Star Parties

[Ant]

You need access to the pitches with Cars - I wouldn't consider anywhere where I cannot drive my car to the point where the scope / tent is set up.

My tent I can barely lift then there is the scope.

Ant

[BG]

You've got mail, AstroTiger.

[rikyuu]

Bosworth.....I will definately be interested, as I'm in Coventry. It will be my first star party. Any closer to choosing a date? Good luck organising it, it's excellent that you are trying to organise this.

How do I put my name down?

[AstroTiger]

ok,

Thus far, i have emailed Bosworth re washing, bathroom facilities etc

and PLI insurance.

As this appears to be growing in interest, i have highlighted to Bosworth that this could be of great boost to themselves as well.

I anticipate a reply and more news, inc hopefully a date which is looking like around Fri Oct 31- Sunday 1st of Nov (no moon)

I feel a weekend without the moon might be better

More news later i hope.

Many thanks

UPDATE

To date thus far, i have recieved this reply this morning

In answer to your questions: Re the security of the site, we have a bollard at the bottom of our drive which is locked at closing time (4pm winter, 5pm summer) allowing people to exit only over aligator teeth (therefore please arrive before 4pm) Unfortunately we are not a recognised camping site therefore do not have pot washing facilities, there is a cold water tap on an external wall, we do have showers available on a metered system together with 4 female, 1 male toilet and

5 urinals.

I will need to clarify how the metered showers work, since if people are already spending to stay on the site they are not going to want to pay for showers too

(i know i wouldn't)

thanks

[daz]

Bear in mind that end of October is Kielder as well.

[Ant]

Unfortunately we are not a recognised camping site therefore do not have pot washing facilities, there is a cold water tap on an external wall

I think that you need to be looking for an alternative location...

[Kai]

Astrotiger....

Is this the location of Bosworth Field ???

http://www.bosworthbattlefield.com/bbvc_map1.jpg

If so then it must have huge light polloution from Tamworth , Coventry and Leicester not forgetting the Motorways.

Added to that the lack of facilities im afraid that i agree with Ant and suggest that you consider another location.

[AstroTiger]

Well thanks for the input Guys, but based on the encouraging response i have had so far, i guess this event is going ahead, subject to a few things being agreed.

Daz- Kielder is to far to be of any threat, but thanks for pointing it out.

Kelling is the only other major threat, but that is the month before (of which i am also attending) :-)

As for everyone who has emailed me, many thanks. I have compiled a small mailing list so will keep you updated.

I hope to be able to confirm dates etc tomorrow.

And if its not up to spec, then fine, we have a small band of astronomers, we can work together to find better ;-)

Thanks again all

AT

[Kai]

Good on you .....

I wish you clear nights and warm days.

[AstroTiger]

thanks Kai

its a shame u will not be there, promises to be a good one i think.

I am sure u will all get to hear about it.

Thanks to SGL for your support, since most participants have come from here, it just goes to show what a valuable forum this is.

A group of astronomers will meet to swap their skills, and abilities thanks to SGL

again, thanks

AT

[daz]

Daz- Kielder is to far to be of any threat, but thanks for pointing it out.

You think?

[AstroTiger]

Daz- Kielder is to far to be of any threat, but thanks for pointing it out.

You think?

Well, the event i am planning is near enough fully booked now

[teztwister]

Hi,This is just a query but i was thinking i have never been to a star party and would like to.is there any chance that i could come not for the night and no tent but i would like to have the chance to just look at peoples equipment and speak to different people and try to gain some experience basicly just a quick visit and a look around,would not bring any equipment.Then maybe next time i'll know what to expect and be able to stop for a night or two,i can understand that you dont want to many people around!!!

Just let me know

Thanks Tez

[AstroTiger]

Update

I have now visited this site, which seems very favourable to our needs.

According to the staff there, there are no issues with light pollution at this location.

Pics of which can be viewed on my blogg www.mypace.com/astrotiger

You will also be pleased to hear i have also secured PLI for this event.

So there is really nothing preventing it from going ahead that i can see.

Any one interested in joining us, please drop me a pm or email me on

AstroTiger1986@gmail.com

If you drop me an email, i will be able to keep you in the loop

Many thanks

AT

[daz]

AT

Should the link read "myspace" not "mypace" ?

[AstroTiger]

ooops :oops: :oops: :oops: :oops: , thanks Daz

www.myspace.com/astrotiger

[Ant]

try

www.myspace.com/astrotiger

[timetraveller]

hi guys can i just bring another point up here please this is a listed heritage site it is fully scheduled under the monuments act and like all scheduled sites there are huge restrictions placed

upon it including sticking things into the ground like tent pegs and points of telescope tripods sorry guys but the fines are severe if its proved you damaged a scheduled site I know only too well the rules governing these sites its part of my job I'm a paleo -Archaeologist

regards Pete

[MikeP]

I'm a paleo -Archaeologist

I thought you were a playwright.

