Back home safe & sound. Thoroughly buggered after just 3 nights (but 3am finishes on 2 of those).
The air was very moist on Wednesday - but to be expected after 3 inches of rain on Tuesday. The wind tried to blow us away and then the clouds teased us on Thursday. Friday was fabulous - the fog rolled into the paddock next door about 2am, but didn't cross the fence properly until ~3:30am.
Tonights looking good - hope all enjoy Astrofeast and a last night of observing.
Regards
David T
P.S. Tony S-H, are you going to create a "formal" feedback thread when you return. I'd be interested to hear people thoughts on "power issues", plus a few other things.
Back today, 2 excellent nights of observing even with that smoke haze around.
Big thanks to Jonathan Bradshaw for letting us play with your 20inch SDM over the last 2 nights and letting me use my Mallincam and driving your excellent SDM dob last night,was really fun.
Big thanks to Brian for taking us on plenty of tours of some nice deep sky delights with your 20inch SDM, and good luck with that puney little 12 dob you won last night. It will make a nice finderscope,lol.
Big thanks to the organisers again.
Can't wait till next year.
Thanks for coming out in the rain on Tuesday night to hear my talk on James Dunlop.
Here are pictures of some of his objects with his original descriptions. http://picasaweb.google.com.au/dunlop1826/Dunlop28#
home safe and sound!!!! thanks to everyone that organises this event it was another fantastic year, 2 great nights of viewing and the high light last night in the big dobbies and nightstalkers binos was the pluming or crash of the satellite. we watched the plume and 2 satillites tracking for over an hour and was a real highlite!!!!!!!!!!! thanks all
Back in Brisvegas, it was great to catch up with everyone and meet some new people.
A special thanks to Paul ([1ponders] for his assistance with my previously unused mount. As with every other Astrofest the time just flew it was over far too quickly. I have to agree with mozzie, the UFO (it was after all Unidentified Flying and an object) was a buzz, hopefully we'll find out a little more about it in the near future.
That scope looks good ontop of the Meade, didn't suit the SDM ,lol.. Yep if we could get a wireless router we could project the images into a building and display onto a large screen, would be a bit of fun.
Bryan, your 20inch inch mirror is so crisp, gotta be happy with that one.
I had a great four days it was great to catch up with some of the older faces again, and some new ones.
The Flair certainly was a highlight and looked great in all forms of optical viewing equipment .
The committee did a great job, and now deserve a well earned rest from Astrofest duties, Well done people
Got back last night after four nights. The last night was the best of those four, I thought. Wish I could have had one more night. (I was supposed to go up Tuesday, but we all know what Tuesday was like!)
Astrofest is always great for meeting new people, catching up with old friends, observing and photography. Oh, and deciding which new piece of equipment to get!
I didn't have any power problems, and I thought it was excellently run, as usual. Already looking forward to next year!
Here is a widefield shot (single ~3 minute exposure) of the galactic centre from Astrofest on Sunday night. It was taken with a portable tracking mount (borrowed from Houghy ... thanks a heap mate ) on a camera tripod.
that came out ok Andrew - turn you to the dark side yet....lol
Thanks guys. I'm really pleased with it. Peter has excelled himself with the entire scope.
The swim doesn't seem to have affected it too much. Just a few little issues to fix up. All in all, everything ended up good.
B
Peter was telling me about it on the phone today Bryan. All new SDM's are now going to come with a removable bung!
It will make washing the mirror a breeze. Fill her up, swish and empty.
1.. lower road
2.. and again
3.. front gate east
4.. bit o water comimg down the river , maybe it rained a little earlier in the week
5..try and steal breakfast next year now I know what you look like smart arse
6.. cow laying a pat :0
7.. not sure what this is ?.. tosser symposium maybe ,they both look to be experts
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