There is a Deep Sky Camp planned for this weekend.
Anybody going to this one?
The following weekend should be better.
I would prefer 27th as I have not got my brain in gear for this weekend because of inclement weather. see what the others think
I would agree with Fay as I'm in the same boat. We might also be able to take advantage of this supposed improvement in the weather.
Robert
Yes there is supposed to be a big improvement next week
QuoteYes there is supposed to be a big improvement next week
Correct, its only raining for 6 days and not 7. :cheesy:
I am easy - I can do either weekend as I have still got my diving suit!
Julian
If it gets really bad Julian then you can join us in the boat/submarine.
Robert
If its the 27-29th then I'll get down with Frodo and Larry on Saturday and maybe Friday.
Who's Larry, another Rocket Pooch ?
is it not a lamb? :ferret:
If you all looked at the weather forecast :roll: the high is supposed to move in THIS Saturday. Summer will be over by the following weekend. ;)
However I will go with the consensus, if it's going to be the 27th I don't have to rush back on Sunday for lunch at the same place I have previously had to rush off too on Saturday night for dinner!
If it's the weekend of 27th won't we miss the Olympics Opening Ceremony and the first day or 2 of sports?
Mark
What's an "Olympics" ?
Oh i dont want to miss that!! Nightmare
I can see me missing dsc this month, which I don't want to do.
Quote from: mickw
What's an "Olympics" ?
I believe it's something to do with an Alien Spaceship landing somewhere near Stratford. It's very hush hush and there's been a huge cover up. A private security firm has been removed to stop the story leaking out (don't believe the pretext story about lack of supply of guards) and they hastily sent the army instead to guard what's going on there. A no-flight zone has been imposed which is being policed by fighter jets and hastily assembled rocket launchers. Huge villages of army tents have been erected and no-one can get near the landing site now. I also think the aliens have special dietary requirements because they're sending bus loads of athletes into this heavily guarded place. They seem to go in willingly because no-one has told them they are being fed to aliens. Suffice to say, none have re-emerged from this place. The aliens have a voracious appetite so special road lanes have been dedicated just so they can get sufficent bus loads of alien "food" into the area. I dread to think what other demands the aliens will make.
But I think word has got out because Boris Johnson is warning that 1 million extra visitors will be flocking to London just to see if they can get sight of it. They'll probably end up being eaten alive.
I think the Opening Ceremony is where the aliens publically reveal themselves to the world for the first time. News networks are being hastily assembled in place so this unveiling can be broadcast globally to the whole human population.
And you would happily miss this for a DSC???
:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:that is so good Mark, very funny!!!
well after all the hoo ha, i don't want to miss it
Quote from: mickw on Jul 18, 2012, 08:08:55
What's an "Olympics" ?
Mick,
Your not allowed to use the word "O****ics" or "Twe**y Twe*v*" and a long list of other words, so can you please can you use the words "Expensive event that will be paid for by Londoners, for the rest of the country"
I'm glad I moved to Kent. ;)
Thanks
Tony G
Grrrrr ! :!
Quote"Expensive event that will be paid for by Londoners
I suppose that would be why everybody down here is looking forward to it :)
I'm not a Londener any more, and 30% of the people who live in London have not been born in the UK.
QuoteYour not allowed to use the word "O****ics" or "Twe**y Twe*v*" and a long list of other words
Sort of, the only protected words under the act are.
For the purposes of this Act each of the following is a protected word, namely,
"Olympiad", "Olympiads", "Olympian", "Olympians", "Olympic" and "Olympics".
also
"Olympic motto" means the motto of the International Olympic
Committee, "Citius, altius, fortius";
"Olympic symbol" means the symbol of the International Olympic
Committee, consisting of five interlocking rings;
If you want the full act.
http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1995/32/data.pdf (http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1995/32/data.pdf)
but they cant do anything if you have registered any of the above before the date of the Act.
I think the ground is going to be very very soft, and not being much of a betting man, there will probably be a few cars stuck.
The reason im saying this is we had an
Olympic Olymipc-s 'see what i did there, that word's not on the band list' on Sunday, and even then the cars were leaving giant furrows in the ground and that was pretty squelchy.
Even under foot we were sinking.
Mac
Quote from: Mac
If you want the full act.
http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1995/32/data.pdf (http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1995/32/data.pdf)
You
***really**** think that's going to scare off those Olympic Athlete eating aliens?
You can quote the Act at them till you're blue in the face. Do you think they'll care? They've travelled 100 light years to subjugate us. A bit of government paper is not going to stop them. No-one seems to understand the mortal danger this planet is in!!! All will become clear next Friday. Lucky for Space Dog - he's got a delivery of 100 tons of concrete to hide under. The rest of us weren't so forward looking ...
