Queensland Astrofest 2009 14th-29th of August

[davelrkn]

Hi Everyone

I realize that Australia would be a little of the radar for some but would like to extend a warm welcome to anyone that maybe visiting downunder during the above period.

This years Astrofest will be our 16th event and is held at the Lions Camp Duckadang Linville about a 2 hour drive North West of Brisbane.We have had each year International Amateurs attend and are amazed at the beauty of the Southern Hemishere Skies.

The month of August is coming to the end of our Winter and has the Milky Way positioned right over head a sight to behold.

You never know you might even discover a Supernova as one Amateur did in 1997 hence the Motto "Starry one night Supernova the Next"

Further info can be found at the Astrofest Web Site

Queensland Astrofest Homepage

Cheers

Dave

[TheMightyKong]

Hi,

I should be visiting Australia from 8th-24th aug and hope to make it to one night here if possible, not sure of itinerary yet but it's quite busy so not sure if we can make it, would probably be the last night if we do, that's 22nd night 23rd am right?

[Talyn]

I went to the Queensland Astrofest in 1997, it's well worth attending.

[TheMightyKong]

Hi Talyn,

Thats good to hear, how dark did you think the skies were? I'll be in the Uluru/Alice Springs area the week before, so hopefully should also get some starry skies there as well.

Are there any other SGLoungers going to this?

Have got that night before holiday excitement right now!!

[Talyn]

The skies were very dark, it's miles from any large town - I saw the Milky Way lying along the horizon in the early hours, it was an amazing sight. Around Uluru and Alice Springs you're bound to get clear skies, but Alice chucks up a lot of light pollution so you really need to go a few miles outside town to get the full, spectacular benefit of the outback sky. When I stayed at Uluru (a nearby resort called Yulara) I had to find a dark spot, in the car park, away from the lights because Yulara was lit up quite badly. This was 12 years ago, so things might have improved now, I don't know.

[TheMightyKong]

Hi everybody,

I'm back in the UK now, I had a great time in Oz and at the Queensland astrofest. We hired a campervan in the end for the trip up from Brisbane. By the time we reached the campsite at Duckadang on the 22nd, all events had already finished, had to stop for dinner in a rural aussie pub before reaching the camp. At astrofest had fun getting a tour of the southern skies guided by some locals. Thanks especially to (?)kevin who spent quite a bit of time showing us objects through his 16in dob, the southern showpiece globs were breathtaking! Thought 47 Tuc was better looking, though smaller+more compact than Omega centauri, though through a 16incher in rural skies both were pretty special!! Also saw amongst others, an edge on spiral in Pavo, more globs, the Eagle neb, The Swan neb, a dark neb who's name i can't remember now - Barnard-somethingorother, M11, and the magellanic clouds. Both were obvious naked eye direct vision - and big! easily saw structure within each through my binoculars, the tarantula neb was most obvious in the LMC and in the SMC saw what were either 2 nebulae or clusters at one end - have to look those up. Only wish we could have got there a bit earlier in the day!

Interestingly quite a few people said the skies weren't as good as usual due to smoke from farmers bush burning - still the skies were much better than I'm usually used to outside of starparties. The best skies I saw during my holiday however was at a dinner under the stars at the Yulara resort near Uluru, in the middle of the outback. The Rock itself is something spectacular and it really does change colour at sunset and sunrise grey/blue, brown orange, sort of luminous red... That was VERY special - never seen sooo many dark nebulae so obviously naked eye, or the milky way so bright. I know now why they call it the Coal sack nebula - like a large irreg black hole in the milky way next to Crux. There was even an astronomer at the resort who gave as a talk after dinner, turned the lights down and had set up a c8, a small refractor and a pair of 20x60 bins for us to look through.

Bring on Kelling Heath!!

[daz]

Not at all jealous TMK!!!

Sounds fantastic!! Am still hopefull of a trip in 2012 for the eclipse and would love to get a view of the souther hemisphere objects!

[TheMightyKong]

You'll LOVE their sky Daz! Also if you want to attend any astrogatherings or make contact with any aussie astronomers, it's worth joining Australian Amateur Astronomy - IceInSpace prior to going.

Are you going to Kelling? My friend managed to get a pitch so we'll be there on the from the friday till sunday.

[Highflight]

Always wanted to drive my Land Rover to Australia, but there doesn't seem to be enough vehicle ferries between islands to get there. Anyone know of a road vehicule route from the UK to Aus?.

[Sam]

In theory you should be able to drive all the way to Singapore - there's a few marginal areas in the middle though.

[TheMightyKong]

That sounds like a great adventure! Though it doesn't sound feasable if you've got any roots (family/job/mortgage). But I agree it's a bit risky driving through the middle, you'd probably be safer going around the middle east/afghanistan/uzbekistan than thru it, though it'll add weeks/months to the journey. even then, not sure how safe central asia is - i hear it's no fun having a breakdown in Mongolia...

[NickH]

Was in QL in 2002 and 2003...Visited Springbrook NP, and the observatory up there "Andre's place"...fantastic night and great place to be...hope it goes well guys!