Orpington Astronomical Society

Society => Announcements, Meetings, Events => Topic started by: Carole on Apr 30, 2015, 21:50:10

Title: DSC May 15 - 17 (or longer if you wish)
Post by: Carole on Apr 30, 2015, 21:50:10
With the imminent moving of the Website and it being only 2 weeks away, I thought I'd better get started on this. 
Please check your posts haven't got lost in the move.

It appears that Cairds Campsite is available including the Glamping POD.

So who would like to go?

Carole

Title: Re: DSC May 15 - 17 (or longer if you wish)
Post by: Fay on Apr 30, 2015, 22:10:15
I will go if I have not had the call from the hospital, and would like the pod
Title: Re: DSC May 15 - 17 (or longer if you wish)
Post by: Mike on Apr 30, 2015, 23:15:32
I'm up for it.
Title: Re: DSC May 15 - 17 (or longer if you wish)
Post by: ApophisAstros on May 01, 2015, 01:10:42
when you say longer, what dates would be considered and obviously last minute booking
so i can book days off depending on cloud cover/weather....

roger
Title: Re: DSC May 15 - 17 (or longer if you wish)
Post by: RobertM on May 01, 2015, 07:29:12
I'll be away then so no from me.
Title: Re: DSC May 15 - 17 (or longer if you wish)
Post by: Carole on May 01, 2015, 07:45:03
Quotewhen you say longer, what dates would be considered and obviously last minute booking
so i can book days off depending on cloud cover/weather....
It's entirely up to you Roger.  I just wanted to say that you don't have to go on the Friday and come home on the Sunday/Monday if the weather is good and you wanted to (pitch availability dependent of course).

I sometimes go early/stay late and Fay has done so in the past as well if the weather forecast is good, but then we are retired and are more flexible.

Carole
Title: Re: DSC May 15 - 17 (or longer if you wish)
Post by: Ivor on May 01, 2015, 11:41:04
Alas this is the weekend of my 50 mile race(http://www.centurionrunning.com/north-downs-way-50-2015/ (http://www.centurionrunning.com/north-downs-way-50-2015/)), might try and pop down on Sunday to say hi if I can move.
Title: Re: DSC May 15 - 17 (or longer if you wish)
Post by: Carole on May 09, 2015, 09:47:59
Long range weather forecast is looking good for Saturday next week on my favourite weather site yr.no  but we all know you can't rely on long range weather forecasts.

It would be great to get at least one clear evening next weekend. 

So far the following people are interested:
Fay (already booked the Glamping POD I believe)
Carole
Mike & Petra
Roger?

Can't go:
Ivor
Robert

No-one else has replied. 

Carole
Title: Re: DSC May 15 - 17 (or longer if you wish)
Post by: MarkS on May 09, 2015, 13:27:50
I'm planning to come - with the modded Sony A7S :)

Mark
Title: Re: DSC May 15 - 17 (or longer if you wish)
Post by: Fay on May 09, 2015, 13:33:20
Oh good Mark. I will be there,hopefully
Title: Re: DSC May 15 - 17 (or longer if you wish)
Post by: Carole on May 09, 2015, 14:06:45
Great, added to the list.  It will be good to try out Cairds as a DSC venue and the chances of getting it over the summer months are pretty small due to the size of the camp and summer bookings.   They have been extending the camping field into the allotment which will help a little.  Not sure if it's ready for use yet though. 

Fay (already booked the Glamping POD I believe)
Carole
Mike & Petra
Roger?
Mark

Can't go:
Ivor
Robert

Title: Re: DSC May 15 - 17 (or longer if you wish)
Post by: Sue on May 10, 2015, 13:47:17
Cannot make it this month. Would love to join in the DSCs again -  hope to start once Roy has retired!
Title: Re: DSC May 15 - 17 (or longer if you wish)
Post by: julian on May 10, 2015, 17:10:06
I'm in.
Been away this weekend.

Julian :lol:
Title: Re: DSC May 15 - 17 (or longer if you wish)
Post by: Mac on May 10, 2015, 17:52:34
Is cairds the one below bewl water?