Mark,
I make you right, flashing an Act of Parliament at them will not deter these Aliens, I mean they, like you say, have traveled light years to be here, we can't even stop the Aliens from Sangatte. :!
Tony G
So what is the verdict? Jackie at Rother Valley needs to know if we are coming this weekend or next weekend.
Personally I'd prefer Blacklands on this occasion as Rother is damp at the best of times let alone after all this rain.
Next weekend it is a waxing gibbous Moon and about 1am before it sinks.
Therefore my vote is for Blacklands this weekend.
Carole
My preference is for Rother Valley Campsite this weekend as it's darker, it will be moonless and the sun is shining. 8)
well because of the weather, I am not geared up for this week. I want to see the opening ceremony next week. So it seems I will miss this months :cry:
However, i will visit on the saturday if at Rother
There is a beer festival near blacklands this weekend, not sure you want to be there this weekend.
I prefer this weekend though I'll only bring the solar scope 'cos it looks to be cloudy at night :-(
Next weekend will be plagued by moon.
Sunday and Monday are both predicted to be clear - typical!
I think it's probably a bit late now to settle on this weekend and it looks like it'll be cloudy anyway. I'm happy to settle for the following weekend, despite the moon. It's about time I did some lunar imaging again ...
My vote is for next Saturday, Can't do Friday
Julian
OK I'll let Jackie know we won't be coming this weekend but probably the next one.
Reply from Jackie...
"Dear Mike,
That is disappointing as I had saved the pitches for you and have now subsequently missed out on family bookings.
I will hold the top corner for the following weekend but really need definite commitment that you will come.
Please let me know.
Best Wishes
Jackie"
Oh dear. I can understand her point. The first reasonable weekend for ages & she may have spare pitches.
I think when we individually say we cannot make it for one reason or another, we forget that it can become like dominoes & no one goes. We make a decision regarding ourself, thinking, at the time, it will still go ahead, not realising the implications.
Jackie always tries to accomodate us, it will be awful if she suddenly says no!
It would a pity to lose Rother, it's a public site, with few distractions or interference, that has rules about pitches which they are prepared to bend to accommodate us, actually we are quite spoilt.
It's a shame that the weather has been an absolute git lately.
Thing is, we take up a lot of pitches, that Jackie loses if we cancel, not just one.
To be fair Fay, although I agree with you, we do often take quite a large number of pitches when there is hardly anyone else there so she most likely still benefits from our custom.
Anyone know what sort of notice she deems acceptable when we cancel ?
Robert
I know. It is so difficult with what we do. She would probably like a few days notice, but we could shoot ourself in the foot, knowing our weather
To be fair (even though I have missed a few lately) we are booking all year round, so when other campsites have no-one, Rother is usually guaranteed a good few campers once a month, over the winter months, when other campsite have no business, and when its better for us astronomers. And no doubt you also get passing trade as such throughout the year, which in a way is how we found it.
When cancelling we do for a good reason, and in the line of work of say running a campsite, you have to take the rough with the smooth, as the concert organizers have done over the pass few weeks, and cancelled their own concerts because the venue and the abnormal weather do not seem to mix. :-?
Tony G
Cancelling on Thursday in winter when the campsite's almost empty because the weather forecast says gales or a foot of snow is fair enough. Cancelling on Thursday in summer when the campsite's fully booked because the forecast says it'll be a bit cloudy is not so fair. For one, it also deprives other potential campers of the opportunity to camp there...
I think some of the reasons for cancelling is not because its cloudy, but because it been the wettest summer on record.
If you look at the news every evening over the past few weeks they are not showing the pollen count, but a traffic light system showing rain and storms.
I have been to many DSC's when we have known that there is a chance that it maybe cloudy and still turned out, I have even sat by a camp-fire with others and had a tarpaulin over us at the same time because of the rain, but to camp in a sodden field and it be cloudy, is not my idea of an astronomy weekend.
That is the reason Blacklands has been suggested as the drainage on the field is better there.
If the field at Rother was sorted out with drainage, then maybe the campsite would not lose custom at the last minute, as this discussion happens every time it rains prior to a DSC at Rother Valley.
We'll that is only my opinion.
Tony G
...but in the past there's usually been "how boggy is the field?" contact with the campsite, so they've been at least peripherally involved in the decision-making.
I don't believe that question needed to be asked this time around, as I think the answer was obvious.
http://www.itn.co.uk/home/50626/UK+to+finally+get+summer+weather (http://www.itn.co.uk/home/50626/UK+to+finally+get+summer+weather)
The weather, and its relationship with Rother Valley was mentioned on the second reply to this thread, and again on a few occasions, that is why Blacklands was suggested.
Tony G
Hi,
One point, although we are about 5-10 tents normally we only take up 2/3 of the pitches and typically were there all year around. I'm sure she is unhappy but the six months a year we have been there when noone else is there will make up for one weekend we cancelled two days before the weekend, if she has turned people away she can book some others yesterday and today.
