4TH Galloway Starcamp 14 nov 2012

[smudgeball]

Cheers

I'm sure we'll be fine.

Our first star party so hopefully we won't break any rules

My only question would be cooking?

Do you tend to avoid it i.e. eat out?

I assume the light from gas stoves early in the evening before dark would be ok and then red light after that?

We'd probably just fill up flasks for coffee so would only be boiling water?

Neil

[SpookyKatt]

Well it will be red light rules when its dark neil, so you'd better

fill a flask before then but Dunroamin has fantastic facilities

and in the shower block there is a kettle so you can drink

coffee to your hearts content without having to light a stove to boil

water.

As regards eating well it just depends what folks want to do, normally

for evening meals etc I just go into Kirkinner and eat but others

prep their own food at the campsite.

Kathleen

[smudgeball]

Thanks,

Yeah I'll be bringing some flasks so that's fine.

If we can get access to a kettle prior to the evening even better.

To be honest I'd like to keep all the hassle to a minimum so we'll probably eat out for the two days.

Obviously stock up on the hob nobs and jaffa cakes for the evening

[Adrian Condon]

Hi Neil,

We usually eat very well at the campsite and often do shared meals.

The standard of cooking is remarkably high with fish pie, Guinness Bread and curries being easily managed.

The pub in Kirkinner does an excellent Steak Ale pie, fish dishes etc. for about £8 to £9.

In November it will be getting dark early as the clocks will have gone back. Sunset will be around 4.00 pm.

We can always keep some leftovers for you...

Cheers

Adrian

PS forgot to mention that the people already booked for the event are a very sociable and friendly bunch.

[smudgeball]

Thanks for that Adrian,

I'm assuming that we'll eat out as this will be our first star party and I think priority for us will be concentrating on the viewing.

We're bound to forget to pack lots of things.

My friend doesn't even have a sleeping bag yet !

So it'll be a learning curve ready for the next one (but have to start somewhere)

Hopefully bump into you at some point.

Cheers

Neil

[stev74]

Hi steve,hi mike.

Cant wait to see your light sabre act again steve:)

Hope you feeling better mike,my neq6 is feeling lonely.

Counting down the weeks to galloway already.

Kenny.

Yeah if it's cloudy mate, it's amazing how much fun you can have with a green laser and a Star Wars sound effect phone app!!

You did Steve - thanks for offering. Mine's a Jura please - no need for you only to pour a small one, I will manage a double somehow : ))

Tom

No worries Tom.... it wouldn't be a star party without a nice bottle of Jura!!

Hi Tom.

We don't do doubles anymore, we just pour now..... the more rain that falls the more we pour.

Cheers

Adrian

Yeah it was very very cloudy in Cumbria, practically the whole bottle of Jura evaporated on the first night!!

Although I'm sure it will be nice and clear in Galloway... fingers crossed everyone!!

[astrotrac]

Hi All

Geoff here one of the founding members

I'm all booked up and seems a few from the Dunfermline Astronomical Society coming too! Mike better get a bigger chicken

Coco get ready for some more laughs and the Scots Lads i'll bring loads of Alka Seltzers.

see you all there

Geoff

[Demon Barber]

Hi Geoff,lovely to hear from you,thought you must have given up!!!!!

Chicken will be available for Sunday lunch bookings accepted,lol !!!!!!

Your more than welcome to use van Geoff and we will try to not break any more of yer tent. How`s yer pole?

Are the alka seltzer`s to make the whiskey fizzy?

I`m sure Adrian can be persueded to make his Guiness bread again,actuallly i`m thinking of getting a cafe OPEN sign made.

Will be great to catch up with you,

ATB

Mike

[astrotrac]

Hi Mike

No not given up and I will be taking you up on Mikes greasy spoon diner Bacon butties greatly appreciated. The pole is still cracke but it should hold up for this year. I'll need to be on best behaviour on Friday saturday as the missus will be coming down for the weekend (just in time to wash me undies -yeeeuchhh-) so can we have a romantic candle-lit table by the telly please? and hope we get bananas and custard again for dessert.

I changed my setup yet again so no astrotrac this year. As i'm a lazy beggar can I book a set of your wonderful tripod bases for the legs?

hehehe

any way see you soon

Geoff

[Adrian Condon]

Hi Mike,

Yes, Guinness Bread is on the menu again.

The only part that makes me cry is pouring a whole can of that beautiful smooth black liquid into the bowel with the flour.

Trust I can use your oven for cooking bread!!!

This bread thing seems to be an Obsession with you!!!! (there is scope for improving these jokes......)

