Isle of Man Astronomical Society Starparty 2018

[hadyn42]

Hello All

After having a very successful Stargazing weekend in Ballaugh last year we have decided to have another event this year!

Just to let you all know that the IOM Astronomical Society are having a Stargazing Event at Ballaugh Campsite in the North of the island. The dates are Friday 14th September until noon on Monday 17th September 2018.  If anyone is interested and requires further details please email myself and Mark:  starcamp@iomastronomy.org

Link to campsite:  https://ballamoarcampsite.im/     Link to ferry:  https://www.steam-packet.com/

The event will be attended by island residents and visitors to our island. We are currently working on an itinerary which will be posted here in due course. We have a guest speaker from the bigger island who is coming over to camp and do various astronomy related talks! There will be a large marquee setup on site (15mtrs x 9mtrs) where talks demonstrations etc will take place. We have a guest speaker coming over from the bigger island to partake in the event and do some astronomy related lectures as well.

Link to event:   http://www.iomastronomy.org/starparty/

If you double click the poster on the left hand side of the webpage the poster will expand its self or words to that effect!

Best regards and clear skies!

Mark and Hadyn - IOMAS

 

[Adrian Condon]

Hi Hadyn and Mark,  

It would be marvellous to see some members of SGL do an island hop.

I am convinced that this will be a successful star party given the enthusiasm of the islanders.

I am looking forward to the event and seeing the island.

For those interested, the village of Ballaugh is on the route of the TT motorcycle race, which appears on tv as the racers rocket through.

I plan to book the ferry over the next few days.

Hadyn has told me that the site has dark skies on a par with the Galloway Star Party site. Brillant...............

I am all in favour of dark skies!!!!

Congratulations to Hadyn and Mark for organising a promising star party.

Best Wishes

Adrian

[Adrian Condon]

Hi Hadyn and Mark,

I have my ferry ticket, Liverpool to IoM, and getting excited......

See you on 11 September.

Trust you are taking loads of bookings.

Cheers

Adrian

 

[hadyn42]

Hello Adrian

Glad you booked the ferry.

Christina and I are looking forward to seeing you again and showing you around the island, you may even get a tour of the observatory if you are lucky!

The campsite is filling up nicely with islanders and a couple of visitors. Only had one inquiry from the bigger island and you know who that is!

Best regards

Christina and Hadyn - IOM

PS  If anyone else is reading this message out there, there are still some pitches left to come to the island for the Ballaugh Starparty!

 

 

 

 

 

[Adrian Condon]

Hi Hadyn and Christina,

Glad to hear that the site is filling up. It is raining heavily here, I have my tent ground sheet being washed by the rain!

All the best with the closing stages of the planning.

Wishes to Mark. (as well)

Adrian

[Adrian Condon]

Hi Hadyn and Mark,

Well done lads, the Isle of Man Star Party, the brilliant  organisation was a delight to watch work out. They had a big marque and catered for adults and the little ones.

They had a great display of sky related subjects, demonstrations of waves and another of objects orbiting in a gravity well by Graham.

They also organised for a catering company to do breakfast and evenings meals.

It was a pity that the weather was not as good as one would expect in the middle of September on the Isle of Man.

We had very high winds on Saturday night, but we all managed to survive.

Last night, Sunday, the seeing was good, it is a very dark site in the village of Ballough. 

The campsite was only a 5 minutes walk from the local pub called The Raven, with Guinness on tap.

I had an excellent Sunday roast there.

I am staying on the island as a squatter  for a few days, then going home on Thursday weather permitting. 

A big thanks goes out to all those involved on running such a wonderful event.

All the very best, 

Cheers

Adrian