Public viewing night in Newcastle 8 September 2005

h0ughy (David) · #1 08-09-2005, 10:26 PM

Tonight the Newcastle Astronomical Society conducted a viewing evening for newcaslte East public School and the general public at " the Obelisk" in Newcastle.

The turnout was fantastic and enthusiastic kids and adults made the most of the photon charged environment. Many oohs aahhs and "sics" and quite a few "fully sics"!

We did the moon, venus and jupiter view swaping between the scopes. as you can see we had quite a crowd and only 4 telescopes.

I even had an elderly lady look at the moon, jupiter and venus and then she stated that she was 98 years old. i tell you now that she didn't walk or look like a 98 year old. She said that she wanted to see another world up close before she left this one. the NAS was only too helpful to oblige.

astroron (Ron) · #2 08-09-2005, 10:37 PM

Good on ya Houghy, well done to all your fellow members who helped out, great to hear you had a good night.astroron

toetoe (Peter) · #3 08-09-2005, 11:23 PM

Great stuff Houghy

nice pics also.

iceman (Mike) · #4 09-09-2005, 06:09 AM

wow, what a crowd! I bet you didn't expect that many!

Great work h0ughy and NAS, were they impressed with the moon? Jupiter would've been pretty disappointing down so low, I imagine.

h0ughy (David) · #5 09-09-2005, 07:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by iceman

wow, what a crowd! I bet you didn't expect that many!

Great work h0ughy and NAS, were they impressed with the moon? Jupiter would've been pretty disappointing down so low, I imagine.

Mike

Jupiter was abhorred later in the night, although when it was higher the 12" did manage to reveal some festooning in the bands (that was just after sunset), but conditions quickly deminished as there was about 10 degrees (from horizon) of heavy smog, sea air & dust in the air, but the moon was the flavour of the month! lots of wows, one guy even stepped back as he must have thought he was falling into the moon!

the kids loved it. Unfortunatelly, having the largest scope there, i had the biggest lineup, most of the people in the photos were lined up waiting for my scope

atalas · #6 09-09-2005, 03:14 PM

Sounds like a another good night David.

Louie

ballaratdragons (Ken) · #7 09-09-2005, 03:24 PM

It wasn't your scope they were lining up for Houghy, it was your charm!

Well done.

ving (David) · #8 09-09-2005, 03:48 PM

gettin out ther, thats what we like to see!

good on ya david!

ballaratdragons (Ken) · #9 09-09-2005, 04:00 PM

Houghy,

I was just looking back through your pics above and realised something . . . good of you to ruin their night vision with the flash on the camera LOL!!!!

Gotta laugh at pic number 4. One guy is trying to look into the EP and the other guy is looking into the scopes open end at the same time.

h0ughy (David) · #10 09-09-2005, 04:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ballaratdragons

It wasn't your scope they were lining up for Houghy, it was your charm!

Well done.

I lack charm, just ask the missus

i am not subtle either. i told the kids if they misbehave I would shoot them to jupiter

acropolite (Phil) · #11 09-09-2005, 05:31 PM

Goes to show you're not just a pretty face (

), good work h0ughy, as usual...

h0ughy (David) · #12 09-09-2005, 07:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ballaratdragons

Houghy,

I was just looking back through your pics above and realised something . . . good of you to ruin their night vision with the flash on the camera LOL!!!!

Gotta laugh at pic number 4. One guy is trying to look into the EP and the other guy is looking into the scopes open end at the same time.

That "guy" looking in the scope is Scott Alder (Tornado33), don't know the person at the eyepiece

it still was early twilight, so the flash really wasn't a problem.