Peak Star Party 2012

[Moonshane]

well, it's either the sign or beans for breakfast, lunch and dinner! seriously though, I really don't mind sharing the scope with others - it's just nice to have a look myself every now and again

[MjrTom]

well, it's either the sign or beans for breakfast, lunch and dinner! seriously though, I really don't mind sharing the scope with others - it's just nice to have a look myself every now and again

I know what you mean

You shall have to practice your angry face

[Spikey]

well, it's either the sign or beans for breakfast, lunch and dinner! seriously though, I really don't mind sharing the scope with others - it's just nice to have a look myself every now and again

You'll have to build another one Shane and fence it off. I didn't make it out of the touring field last year as my kit didn't like the journey and refused to work so I spent most of Saturday getting it working.

Hopefully this year will be different and I can just leave it imaging and be a bit more sociable. It's been a while since I have actually looked through a telescope.

[Moonshane]

will be great to see everone again and honestly I welcome approaches and requests to have a peek, so feel free. I am hopefully going to have my 6" f5 too so I can have look while others use the big dob when appropriate.

[MjrTom]

Yeah me too, last year was a blast, looking forward to chatting with you all again.

hopefully the weather will be a bit better this time:)

[haitch]

will be great to see everone again and honestly I welcome approaches and requests to have a peek, so feel free. I am hopefully going to have my 6" f5 too so I can have look while others use the big dob when appropriate.

Mine's a bit smaller than yours I think Shane but I'll try and share the strain.

[Moonshane]

quality - cheers Haitch.

it will be a great event again either way but even better if the weather plays ball.

[Jiggy 67]

will be great to see everone again and honestly I welcome approaches and requests to have a peek, so feel free. I am hopefully going to have my 6" f5 too so I can have look while others use the big dob when appropriate.

Have you invested in a new car then??....or is the Mrs having to make 3 trips this time!?!?

[jamespels]

Hey all - glad the excitement levels are building again

We have already hit last year's May record - the 40th booking came in today

Right, planned theme this year (subject to lots of haggling - I really should discuss these things with the other organisers first!) is DIY astronomy. I want to have one great talk each evening - there was simply too much to look after last year and I think some bums got a bit sore on those bales - with hands-on workshops through the day.

On Saturday, I hope to focus (geddit!? - OK, I'll get me coat) on making telescopes (definitely inviting Ian Poyser back), having a go at making lenses & mirrors, basic astronomy like collimation, star hopping and so on. I will try to get John Wall up to talk through his home-made telescopes - not sure where we will be able to go with this yet, though!

Sunday I want to focus on imaging, starting with basic web cam work, showing the impact of focal ratio on the type of pictures you can take, how to ensure you have good focus and so on. Hoping to move on to more advanced techniques and possibly a bit of touching up using Gimp or something else free.

My grand intention is to have something (or things) at the end of each day that people can take into the evening and actually use or try. Will see if we can get some sponsorship for webcams (no idea about this yet - any volunteers?).

Definitely also keeping the fun things like the bottle-rocket competition - with separate classes for kids and "grown ups"...

Any thoughts?

[MjrTom]

Sounds good to me

It worked well last time, although I my bum was a bit sore after sitting on those hay bales for so long

Will bring a chair next time

[Tim]

defo Mark. I am going to create a dual purpose sign:

1) Please wake me up if asleep and it's clear

2) Please leave me alone for a few minutes while I have some observing time to myself for a bit.

You never know it may work!

heheheh,

I'd add another one to that:

3) STOP SHINING YOUR TORCH INTO MY SCOPE+CAMERA!!!!!!!!!!

Can't tell you the number of times somebody with a head torch comes and looks into my telescope, thus ruining another long exposure.....

[Moonshane]

Have you invested in a new car then??....or is the Mrs having to make 3 trips this time!?!?

ha ha! no, but I should have a towbar sorted for the trailer

[Moonshane]

heheheh,

I'd add another one to that:

3) STOP SHINING YOUR TORCH INTO MY SCOPE+CAMERA!!!!!!!!!!