Mac.
Title: Re: DSC May 15 - 17 (or longer if you wish)
Post by: RobertM on May 10, 2015, 18:00:42
Yes
Title: Re: DSC May 15 - 17 (or longer if you wish)
Post by: Carole on May 10, 2015, 18:37:07
Fay (already booked the Glamping POD I believe)
Carole
Mike & Petra
Roger?
Mark
Julian

Carole
Title: Re: DSC May 15 - 17 (or longer if you wish)
Post by: MarkS on May 10, 2015, 18:46:12
My coolbox is in chest freezer already  :)

Mark
Title: Re: DSC May 15 - 17 (or longer if you wish)
Post by: Carole on May 10, 2015, 18:55:44
I have a new fridge, my camping fridge packed up at Kelling, luckily only a day before I was coming home.  Decided to buy a mini fridge this time since I now have a van and the mini fridge is silent (unlike my camping fridge which was so noisy I had to switch it off at night). 

Just checked the forecast for Ticehurst on yr.no and fingers crossed the forecast is clear for Saturday and much of Friday as well:

http://www.yr.no/place/United_Kingdom/England/Ticehurst/long.html

Carole

Title: Re: DSC May 15 - 17 (or longer if you wish)
Post by: Mike on May 10, 2015, 19:59:26
Quote from: Carole on May 10, 2015, 18:55:44
Decided to buy a mini fridge this time since I now have a van and the mini fridge is silent (unlike my camping fridge which was so noisy I had to switch it off at night). 

TFFT !
Title: Re: DSC May 15 - 17 (or longer if you wish)
Post by: Carole on May 10, 2015, 21:44:22
What the...does TFFT stand for?

(Edit) Ah, think I've found it.  A form of saying thank goodness for that I think.  Lol

Yes it was the noise that decided me not to bother trying to fix the old one. 

Carole

Title: Re: DSC May 15 - 17 (or longer if you wish)
Post by: Mike on May 10, 2015, 22:25:33
You could hear it about 100 feet away from your tent!
Title: Re: DSC May 15 - 17 (or longer if you wish)
Post by: MarkS on May 10, 2015, 22:33:53
My frozen coolbox is completely silent (except for the occasional cracking of the ice block).

Mark
Title: Re: DSC May 15 - 17 (or longer if you wish)
Post by: ApophisAstros on May 11, 2015, 07:43:12
Quote from: Carole on May 10, 2015, 18:55:44
I have a new fridge, my camping fridge packed up at Kelling, luckily only a day before I was coming home.  Decided to buy a mini fridge this time since I now have a van and the mini fridge is silent (unlike my camping fridge which was so noisy I had to switch it off at night). 

Just checked the forecast for Ticehurst on yr.no and fingers crossed the forecast is clear for Saturday and much of Friday as well:

http://www.yr.no/place/United_Kingdom/England/Ticehurst/long.html

Carole

Is looking promising....

roger
Title: Re: DSC May 15 - 17 (or longer if you wish)
Post by: Carole on May 11, 2015, 08:27:58
QuoteYou could hear it about 100 feet away from your tent!

Oh dear, I didn't realise it was disturbing other people as well as myself.  Well it is no more as Mike Says TFFT.

QuoteMy frozen coolbox is completely silent (except for the occasional cracking of the ice block).
:lol: :lol:

Hmmm, weather forecast has changed. 

Carole


Title: Re: DSC May 15 - 17 (or longer if you wish)
Post by: Fay on May 11, 2015, 08:31:54
just realised what tfft stands for, funny!!
Title: Re: DSC May 15 - 17 (or longer if you wish)
Post by: Mike on May 12, 2015, 22:58:18
What time are people getting down on Friday?
Title: Re: DSC May 15 - 17 (or longer if you wish)
Post by: MarkS on May 12, 2015, 23:07:27
Quote from: Mike
What time are people getting down on Friday?

