AstroFest 2024 - 2nd 3rd February - Anyone going?

[AstroKeith]

Went on Friday as planned.

The talks were better than I expected - just as well as the 'exhibition' was the thinnest I've ever seen it. Lots of areas not filled with vendors/exhibitors. 

[whooshbang]

1 minute ago, AstroKeith said:

Went on Friday as planned.

The talks were better than I expected - just as well as the 'exhibition' was the thinnest I've ever seen it. Lots of areas not filled with vendors/exhibitors. 

Agreed, I love the talks yesterday! Chris Lintott was brilliant!

[DirkSteele]

1 hour ago, AstroKeith said:

Went on Friday as planned.

The talks were better than I expected - just as well as the 'exhibition' was the thinnest I've ever seen it. Lots of areas not filled with vendors/exhibitors. 

Same for Saturday so far. Great lectures but exhibition is a little sparse. I wonder if they have attempted to charge too much for a stand and shot themselves in the foot, or if there was just less appetite given the need for London accommodations and parking for several days (given Thursday set up and Sunday pull down) for the national retailers to want to attend? Thankfully widescreen is here in a big way otherwise there would be little to look at scope and equipment wise.

[badhex]

9 minutes ago, DirkSteele said:

Thankfully widescreen is here in a big way otherwise there would be little to look at scope and equipment wise.

Yes they really are!

[DirkSteele]

However, 365Astronomy has an Askar 185 on display. Not as imposing as my LZOS 180 but perhaps that is because it is in a big room.

[mikeDnight]

I haven't been to Astrofest since 2007, and by the sound of it I haven't missed anything. They couldn't get a Service Charge from me when eating out in Kensington in 2007, so they wouldn't stand a cat I hell's chance of getting £50 for a lecture. At the chance of sounding like a tight fisted northerner, I think it's time to put it out of its misery.

[DirkSteele]

It was announced this morning that they realised at dinner last night that 2024 was the 30th time AstroFest has been run (though not the 30th anniversary of the first). Next year was announced as 7th and 8th Feb 2025.

 

[Highburymark]

It was very busy today. Lot more people than I was expecting. Good to meet up with the night vision contingent and discuss all things image intensified. 

[JeremyS]

1 hour ago, Highburymark said:

It was very busy today. Lot more people than I was expecting. Good to meet up with the night vision contingent and discuss all things image intensified. 

Didn’t you find it too bright there, Mark? 🤔

Edited February 3 by JeremyS

[PeterW]

“We come from the dark side”, no-one suspected anything… just a few blokes staring at a wall looking though “eyepieces”. Very useful “planning session” too.
 

Peter

[Highburymark]

1 hour ago, JeremyS said:

Didn’t you find it too bright there, Mark? 🤔

It’s the London light outside Kensington Town Hall I struggle with Jeremy. 

[Maxim Usatov]

Jeremy, I wish I had known you were there. Proper sights of scintillation! You should definitely join us next time.

Edited February 3 by Maxim Usatov

[badhex]

9 hours ago, DirkSteele said:

However, 365Astronomy has an Askar 185 on display. Not as imposing as my LZOS 180 but perhaps that is because it is in a big room.

Haha I took almost exactly the same picture! 

[whooshbang]

Snapped a couple of cheeky shots.

[JeremyS]

9 hours ago, Maxim Usatov said:

Jeremy, I wish I had known you were there. Proper sights of scintillation! You should definitely join us next time.

Sadly I couldn’t make it Max as I was flying back from Houston. Next time…

[inFINNity Deck]

2 hours ago, whooshbang said:

Snapped a couple of cheeky shots.

 

 

 

 

 

Any idea what that camera "revolver" is called and who produces them?

Nicolàs

[whooshbang]

3 minutes ago, inFINNity Deck said:

Any idea what that camera "revolver" is called and who produces them?

Nicolàs

I believe it's this

https://www.astronscientific.com/rotarion2-5/

 

[whooshbang]

And FLO have them listed (it was the FLO stand afterall)

https://www.firstlightoptics.com/rotarion/rotarion-cam-4x-25-pro-rotator.html

 

[badhex]

How was Megan Argo's talk? She was my tutor last year so I stopped by to chat but I only went to the exhibition, not the talks. 

[mikeDnight]

8 hours ago, JeremyS said:

Sadly I couldn’t make it Max as I was flying back from Houston. Next time…

Did they have a problem?

[whooshbang]

5 hours ago, badhex said:

How was Megan Argo's talk? She was my tutor last year so I stopped by to chat but I only went to the exhibition, not the talks. 

Got there just as it was finishing. Bit gutted as i would have like to have seen it.

 

[JeremyS]

1 hour ago, mikeDnight said:

Did they have a problem?

‘Twas I that had a problem, Mike. I visited Takahashi America. Plenty of ogling, but only came away with those 2 Tak TPLs and some eclipse glasses. Nice chat with the guys there. 

[Alv]

On 04/02/2024 at 08:36, whooshbang said:

Snapped a couple of cheeky shots.

 

Thanks for posting the images of Rotarion CAM 2.5" Pro Rotator and the Rotarion Solar for 4 Quarks, Alv from AstronScientific: www.astronscientific.com/rotarion2-5/ 

[whooshbang]

7 minutes ago, Alv said:

Thanks for posting the images of Rotarion CAM 2.5" Pro Rotator and the Rotarion Solar for 4 Quarks, Alv from AstronScientific: www.astronscientific.com/rotarion2-5/ 

My pleasure!