IceInSpace AstroCamp 2013 - 11th to 13th April, 2013

iceman (Mike) · #1 25-01-2013, 05:27 PM

The IceInSpace AstroCamp (IISAC) at Lostock, now in its 7th year, is back again!

After a break in 2012 due to the Total Solar Eclipse, the IISAC has moved to April in 2013! The change in date will mean a change in temperature, a change in scenery and a stunning change in the night sky as the bulge of the Milky Way will be rising in the evening.

IISAC2013 is a star party organised by the IceInSpace community and held over 3 nights, from the 11th to the 13th April 2013, at Lostock Scout Camp in the beautiful Hunter Valley area of NSW. The location was chosen because of its proximity to Sydney, the Central Coast and Newcastle, and at under 4 hours drive from Sydney you'll be amongst clear, very dark skies in a lovely country setting.

The info page is now online and contains all the information you need to know, including costs and more.
IISAC2013 Info Page

Registration for IISAC2013 is OPEN!

Info page: http://www.iceinspace.com.au/iisac
Registration: http://shop.iceinspace.com.au/shop/i...-registration/
IISAC2013 T-Shirt: http://shop.iceinspace.com.au/shop/i...black-t-shirt/

To order the t-shirt with your booking, just add it to the cart like any other product before or after you've registered for the camp.

Of course you're welcome to order the t-shirt on its own even if you can't attend the camp. Just tick the shipping option.

Early bird registration gives you $15 off the total price. Use the coupon code IISAC-EARLYBIRD on the cart or checkout page to apply the discount.

And remember, for those that haven't used the IIS Shop site before, it's a NEW user account. You can't login using the same IIS username/password. Just proceed as a 'new user' and enter a new username/password on the checkout page.

Notes:
- School term for NSW finishes on Friday 12th - so it'd be great to see some families at IISAC this time around. Bring the kids! They won't miss anything on the last day or two of school for Term 1

- Daylight savings ends on the 7th April, so IISAC2013 will be in AEST (no daylight savings). Sunrise is around 6:15am, sunset is around 5:30pm. Long nights with the Milky Way rising!

mental4astro (Alexander) · #2 25-01-2013, 06:53 PM

WOOHOO!

I'm in!

MortonH · #3 25-01-2013, 07:40 PM

Me too. Should have a new mount by then

zardos123 (Brad) · #4 26-01-2013, 12:31 AM

me too

Screwdriverone (Chris) · #5 26-01-2013, 01:12 AM

Already teed this one up with the missus,

Can't wait.

Cheers

Chris

Rod771 (Rod) · #6 26-01-2013, 01:45 AM

Its my wife's birthday on the 12th April.

Do ya reckon she'd notice if I was gone for a couple of days

iceman (Mike) · #7 31-01-2013, 07:03 AM

Attendance was down in 2011, partly because of a dodgy forecast - people thought the weather would be terrible so they pulled out. But it ended up being great!

The lack of numbers certainly puts a downer on the organisation and it was noted by the attendees themselves.

I'm hoping to see a nice turnaround this year . It definitely makes it more enjoyable

Bring the family too (see below).

Some notes:

Notes:
- School term for NSW finishes on Friday 12th - so it'd be great to see some families at IISAC this time around. Bring the kids! They won't miss anything on the last day or two of school for Term 1

- Daylight savings ends on the 7th April, so IISAC2013 will be in AEST (no daylight savings). Sunrise is around 6:15am, sunset is around 5:30pm. Long nights with the Milky Way rising!

- Confirmed speakers so far:
. Chris Malikoff : Mobile Astronomy Apps
. Greg Bradley : TBA

Allan_L (Allan) · #8 31-01-2013, 12:16 PM

Keep the updates coming Mike.
It is all sounding very promising again this year.
I am already looking forward to it.

iceman (Mike) · #9 31-01-2013, 12:52 PM

Thanks Allan, look forward to seeing you there!

