Astronomy - a Reverse Drought

[Omaroo (Chris Malikoff)]

I was just sitting here thinking about how I feel bummed out about not being able to use my new Tak toys for weeks on end due to this weather - and a thought struck me.... what about guys all over the country who have turned their hobbies into their job, and have spent huge amounts of cash on providing professionally-run observatories for we amateurs to partake of when we can? What has the recent weather done to them?

I just have to say that I hope people like Zane Hammond (Magellan Obs & farm stay), Mark Monk (Darby Falls Obs), Rod Watters (Ryder Homestead Obs) and others as well who run places like Grove Creek are finding that people still frequent their properties for things other than the astronomy. It seems like the last 6 months has been poor weather for these guys and I hope to heck that they are OK. It'd be a HUGE shame to see any of these places suffer due to lack of patronage. There's plenty to do at these great facilities other than spend ones' nights looking up! Just getting away for the weekend to Magellan is a great thing to do - Jenny and I love it there, as do others at our local astronomy club, the M.A.S.

I've been to Magellan a number of times and loved my visits there and I'm now keen to go visit some of the others too - and support them through what must be a pretty difficult "astronomy drought".

HANG IN THERE FELLAS!!!!

[leon]

Chris it is amazing how we tend to think of others when we/us are having a bad time of it all.

As the saying goes, there is always someone worse of than us, i really believe that.

I have had some bad times during my life, but then when i see the suffering of some, i feel lucky.

It is am omen mate, the weather will clear, but you have turned your thoughts to others, and that is a good thing.

Have a great day, the Sun will shine again.

Leon

[Geoff-]

Originally Posted by leon

Have a great day, the Sun will shine again.

No doubt. Australia goes in cycles - flood/drought/bushfire.

At least 1/3 of the time it is perfect for astronomy

[The FishMan]

Come down to Melbourne, we have had sunshine for 90% of the last 6 weeks.

[GCO (Closed)]

Hello Chris,

We used to loose only 1 night in 5 to cloud. Of late, we are only getting 1 clear night in 3! Lucky for us, we no longer run public tours, so people traveling all the way from the USA, are not being effected.

However, with our new public internet telescope system, which came online in November last year, has certainly been badly effected and is giving a bad "first impression". Grove Creek was always known for its clear skies (even when it was pouring with rain in Bathurst!). I certainly hope things are going to improve soon, as we have spent over $5,000 automating our 3 observatory buildings for remote internet use and mebership fees where planed to cover this.

Oh well, someone out there must have bought a HUGE 'scope, because as we ALL know, it will always be cloudy after you make a new purchase :-)

Thanks for thinking of us, most kind of you.

[Alchemy (Clive)]

Originally Posted by The FishMan

Come down to Melbourne, we have had sunshine for 90% of the last 6 weeks.

Nice try but wishfull thinking will not help

[GTB_an_Owl (Geoff)]

i was going to ask WHICH Melbourne does he live in - surely not the one in Victoria, Australia

geoff

[§AB]

Originally Posted by The FishMan

Come down to Melbourne, we have had sunshine for 90% of the last 6 weeks.

I'm in tears I laughed so hard when I read this. Obviously, this is either a Melbourne on another planet or he simply misspelled Alice Springs.