Wolverhampton - West Mids???

[Pollux]

:)nice find Michael...

...M

[spacetrace]

I'd lke to join in a west mids star party as I dont really want to venture out alone with expensive equipment and being a girl prob not best. I have been trying to find decent sites for a while, and its a bit difficult trying to find a place that is not too far to venture. I was considering places towards kinver, bridgnorth, kidderminster etc... Cosford airbase would be a good one if we risk getting shot lol... at night there are good clear views across most of the sky from there. I wonder if I could find an old airbase, I know there were plenty of them in shropshire... ummmm

[steve_bham]

I live west brom way, so would be interested if you get something arranged. Have you had a look at wombourne, himley way? not the darkest skies but better than round by me. Maybe a local farmer would help out?

Steve

[Eyeball]

Hi all

I live in Shropshire, and wondered whether the Wrekin would be an ideal spot to observe from?

[steve_bham]

Forgot to mention i use a farm over cosford way might be worth asking if we could use that

[Pollux]

seems we have a 'group' forming

keep the ideas and thoughts coming - good thinking 'Trace' and go for it Steve.

I keep trying but getting no firm 'yes':(... it'll come tho i'm sure

...Mark

[wulfrunian]

I've been working all over Christmas, but have got a bit of time off now, so will do my bit to investigate sites

[AndyC]

Hi all

Another Wolves (Coseley'ish) based guy with a new toy - bit big and heavy to lug around though especially since I don't drive perhaps I ought to have got something smaller as well.

Andy

[wulfrunian]

Hi all

Another Wolves (Coseley'ish) based guy with a new toy - bit big and heavy to lug around though especially since I don't drive perhaps I ought to have got something smaller as well.

Andy

Hmm no that doesn't look very portable! But I'm sure that once we all get out to wherever we're getting out to, we can share scopes!

[steve_bham]

More than welcome to have a view through my scope, just need to sort out the location now an old airbase sounds a good idea, ill also phone the farmer in week. Dont think there will be a problem but will double check.

[Pollux]

Hi Andy...

I'm sure there will be plenty there... we will sort something!

Hopefully there won't be 'far' to travel from parking spot, so if we all pitch in... the more telescopes the better?

;)You're local to me, i drive, we'll overcome!

Kindest,

Mark

[ringz]

I'm interested in coming from Coventry.

--

Martyn

[Pollux]

All...

:DHad an 'OK' for an obs site for 'Summer' - staff will be there til 8PM and will leave the chain off the gate for us to lock-up when we leave.

Have asked if I could be entrusted with a key to enable us to let ourselves in/out in 'Winter' (staff leave 4PM ish)...

...will have an answer tomorrow, watch this space.

Mark

[steve_bham]

All...

:DHad an 'OK' for an obs site for 'Summer' - staff will be there til 8PM and will leave the chain off the gate for us to lock-up when we leave.

Have asked if I could be entrusted with a key to enable us to let ourselves in/out in 'Winter' (staff leave 4PM ish)...

...will have an answer tomorrow, watch this space.

Mark

Thats great news fingers crossed, where abouts is it?

[Pollux]

Hi Steve,

Essington, middle of farmland... good parking etc.

PM on it's way

...M

[lulu57]

Looks good to me!

[wulfrunian]

Looks like a great local find It probably won't be as dark as delving into deepest Shropshire, which would still be worth trying sometime, but it's only just up the road - for some of us - and will be a lot further away from street lights than our back gardens!

I must make those cardboard dew shields first so that everything doesn't freeze over like it did last night!

And Lulu, I couldn't help noticing from another thread that you have an Ethos - I'd make sure you've postcode marked it before you come seriously, this kind of meet up could be tough on the bank account, I'm going to start wanting stuff others have got...

[iamjulian]

Sorry, didn't realise this thread had rumbled on. Excellent that it has. I do like the idea of meeting up a few like minded people, willing to stand around in the dark and cold.

However, looking at this Essington place on a map, I cannot imagine it will be as dark as my back garden, southern sky anyway. I know it's a bit much to expect lots of people from Birmingham way to travel all the way over to Shropshire, but equally I'm not sure how often I'd want to leave the darkness of Shropshire to come and observe on the edge of Brum I will if that is where everyone is going to be, but it's not likely to mean a darker sky for me.

If the Long Mynd is a consideration, there are better places than that stupidly scary Burway road. Not sure how good the Wrekin would be, wouldn't the light from Telford be bad? Not to mention lugging the scope to the top(!)

[wulfrunian]

For those of us around the Wolverhampton / Birmingham area, Essington will be away from the main street lights and will probably be quite a bit darker than our back gardens. But you're right Julian in that it's unlikely to be an improvement on yours. I suppose the question is how many people are willing to travel how far, how often!!

It'd be good for me to go up the road to Essington to meet some like minded astronomers and get away from my neighbour's houses and lights. At the same time, I'd also like to take a trip further afield, and I'd be happy to go as far as the Long Mynd if there's somewhere we can find where people wouldn't have to close their eyes while driving on the approach

Room for both hopefully

PS - as a suggestion, how about we pick our two sites, say Essington and the Long Mynd or wherever, set a couple of dates and see how much interest there is in either or both? There are quite a few Shropshire-ites on the board as well, so we might find different groups of people for each site, with some willing to go to both.

[steve_bham]

Sounds a good idea, put my name down be good to get out with like minded peeps rather than standing in a field by your self.

The farm i use is not to far from essington and the skys are much much better than round here so will be a vast improvement.

Steve

[iamjulian]

Absolutely agree, and I may well travel to Essington anyway, just for the social side if that's where you are going to be. That said, my first child is due in the next couple of weeks so I probably won't be venturing far from the back garden, for a little while at least.

This the best place I have found on the Long Mynd so far: Google Maps

I am sure there must be some good places just west of Bridgnorth, which is only a short journey from Wolverhampton.

[wulfrunian]

That said, my first child is due in the next couple of weeks so I probably won't be venturing far from the back garden, for a little while at least.

I'm sure you'll only be getting in the way while she's doing the nappy changes, etc, so you'll be fine

[steve_bham]

Absolutely agree, and I may well travel to Essington anyway, just for the social side if that's where you are going to be. That said, my first child is due in the next couple of weeks so I probably won't be venturing far from the back garden, for a little while at least.

This the best place I have found on the Long Mynd so far: Google Maps

I am sure there must be some good places just west of Bridgnorth, which is only a short journey from Wolverhampton.

Star party in your back garden

[Pollux]

I am sure there must be some good places just west of Bridgnorth, which is only a short journey from Wolverhampton.

:confused:I'm sure there are...

...just a case of tracking them down, finding, then approaching the land owner and then getting permission:rolleyes:

[Pollux]

my first child is due in the next couple of weeks so I probably won't be venturing far from the back garden, for a little while at least.

ps... :Dcongrats & best wishes - I'll bring a crate!!!