Northern Sydney Astronomical Society

Dear NSAS Observers and interested visitors,

All the models are predicting cloudy skies tonight, so we will cancel and look at tomorrow night (Saturday).

Best Regards,
Bob Fuller

Due to unexpected cloud approaching Sydney from the north, tonight’s observing at NTGC is OFF.

There is a fair amount of cloud still in the Sydney area . The area of cloud breaking up south of Sydney is not looking like it will reach us in time for our observing session.. At this stage it is looking like the best we can hope for tonight is mostly cloudy conditions.

As a result, the observing at NTGC for tonight has been called OFF.

Roy

Dear Observers,

Got the following comments from Paul Shallow about the "old days" at Linden Observatory, which I thought might interest you in light of our discussion with WSAAG about access:

"I did get your mail regarding planning meetings at Linden Observatory with the WSAAG.
I wonder if you are aware that the first time that location was used was by myself and the Rev Warwick Thomas in the year 19?? with help from the Rev Bob Evans and his wife. The first official meeting was quite a large affair with the attendance of Alan Vaughn from Macquarie Uni with an expensive Refractor telescope and we had conducted tours of the Ken Beams old Telescope and the extensive Tool Rooms and down the hill side to see the Mirror grinding room, set in a cave like room to give even temperatures.

We, Warwick & myself, in fact were possibly the last of NSAS to stay there over a few days in that A frame attic bed room and in the Sun room, with super views of the ???? Valley below in the Dusk and Dawn light and I remember the light from Venus was so bright that it awoke me too early, even after the long night of Observing.
Later on, and this shold give you a date as a guide, 1997 ? we went there, after a talk by Alan? Hale at Springwood, about the Comet Hale-Bopp and hopeful viewing of the last of that Comet in the western sky , by Alan? Hale which was unfortunatly aborted due to the tall trees to the West of Linden. This site was also used quite extensivly by our former member Ken Peterson who was taking images but found the headlights of the General public who were paying to come, becoming a real nuisance for long exposures.

To demonstrate the seeing, Warwick claims that by using Bob Evan’s Charts of some distant Galaxys, he was able to see 15th Mag stars !!!!!!!!!! through his 6" Newtonian and I know by the ‘ proof in the Pudding’ that I was able to image the Galaxy M83 . by handqguiding over 5 mins through my finderscope on the Galaxy itself.
Ken also took some quite stunning images over the period of time he used that location.

This was in the " days of the Female Mad Monk" resident in the caretakers house, but thats another long story !!!!!!!!!!

BUT over a period of time and visits some very nice images were obtained by all of us all including Ron Washington who showed me just how to image Eta Carinae in a very dark sky. "

Best Regards,
Bob Fuller

Dear Observers,

After our discussion at the AGM, I have contacted Rod Moulder, the President of Western Sydney Amateur Astronomy Group, and discussed some possibility of NSAS observers attending Observing during their twice-monthly Saturday sessions at Linden Observatory in the Blue Mts. The good news is that he doesn’t see any problem with this (why haven’t we asked before?). I’ll bring this up at the next Committee/GM, and will continue discussions with WSAAG next month, but given the difficulty of accessing Mt White, this could be the solution we have been looking for.

By the way, I was surprised at the size of the email list of Observers vs. the number that have been observing. Anyone who doesn’t want to be on this contact list (for Observers), please let me or a Committee member know.

Best Regards,
Bob Fuller

Next Tuesday is the NSAS AGM, and the Committee would really like for as many of you as can, to come and elect the new Committee, and have your say in the direction of the Society.  To encourage you, we have decide to have a collection of astro-oriented door prizes, with the first prize being two tickets to “Hubble 3D” at IMAX.  As you know, we don’t have a speaker for the AGM, but will run an interesting lecture from “Understanding the Universe” at the end as an option.  Also, if you are coming, it’s a good time to pay your Membership Renewal and get it out of the way.  See you there.

The Theory Group will continue with another two installments in “Understanding the Universe” on Tuesday the 12th at 7:30 PM, at St. Ignatius.  Everyone welcome, as usual, including visitors.

Due to cloud, there is no Observing tonight, Sat 9th (back-up night).  Next Observing is 29th Oct.

Dear Observers,

Roy is ill, so I’ve looked at every resource, particularly the Wunder weather satellite map, and it looks like there will be a few holes in this cloud drifting in today, but mostly it will be cloudly. Sorry again, this is what we get with a La Nina event with the SOI around 20+. Tomorrow is not looking much better (Sat backup), but if anyone is interested, please let me know, as I’ll look out for it.

Best Regards,
Bob