Mike

[AstroTiger]

hi guys can i just bring another point up here please this is a listed heritage site it is fully scheduled under the monuments act and like all scheduled sites there are huge restrictions placed

upon it including sticking things into the ground like tent pegs and points of telescope tripods sorry guys but the fines are severe if its proved you damaged a scheduled site I know only too well the rules governing these sites its part of my job I'm a paleo -Archaeologist

regards Pete

thanks for that chap, i am sure that the county council have considered all that

(are you aware though, as an archaeologist, that the battle never actually took place there??

[BG]

Seems to me that if a meet's not rubber-stamped by one of the established hierarchy, then it's a subject for ridicule.

Not all of us can afford the time/fuel/fees to go to observing under the LP-free skies of Kielder or Kelling. Some of us have to be content with our lot, and if that means that we're restricted to the Midlands, then so be it, we'll do the best we can with the opportunities and resources that are available to us.

Some of us would attend a meet for fellowship and for the sharing of collective experience, however limited, rather than just for a data-collection exercise. Given the choice, I would prefer to shoot the breeze with folk of a similar ilk under cloudy skies rather than spend all night as a slave to the laptop.

Maybe it's time to give credit where it's due. AstroTiger's trying to get people together. Should any others try to put them asunder?

[timetraveller]

hi bg i don't think anybody is trying to stop astro tiger from setting up a star party on the contrary all the advice given here so far appears to be encouraging him and your right starparties are meant to be fun and they are but different people have different needs and attend these bashes for different reasons. Could I point out that the specific comments I actually made were purely to stop him and others getting themselves into deep trouble with the English heritage laws. I'm not joking the protection of these sites are executed vigorously and they prosecute on every occasion we had an incident on a site local to were i live recently were someone decided to camp out on a scheduled monument site and was fined over £2000 for lighting a camp fire on it. most of the bigger sites in this country are monitored very closely on a constant basis and Bosworth field is one of the bigger and more famous sites. I hope this goes some way to alleviating your concerns

Regards Pete

[Kai]

BG

Far from trying to ridicule Astrotiger i do credit him with having the energy to try to organise a Star Party.

However as I'm sure he is finding out its not simply a matter of turning up in a field and hoping that all eventualities are covered.

The art too a good meeting is for planning, I'm sure you will agree and you need to have every angle covered or it will come back and bite you at a later date.If you read through the previous posts in this thread you will see questions that were asked , if these were not raised until nearer the time or even at the event itsself then it could of had some serious repercussions.

Say for instance somebody was hurt during the meeting and the question of liability was raised ,without Public Liability insurance the event organiser could of been held personally responsible.

Another question raised was one of access to the site and without asking the question people wouldn't be aware that there is no entry after 4pm , this may affect peoples travel plans or even attendance.

Unfortunately some of the planning for this event has taken place on a open Public Forum rather than behind the scenes so what you are seeing is the planning in the "Raw" and public scrutiny.The points raised i can assure you are similar to the discussions we have behind the scenes.This is unfortunate but i think it gives people a better understanding of just how hard it is to plan a meeting (astro or otherwise) for a wide cross section of people with different needs / expectations.

Some of us would attend a meet for fellowship and for the sharing of collective experience, however limited, rather than just for a data-collection exercise. Given the choice, I would prefer to shoot the breeze with folk of a similar ilk under cloudy skies rather than spend all night as a slave to the laptop.

I'm sure you are right BG but others may attend with different expectations.Personally when i attend Star Parties its more about the social side rather than the actual Astronomy, but there are others who are in it 100 % for the visual / imaging only and they need to be catered for as well.

Seems to me that if a meet's not rubber-stamped by one of the established hierarchy, then it's a subject for ridicule.

I'm not sure what you mean by this as the only meets that are "rubber stamped!" by Sgl are the ones that are organised for the members of the forum by the Admin team.

Should anybody else want to organise their own get together then by all means we can offer advice on the logistics and give experience on the planning and are happy to do this, but its not up to us to condone / authorise.

I personally think you are mixing up the asking of legitimate questions for ridicule so refute the accusation.

I hope this answers some of your questions and provides others with some insite.

[Greg]

BG.

Most of us have attended organised starparties and have organised smaller ones ourselves.

For a starparty to work for the majority of people then it would have to have a number of factors to make it a success, as we cannot guarantee a clear sky then there would have to be a minimum requirement on the facilities..

A clean and heated toilet block with pot washing facilities is a must..

The camping field would almost certainly have to have power for charging battery packs and or heaters..

They would have to have liability insurance..If I was to trip on a path and seriously injure myself would would I do..

I would not want to be restricted on when I could enter the campsite.

I commend AstroTiger for trying to organise a starparty, but minimum requirements for comfort and importantly health and safety have to be met.

I'm lucky to live in a dark sky site so I don't actually attend starparties for the astronomy, it's a social thing for me...But I'd have to have the basic facilities..

There are several of us on here who are experienced in organisational skills and camping, more importantly keeping a large group of people comfortable, safe and ensuring that they enjoy themselves.

Greg

[daz]

Pics of which can be viewed on my blogg www.myspace.com/astrotiger

It appears you need to be a member of MySpace in order to see the pics? Not something I really want to do, so could you post them here?