If anyone has any suggestions or ideas for workshops or guest speakers, please get in touch - especially if you're volunteering yourself or know someone who will be available

mental4astro (Alexander) · #10 31-01-2013, 01:03 PM

Any 'car boot swap n sell'?

lacad01 (Adam) · #11 31-01-2013, 01:28 PM

Super, got it pencilled in

Is there a FAQ available on the site facilities such as cooking, power, etc? cheers

Allan_L (Allan) · #12 31-01-2013, 01:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mental4astro

Any 'car boot swap n sell'?

Great suggestion Alex

Mike,
I think one of the talks I found most useful (especially for relative newbies) was one given by John Bambury (I think?) on Southern Sky objects, how and when to find and observe them, and the use of filters and related.

iceman (Mike) · #13 31-01-2013, 03:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lacad01

Super, got it pencilled in

Is there a FAQ available on the site facilities such as cooking, power, etc? cheers

Coming shortly!

Steffen · #14 31-01-2013, 05:46 PM

Great, we'll be there! Probably camping this time

Cheers
Steffen.

iceman (Mike) · #15 01-02-2013, 06:42 AM

How would people feel if there were no Gresford RFB to provide dinners?

Would most people be happy to self-cater?
eg:
- use the cooking facilities in the kitchen,
- use the BBQ outside,
- use their own camping equipment

While a lot of people (myself included) LOVED having the Gresford RFB there to provide dinners, last year only half the people at the camp (sometimes less) took advantage of it. And it's been reducing every year.

So in the end it's getting hard for the Gresford RFB to justify providing the service.

I don't have confirmation that they WON'T be able to do it this year, but I don't have confidence that they will either.

The other great service they provided was bringing the BINS, and taking them away at the end of camp. That was an enormous help.

erick (Eric) · #16 01-02-2013, 01:26 PM

I hope to be there - full camp this second time, hopefully. Re RFB dinners - yes, that is my preference. I can cope with heating up my own microwave dinners, however.

rogerco (Roger) · #17 01-02-2013, 02:06 PM

RFS catering. I would prefer to have them, but as an RFS member myself I know how they feel if they don't have definite numbers or if most don't use them. Does the kitchen have microwave ovens?

Roger

Screwdriverone (Chris) · #18 01-02-2013, 04:40 PM

+1 for the RFB.

I havent been previously, but I would prefer a hot dinner and self cater the breaky/lunch with camp cooking.

At this stage, probably myself and my eldest son would be coming along for the three days.

Cheers

Chris

sheeny (Al) · #19 01-02-2013, 04:57 PM

+ another one for RFB catering.

Less food to have to keep fresh... eskys can be put to better use

... less washing up... just relax and enjoy at the end of the day.

Al.

iceman (Mike) · #20 01-02-2013, 05:13 PM

Costs for IISAC2013 are:

Registration: (once-off payment no matter how many nights you stay)
- Adult Registration: $85
- Child Registration: $15
- Family Registration (2 Adults and 1 or more kids): $170

Accommodation:
- Bunkbeds: $7 per person per night
- Camping: $12 per campsite per night
- Off-site: N/A

Optional Extras:
- IISAC2013 T-Shirt: $20
- Gresford RFB Dinners: TBA approx $15 (if I can get them coming)

I've re-jiggeed the prices slightly from last year, with the adult registration cost higher but per-night cost lower. Child registration cost is also lower.

For an individual adult or a family staying for 3 nights, there's only a slight increase on what you would've paid last year (about $10).

If you're staying for just one night, the prices are about $20 more than what you would've paid last year, but evidence from previous years shows that 70+% of attendees stay all 3 nights.

To help with the cost, there'll also be an Early Bird Discount. If you book and pay before the 1st March you get $15 off the total price.

I never like increasing prices, but it's been 18 months since the last IISAC and unfortunately my costs have gone up too.

It also costs me a significant amount of money upfront to put the camp on, and there's a significant amount of risk that you never break even if you don't get enough attendees.

I'm sure you all understand. At least the prices haven't risen at the same rate as electricity prices

Registration form will be coming soon.