If it is still raining in Newcastle in November, I will get my butler to pick you by helicopter, no doubt the winds will have cleared the area of all obstructions.

Looking forward to clear, crisp skies......

Cheers

Adrian

[skywatcher58gb]

Hi Neil

Call over to the static caravan for a coffee anytime and say hello to Sunderland Astro Society, there will be 5 or 6 of us there.

Dave

[ismangil]

Have to give this a miss. Is there a Spring version?

On mobile (excuse the strange predictive words...)

[Demon Barber]

Hi Perry, no mate to date it is just winter event,well worth a trip up any time it`s a great campsite with 5* facilities and fantastic skies.

ATB

Mike

[Adrian Condon]

Hi Perry,

Sorry to hear that you cannot make Galloway....

I agree with Mike, it is a great place, the sky is really dark there and on a clear night it is wonderful.

On a cloudy night we have a wee dram or two, play pool and chat,

The people who attend are fantastic company and because it is a smallish group you get to know everyone.

It is a 800 mile round trip for me and worth every mile.

Trust you can make the next party.

Cheers

Adrian

[ismangil]

Ok, thanks, it's just on autumn I go to Peak Star Party already :-)

Will try to visit anyway at some point either camping or maybe Galloway Astronomy Centre (any thoughts on that?)

On mobile (excuse the strange predictive words...)

[Adrian Condon]

Hi,

It is less than a month to the start of the Galloway "Really Dark Skies" star party. If you are at a loose end and have not booked yet, book now.

It is a fantastic place and very enjoyable with stargazing by night and birdwatching by day.

This will be my third visit in fourteen months.

Cheers

Adrian

[dweebostar]

Hi all, just to say all electric hook up's for the fri and sat night have gone. It looks as the talks will be in the warm room on site, the pub was not big enough, and some had no tranport. so please bring a small seat to help out if poss.

John rose and brian brooks will be on site tradind, this make be from there pitches , or the warm room on the sat morning.

Remember you can arive earlier or srtay later if you wish, the site has no main floodlight s, just a small downlight on the block, so is ok for astro all year round really'

talks on the sat afternoon are joseph gordon on meteor radio astronomy, and robbie ince on something image related.

see you all soon , and have a safe journey up here to galloway.

cheers steve

[Albireo380]

Cheers Steve, looking forward to driving South to Galloway. Keep me some clear skies - don't hog them all to yourself.

Tom

[Demo johnny]

I am looking forward to it all booked up but my mrs is giving me jip - tent November r u mental! she says she's not coming if theres a chance of snow, please snow !!!!

[Adrian Condon]

Hi Johnny,

We camped out last November at the Cumbria Star Party at Longtown.

The weather was great. Tom even took photos of me in my shorts.

However, yours Mrs is right, snow predicted for the Highlands of Scotland today.

The temp at Braemar last night was -8c.

About twenty years ago I was out on the mountains of South West Scotland during the October half term with my son, we were in blizzard conditions on Coresine.

It was an experience trying to map read, clearing the snow off the map is something not mentioned in textbooks.

We had our ice axes and crampons on. Fun!!!!!

Anyway, it is really a great site with proper dark skies and very friendly "stargazers"...... and Lesley the site owner is very keen to make your stay enjoyable.

See you there.

Cheers

Adrian

[smudgeball]

- tent November r u mental!

Funnily enough I'm getting the same comments

Oh and I'm the classic "new tent" and not had a chance to put the thing up as it's a bit bigger than my back garden.

So if you see a couple of guys scratching their heads on the Friday afternoon and trying to look as if they know what they are doing, don't be shy.

Any assistance appreciated !

Cheers

Neil

And thanks Dave for the offer of a coffee above, will no doubt take you up on it.

[Adrian Condon]

Hi Neil,

Mike, Phil and myself are experienced at putting tents up, so we love to get our seats out, fold our arms and laugh our heads off watching people attempting to put their tents up!!!

After two hours we usually offer to help..... but after having too many beers, there is no guarantee that the tent has been erected correctly.

The mistakes are apparent the following morning.

To avoid this scenario, if you have jaffa cakes we will have your tent up in no time.

Cheers

Adrian

[smudgeball]

.............just adding Jaffa Cakes to the shopping list..............

[Dellis]

I fancy this, I've been meaning to head to Galloway for a while but have used up all my holiday so if I do make it it will be saturday night only.

Dave

[dweebostar]

Hi all, thinking of doing a trip to the scotish dark sky park and observatory on the sunday afternoon/ evening 18 nov see other thread for details need firm interest to sort this out and get numbers,

not long now till the camp so see all soon

cheers steve