Can't tell you the number of times somebody with a head torch comes and looks into my telescope, thus ruining another long exposure.....

for sure Tim I bet that is truly annoying!

[andrewoco1]

well i cant wait ,every thing sounds great , will be my first star party and the part about the talks and being able to use the info on the night is jus what a newbe like me needs ,looking forward to having a dring and shearing the sky might even play some starwars music well viwing lol peace to all .

[imarcs]

Not many were interested in looking through my 4" refractor, even though star clusters are amazing in this little telescope.

I need a reason to buy a refractor so i'll come for a look this time. As long as you're closer then you were last time.

[MjrTom]

I need a reason to buy a refractor so i'll come for a look this time. As long as you're closer then you were last time.

Yeah sure no problem at all

I have booked nice any early this time so in the main camping field instead of the last pitch in the rally field

I will be taking both scopes again

[Stu]

Really looking forward to it too. Booked an ehu pitch at the top of the camping field. Hopefully someone will wake me up this time if I try to sleep through some clear skies!

Hoping to have a new addition to the scope family this year, will elaborate if it comes off.

Stu

[MjrTom]

Sounds interesting

Don't worry I shall run around making lots of noise if its like last year and clears after midnight.

I had drank a 1/3 jack Daniels thinking the night was a right off

[Moonshane]

Sounds interesting

Don't worry I shall run around making lots of noise if its like last year and clears after midnight.

I had drank a 1/3 jack Daniels thinking the night was a right off

tell me about it mate. I drank a full bottle of red wine in about an hour and then zonked out - thankfully awoken albeit rather drowsy by 'noises' at about 1.30am. carrying the 16" half cut was a bit scary. surprising how clear skies = clear head!

[Moonshane]

Really looking forward to it too. Booked an ehu pitch at the top of the camping field. Hopefully someone will wake me up this time if I try to sleep through some clear skies!

Hoping to have a new addition to the scope family this year, will elaborate if it comes off.

Stu

I think you are in the one I was in last year Stu and I am next door but two at no. 30 so should be great. might try and rig up a wind break to hide the main road a bit.

[cotterless45]

Are we doing the bits of paper, kids guess the object competition again?

I don't know what I glued it to the back window with, but the glue is still there!

It was good as kids came around and asked about the scopes.

Hopefully we'll get the solar filters there this year.

[Stu]

That's right Mark, you joined me down in 'no mates' land down at the bottom of the camping field . Will be good to meet everyone again.

I had exactly the same thought about some form of screen to block the headlights. I've got a wind break so maybe can attach something to that.

Cheers

Stu

[Stu]

That's great Shane, will be good to be up with everyone, and to have power to keep everything going all night if needed.

Just have to hope it's not as windy as last time! I got dizzy looking at star circles on the last night last year

Stu

[MjrTom]

tell me about it mate. I drank a full bottle of red wine in about an hour and then zonked out - thankfully awoken albeit rather drowsy by 'noises' at about 1.30am. carrying the 16" half cut was a bit scary. surprising how clear skies = clear head!

Yeah I was putting the world to rights, chatting to people in one of the tents, then went out for a toilet visit to see that the skies were clear and got all excited, The Quadruple cluster in Perseus was my favourite

might try and rig up a wind break to hide the main road a bit.

Yeah I was thinking the same. My telescope was like a wind sock at times.... should have a beefier tripod this time round which should help to dampen the vibrations down a bit.

That's right Mark, you joined me down in 'no mates' land down at the bottom of the camping field . Will be good to meet everyone again.

Yea thats right Stu.

On the Sunday afternoon after quite a few bailed I moved my tent from "no mans land" in the Rally field back to the main camping field and pitched my tent on a pitch that had been vacated just next door to yours.

[Rustmonkey]

Any EHU pitches left??? If so, I'd be interested.