Scary astro dark-site stories.

[multiweb (Marc)]

Originally Posted by BPO

Last year I was outside my observatory (1,900m elev.) without a light during a mid-winter snowstorm and became disoriented, losing the track and almost going over the 1,500m vertical drop. And the scary part is that it's not the first time I've almost done that. But I'm not a moron.

Snow can be very disorientating. I nearly drove off a cliff on a mountain road in a snow storm once. We were doing about 20kph in first gear and the tires were all chained. I could barely see past the bonnet. If it wasn't for my mate on the back seat screaming stop we would have taken a 500m dive.

[bloodhound31]

Originally Posted by multiweb

Snow can be very disorientating. I nearly drove off a cliff on a mountain road in a snow storm once. We were doing about 20kph in first gear and the tires were all chained. I could barely see past the bonnet. If it wasn't for my mate on the back seat screaming stop we would have taken a 500mm dive.

500mm? You were lucky you didn't spill your coffee!

[Nightshift]

September 2007 I was caravanning up the East coast heading for Cairns, we stopped for a couple of nights at a beautiful little spot called Woodgate Beach, a sleepy hamlet on the beach at the north end of Wide Bay. There I was, family asleep in bed, me set up behind the caravan in pitch black darkness really enjoying a dark sky view of Jupiter when I accidently dropped an eyepiece which hit the tray of the Meade making a loud "ting" noise, at which point I was hit by a huge furry creature and knocked to the ground, Meade ETX90 and all, only me and my dry cleaner will ever know how really scared I was. It turned out to be an Eastern Grey Kangaroo who was grazing (ever so quietly) between me and my caravan, I had no idea it was there and I am guessing it had no idea I was there but when I frightened it with the eyepiece it went straight for the scrub which happened to be on the other side of me, my only consolation is knowing that it too probably said "WTF was that!" My Meade landed on me and was undamaged, my pride and underware are still in the scrub near the Woodgate Caravan Park.

Dennis.

[astroron (Ron)]

Originally Posted by Nightshift

September 2007 I was caravanning up the East coast heading for Cairns, we stopped for a couple of nights at a beautiful little spot called Woodgate Beach, a sleepy hamlet on the beach at the north end of Wide Bay. There I was, family asleep in bed, me set up behind the caravan in pitch black darkness really enjoying a dark sky view of Jupiter when I accidently dropped an eyepiece which hit the tray of the Meade making a loud "ting" noise, at which point I was hit by a huge furry creature and knocked to the ground, Meade ETX90 and all, only me and my dry cleaner will ever know how really scared I was. It turned out to be an Eastern Grey Kangaroo who was grazing (ever so quietly) between me and my caravan, I had no idea it was there and I am guessing it had no idea I was there but when I frightened it with the eyepiece it went straight for the scrub which happened to be on the other side of me, my only consulation is knowing that it too probably said "WTF was that!" My Meade landed on me and was undamaged, my pride and underware are still in the scrub near the Woodgate Caravan Park.

Dennis.

Good one Dennis
I bet you where a couple of pounds lighter after that experience
Cheers

[bloodhound31]

Originally Posted by Nightshift

September 2007 I was caravanning up the East coast heading for Cairns, we stopped for a couple of nights at a beautiful little spot called Woodgate Beach, a sleepy hamlet on the beach at the north end of Wide Bay. There I was, family asleep in bed, me set up behind the caravan in pitch black darkness really enjoying a dark sky view of Jupiter when I accidently dropped an eyepiece which hit the tray of the Meade making a loud "ting" noise, at which point I was hit by a huge furry creature and knocked to the ground, Meade ETX90 and all, only me and my dry cleaner will ever know how really scared I was. It turned out to be an Eastern Grey Kangaroo who was grazing (ever so quietly) between me and my caravan, I had no idea it was there and I am guessing it had no idea I was there but when I frightened it with the eyepiece it went straight for the scrub which happened to be on the other side of me, my only consulation is knowing that it too probably said "WTF was that!" My Meade landed on me and was undamaged, my pride and underware are still in the scrub near the Woodgate Caravan Park.

Dennis.

That's a beauty Dennis!

[AstralTraveller (David)]

I've had roos grazing just 1-2m from me at a remote dark-sky site (ie these roos would not have routinely seen people). Fortunately they resisted any urges they had to crash-tackle me. Two years ago at (the optimisticly named) Mt Clear camping area there were roos feeding close enough that I could touch them. I sometimes wonder how they all didn't wind up as dinner.

[jjjnettie (Jeanette)]

I'm having one right now!!!
I've set up at a local look out that has thick scrub behind me,across the road. I heard some piggies earlier and thought they'd just move on if I was noisy. Well I'd set up the shots, had attached dew strap and was heading back to car to turn it on when the blasted thing started going off at me!! Grunting and carrying on. I bolted into the car and shut the door Glad I started the imaging run cause I'm staying IN the car for now.