xml script or something..
Hmmm, it seems that we hacked something here :-)
This is what it looks like:
Hey that is interesting. I guess Google Earth creates a .kml file which contains the location details, then zips it to a .kmz file for emailing etc. Google Earth unzips the .kmz? However, as long as it takes people to the location in Google Earth.
Nice rain at the moment - going to clear the air nicely, clear tonight, dry out tomorrow giving us Fri/Sat/Sun nights with glorious observing! Any complaints about Melbourne weather now?
Hey that is interesting. I guess Google Earth creates a .kml file which contains the location details, then zips it to a .kmz file for emailing etc. Google Earth unzips the .kmz? However, as long as it takes people to the location in Google Earth.
I've had this problem with a couple of Joomla sites that I've developed. It is possible to have the custom mime types added the server so that Google Earth files will open properly. Delving into my notes, on my server I had to add the following:
AddType application/vnd.google-earth.kml+xml kml
AddType application/vnd.google-earth.kmz kmz
Off topic, I guess, but it might be info that the admins might like to know, if they don't already...
Quote:
Originally Posted by erick
Nice rain at the moment - going to clear the air nicely, clear tonight, dry out tomorrow giving us Fri/Sat/Sun nights with glorious observing! Any complaints about Melbourne weather now?
Kirsty and I will be there - but first we're going to stop off at an Indian restaurant in Knox that we used to frequent when we lived up that way. Looking forwards to the food, and the views, and the company
Peter
OK, it's all systems GO! A little scattered cloud, otherwise lovely weather. No significant cloud forecast, light surface winds, jetstream light and looks to be retreating over Melbourne, minimum 16 deg overnight, still 21 deg at midnight. Rain cleaned dirt from atmosphere, no bushfire smoke!! Too good to be true?
OK, it's all systems GO! A little scattered cloud, otherwise lovely weather. No significant cloud forecast, light surface winds, jetstream light and looks to be retreating over Melbourne, minimum 16 deg overnight, still 21 deg at midnight. Rain cleaned dirt from atmosphere, no bushfire smoke!! Too good to be true?
See you there!
Looks good - all that cloud I could see at noon seems to have moved off (probably to Berwick).
I'll try and get there around 8:30. If I'm not too intimidated by all the aperture that's threatening to turn up, I may get my scope out of the boot
I also want to see how a 12" dob fits into a Lancer.
I think I can be tempted out too. My wife will be taking the big car tonight to her function, so you'll also get to see how a 14" can be squished into a Honda Jazz (& not stick out the sunroof, that would be cheating).
Transparency last night in inner Melbourne was exceptional btw - a good omen.
I believe a good time was had by all last night. It was a reasonably dark sky, provided you didn't look too far down to the west, & it was dark enough to see some brighter galaxies (eg the pair 1549 & 1553 in Dorado).
I am also going to nominate myself for the 'acrobatic agility' award - I cleverly tripped over Doug's observing chair in the dark while carrying my Ethos. Eyepiece & carrier both unharmed.
Yeah I had a great time - special thanks to eric for letting me look through his binos, we even got to enjoy a fireworks display sth melb somewhere.
Quite a good turnout i thought.
