The 2016 OzSky event took place at Coonabarabran this past week
with 49 northern hemisphere observers attending. I was there again
as a volunteer and had transported up and back the 3RF 150mm Fujinon
binoculars and associated motorized StarChair.
In fact I had inadvertently left behind a crucial bracket and made the
11 hour round trip to Sydney and back to retrieve it shortly after just
arriving. So I ended up doing the drive there and back twice in the
space of 24 hours.
As an amusing anecdote, I am always vigilant for wildlife and cattle
on the road on that route. For example I spotted in time
a couple of cows in the dark on the Warrumbungles Way between
Binnaway and Coolah. But when I arrived back in Coonabarabran and
pulled into the Woolworth's car park I was confronted with one of
our American visitors coming on the wrong side the opposite way.
He realised his error and pulled to the left.
An array of eleven large aperture Dobs were made available at the event,
including a flock of 18"'s, couple of 25"'s and a 30", nine of which were
fitted with Argo Navis.
One highlight was satellite tracking using the latest Version 3.0.1
Argo Navis firmware on James Pierce's ServoCAT-equipped 14" Dob.
It's exciting to watch the satellite appear to remain stationary in the
eyepiece as the background stars go whizzing by. Some compared it to
"Star Wars".
We observed five in all before it the sun eclipsed the possibility of observers
others in low orbit.
James described it as the "highlight of his week" and issued a couple of his
rare high-fives. He is now hooked. Everyone that looked was excited.
This is something we recommend users can try even before it gets fully dark.
The Heavens Above web site can assist with planning which satellites will be
visible from your site and it can also provide orbital elements.
The real-time satellite tracking feature was a result of an close collaboration
between Wildcard Innovations and StellarCAT in developing the latest
version of the ServoCAT communications protocol.
Both companies continue to work on exciting new developments for
the future.
Also on-hand at the event was our good friend Dave Kriege of Obsession
Telescopes, now a regular visitor to Australia.
Steve Gottlieb found the Sacred Mushroom (ESO-138-IG29/30) using
Argo Navis on an 18" Obsession and invited others to see if they
could see it. A challenging pair of objects.
See
http://adsabs.harvard.edu/full/1994ApJ...433..631W
It was great to catch with old friends such as Bob Rose, Dragan Nikin and
Alan Dyer. Plus it was wonderful to meet many people for the first time.
Best Regards
Gary Kopff
Managing Director
Wildcard Innovations Pty. Ltd.
20 Kilmory Place, Mount Kuring-Gai
NSW. 2080. Australia
Phone +61-2-9457-9049
Fax +61-2-9457-9593
wildcard@wildcard-innovations.com.au
http://www.wildcard-innovations.com.au