Mind you its the most interesting topic on this forumn this week.
Chris
QuoteMind you its the most interesting topic on this forumn this week.
Yep agreed & funny how people who have never been to a DSC decide to comment...
I am sure Jackie will be able to rent out pitches....
Thats the way society works John :-)
Quote from: RobertM on Jul 17, 2012, 20:52:34
Who's Larry, another Rocket Pooch ?
Na Larry the Land Rover.....
Given that Jackie had already saved the corner area for us, Thursday was definitely a bit late to tell her we had changed our (collective) mind. I hadn't realised this was the case.
It's a shame that only 4 people were interested in going - it has been in the diary for months so it wasn't a surprise event. Also, since we haven't had a DSC for ages because the weather has been so bad I was thinking everyone would jump at the opportunity.
I guess I'll see a few of you next week instead, then. Who's going, despite the Olympics?
There no way I'm going to book for next weekend, what if it rains, oh no she will shoot us all!
:squirrel:
I won't go next weekend either the Moon is too bright.
I'd still like to go this weekend but I think it would be too wet at Rother after all the rain, and if no-one else is going I don't want to be on my own, plus Jackie will probably be trying to book out our corner now.
I am still up for Blacklands if any-one else is going. But need to know soon as it takes me ages to pack.
Carole
Forecast certainly looks excellent for Sunday, Monday and Tuesday nights, plus the bonus of good weather during the day.
My ground at home is firm, which is normally a very good indicator for the conditions at Rother.
Mark
So can I ask who booked the corner this time around, as usually we have this discussion about the field, and then it is agreed that we are going. At that point someone speaks to Jackie and confirms their booking at the same time asking if a few more pitches could be reserved.
Why is this time different??????
Are we expected to use Rother each month, no matter what the weather??????
I can guarantee that if you were to visit Rother this weekend, someone will be pitched in the corner, and the field will not be full due to others cancelling for the same reason as a few on here, the recent weather.
As said already with owning a campsite, the great British weather plays a great part and so you have to take the rough with the smooth, bumper bookings in the hot weather and cancellations in the bad weather.
Tony G
Yes, because the weather has been 100% torrential for the last 3 months, there was no reason to think it would be any different this weekend. Myself, I assumed this & did not get myself into gear. I should have remembered you cant rely on the weather :)
We have to prepare in advance because of all the equipment etc we take. Yes, it is a hazard of running a camping field that you will get a lot of cancellations all through the year because the weather changes. Jackie notices us because we are a largish group, at times.
Well, if there is going to be a turnout next week, i will give up the joy of the Olympic opening ceremony & make an appearance, if not for the sky (moon) then for the company.
Tony could you hang glide over the site to check on the corner.....................
It would have to be a big glider........ ;)
Tony G
Quote from: Tony G on Jul 20, 2012, 09:26:27So can I ask who booked the corner this time around
I think the answer's in this post (http://forum.orpington-astronomy.org.uk/index.php?topic=7954.msg55412#msg55412). During the less-than-busy months it probably doesn't make a lot of difference if DSC cancels fairly late, but at this time of year it seems she's turned away other punters in order to keep pitches clear for DSC...
Rick,
These dates were sent to Jackie back in February, when we were just about to start hosepipe bans around the country due to the extreme weather.
At that point in time no-one knew that we would be suffering this current weather, and all the campsites around the country were rubbing their hands with expected bookings.
Maybe in hindsight it should have read "All dates now forwarded to Rother Valley............dependent on the wettest summer on record"
Tony G
Crap just been there look Tony were all wrong.
(http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Guardian/Pix/pictures/2010/7/8/1278593254751/Camping-field-full-of-ten-006.jpg)
Chris,
Is the corner still free?
Tony G
:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:hilarious!!
Quote from: Tony G on Jul 20, 2012, 10:32:20
Chris,
Is the corner still free?
Tony G
Can't see it mate, too many tents in the way!
Just gone around the other side, seems busy.
(http://www.lucas-smith.co.uk/photos/glastonburyfestival/2004/thumbnails/040625m.jpg)
QuoteCrap just been there look Tony were all wrong.
Blimey looks like Jackie is so busy she has had to break her golden rule about only camping around perimeter of field.... :-)
Even worse look at the loo's
(http://images.huffingtonpost.com/2010-01-12-dog_drink_toilet.jpg)
Well! I hired that glider and this is the image I got.
http://goo.gl/maps/i6sA (http://goo.gl/maps/i6sA)
And the corner is still empty........along with most of the field. :D
Tony G
PS...........I don't believe that the images put up by John and Chris were a true reflection of the current situation, and I only say this as the sun is shining in both images. 8)
Weather is so nice that I have a river running along my patio right now.
It's chucking down at Newchurch :(