Amateur Astronomy in Australia?

Once again I'm thinking about going to Australia. I was there about 15 years
ago, but did not have astronomy on my mind. I found a very good web site
that has lots of info for both amateur and pro activities
http://www.astronomy.org.au/ngn/engine.php?SID=1000018. One sky show that
seems of interest and is remarkably long is the Coonabarabran Festival of
the Stars, 3-4 weeks in mid-Oct to mid-Nov. Has anyone been to it and would
care to offer general impressions about it, including housing,
transportation, nearby population, and the general 'feel' of the local area?
Does anyone have other ideas about traveling to astro locations without
carrying a telescope? Are there educational affairs for amateurs, say, like
the one at the U. of Arizona's Astronomy Camp?

Wayne T. Watson (Watson Adventures, Prop., Nevada City, CA)
(121.015 Deg. W, 39.262 Deg. N) GMT-8 hr std. time)
Obz Site: 39° 15' 7" N, 121° 2' 32" W, 2700 feet

"It is better to be “approximately right” rather than
“exactly wrong." -- John Tukey, Statistican
--
Web Page: home.earthlink.net/~mtnviews

W. Watson wrote:
Once again I'm thinking about going to Australia... One sky show that
seems of interest and is remarkably long is the Coonabarabran Festival of
the Stars, 3-4 weeks in mid-Oct to mid-Nov. Has anyone been to it... ?

**********

I've been to Coonabarabran, which bills itself as the Astronomy Capital
of Australia, (see http://www.coonabarabran.com/ ) but not to this
Festival, so I can't comment about that. The entire area is a wonderful
place to enjoy a vacation, lots to do.

If you are traveling about without a telescope you might consider Timor
Cabins (www.coonabarabran.com/timor) I understand that they now have a
12" dob that can be rented while you are staying there, and there is no
finer location than Timor Cabins from which to observe.

\Paul

palsing wrote:

W. Watson wrote:

Once again I'm thinking about going to Australia... One sky show that
seems of interest and is remarkably long is the Coonabarabran Festival of
the Stars, 3-4 weeks in mid-Oct to mid-Nov. Has anyone been to it... ?


**********

I've been to Coonabarabran, which bills itself as the Astronomy Capital
of Australia, (see http://www.coonabarabran.com/ ) but not to this
Festival, so I can't comment about that. The entire area is a wonderful
place to enjoy a vacation, lots to do.

If you are traveling about without a telescope you might consider Timor
Cabins (www.coonabarabran.com/timor) I understand that they now have a
12" dob that can be rented while you are staying there, and there is no
finer location than Timor Cabins from which to observe.

\Paul

Thanks for the rental tips. Did you do any astro while you were there as
part of a group, or did you carry your own eqpt?

I've been looking for an australian astro or science newsgroup on
news.sf.sbcglobal net, but didn't find one. Maybe there's another sbc news
server, because I did note an aus.science on my fading earthlink account for
news.west.earthlink.net. However, thanks to EL, their NGs are close to
useless now. In another month, I'll be off EL completely.


Wayne T. Watson (Watson Adventures, Prop., Nevada City, CA)
(121.015 Deg. W, 39.262 Deg. N) GMT-8 hr std. time)
Obz Site: 39° 15' 7" N, 121° 2' 32" W, 2700 feet

"It is better to be “approximately right” rather than
“exactly wrong." -- John Tukey, Statistican
--
Web Page: home.earthlink.net/~mtnviews

W. Watson wrote:
palsing wrote:

W. Watson wrote:

Once again I'm thinking about going to Australia... One sky show that
seems of interest and is remarkably long is the Coonabarabran
Festival of
the Stars, 3-4 weeks in mid-Oct to mid-Nov. Has anyone been to it... ?


**********

I've been to Coonabarabran, which bills itself as the Astronomy Capital
of Australia, (see http://www.coonabarabran.com/ ) but not to this
Festival, so I can't comment about that. The entire area is a wonderful
place to enjoy a vacation, lots to do.

If you are traveling about without a telescope you might consider Timor
Cabins (www.coonabarabran.com/timor) I understand that they now have a
12" dob that can be rented while you are staying there, and there is no
finer location than Timor Cabins from which to observe.

\Paul

Thanks for the rental tips. Did you do any astro while you were there as
part of a group, or did you carry your own eqpt?

I've been looking for an australian astro or science newsgroup on
news.sf.sbcglobal net, but didn't find one. Maybe there's another sbc
news server, because I did note an aus.science on my fading earthlink
account for news.west.earthlink.net. However, thanks to EL, their NGs
are close to useless now. In another month, I'll be off EL completely.


Wayne T. Watson (Watson Adventures, Prop., Nevada City, CA)
(121.015 Deg. W, 39.262 Deg. N) GMT-8 hr std. time)
Obz Site: 39° 15' 7" N, 121° 2' 32" W, 2700 feet

"It is better to be “approximately right” rather than
“exactly wrong." -- John Tukey, Statistican

these blokes should be helpful

http://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/

Brett Lennon wrote:

W. Watson wrote:

palsing wrote:

W. Watson wrote:

Once again I'm thinking about going to Australia... One sky show that
seems of interest and is remarkably long is the Coonabarabran
Festival of
the Stars, 3-4 weeks in mid-Oct to mid-Nov. Has anyone been to it... ?



**********

I've been to Coonabarabran, which bills itself as the Astronomy Capital
of Australia, (see http://www.coonabarabran.com/ ) but not to this
Festival, so I can't comment about that. The entire area is a wonderful
place to enjoy a vacation, lots to do.

If you are traveling about without a telescope you might consider Timor
Cabins (www.coonabarabran.com/timor) I understand that they now have a
12" dob that can be rented while you are staying there, and there is no
finer location than Timor Cabins from which to observe.

\Paul

Thanks for the rental tips. Did you do any astro while you were there
as part of a group, or did you carry your own eqpt?

I've been looking for an australian astro or science newsgroup on
news.sf.sbcglobal net, but didn't find one. Maybe there's another sbc
news server, because I did note an aus.science on my fading earthlink
account for news.west.earthlink.net. However, thanks to EL, their NGs
are close to useless now. In another month, I'll be off EL completely.


Wayne T. Watson (Watson Adventures, Prop., Nevada City, CA)
(121.015 Deg. W, 39.262 Deg. N) GMT-8 hr std. time)
Obz Site: 39° 15' 7" N, 121° 2' 32" W, 2700 feet

"It is better to be “approximately right” rather than
“exactly wrong." -- John Tukey, Statistican


these blokes should be helpful

http://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/

Very good. Thanks.


Wayne T. Watson (Watson Adventures, Prop., Nevada City, CA)
(121.015 Deg. W, 39.262 Deg. N) GMT-8 hr std. time)
Obz Site: 39° 15' 7" N, 121° 2' 32" W, 2700 feet

"It is better to be “approximately right” rather than
“exactly wrong." -- John Tukey, Statistican
--
Web Page: home.earthlink.net/~mtnviews