7:30-8:00pm
Title: Re: DSC May 15 - 17 (or longer if you wish)
Post by: julian on May 12, 2015, 23:16:20
8:30-9:00pm
Title: Re: DSC May 15 - 17 (or longer if you wish)
Post by: ApophisAstros on May 13, 2015, 02:19:44
fri morning....
rog
Title: Re: DSC May 15 - 17 (or longer if you wish)
Post by: MarkS on May 13, 2015, 04:19:12
I haven't actually booked with the campsite - do I need to?

Mark
Title: Re: DSC May 15 - 17 (or longer if you wish)
Post by: Mike on May 13, 2015, 08:45:06
Good point. Do we need to book Carole?

We are hoping to get down there by around 5pm.

Mike
Title: Re: DSC May 15 - 17 (or longer if you wish)
Post by: ApophisAstros on May 13, 2015, 08:52:57
carole is keeping him updated from here...just rung cairds.

rog
Title: Re: DSC May 15 - 17 (or longer if you wish)
Post by: Mike on May 13, 2015, 09:14:08
OK that's great. Thanks.
Title: Re: DSC May 15 - 17 (or longer if you wish)
Post by: Carole on May 13, 2015, 10:11:56
No we don't need to book, he knows how many may come - and that it is weather dependent.

Just turn up, tell him you're with the astro group. 

Owners are Pete and Sue and there is a Welshman who lives there in a caravan, with his wife (I think his son is the partner of Pete's daughter) and seems to have taken up permanent residence, he works on the site but I've forgotten his name. 

Both Pete and Welshman are very helpful.   

Gonna put a photo of the site on the next post with suggested pitch positions so as to make best use out of the hook up outlets.

I'm just checking the price per night.  I seem to recall having paid something like £11.50/£12 per night before including hook up.

Pete's phone number if you get lost:
07765363546

Carole

Title: Re: DSC May 15 - 17 (or longer if you wish)
Post by: Carole on May 13, 2015, 10:13:50
(https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-ugjK77eQRQs/VNkXFzrBlpI/AAAAAAAABYo/YxECNMb72iI/w484-h809-no/Cairds.jpg)

OK looking at the map:

This aerial shot was taken before the POD was built but I have labelled it's position.

There is one hook up on the "East" side of the field in the middle (with 4 outlets), and one in the middle on the "west" (road side) also in the middle with 4 outlets. 
(NSEW are roughly in these positions)

There is also apparently an extra point beside the POD.

If any-one has a splitter please bring it, and any outdoor extension cables.   (I have a splitter).  I think Pete may have a splitter/extension cables too. 

The fence boundary on the East side is currently being moved further East, not sure whether that is ready to use yet. 

I suggest that the kit goes along the East side possibly with the tents and cars behind them rather than beside them to prevent having to spread too far apart with the kit - (cable lengths) and the campervans themselves go along the west side using the west hook ups. 

Obviously we don't know how many public will be there and whether they have already pitches where we want to go, so might have to play some of this by ear. 

I'll let Pete Know the latest figures and how we are planning to pitch and see if he can persuade any public to go on the South and West sides away from where we need to go.

Carole
Title: Re: DSC May 15 - 17 (or longer if you wish)
Post by: Carole on May 13, 2015, 15:13:29
Price is:

Tents £10 per night Motorcaravan £12 per night. This will include electric and shower facilities.
POD obviously more expensive but Fay has this booked and knows the price.

Carole
Title: Re: DSC May 15 - 17 (or longer if you wish)
Post by: ApophisAstros on May 14, 2015, 22:25:47
wonder what effect this rain has had on ground conditions?

rog
Title: Re: DSC May 15 - 17 (or longer if you wish)
Post by: Mike on May 14, 2015, 22:39:11
My guess it's made it slightly damp.
Title: Re: DSC May 15 - 17 (or longer if you wish)
Post by: Mike on May 15, 2015, 09:07:15
Nice and sunny right now. Forecast looks reasonable. Probably more suited to observing than imaging.

Tonight is showing a couple of hours of clearish sky just before midnight.
Saturday - Clear all night.

I take it everyone is still going?

Mike

Title: Re: DSC May 15 - 17 (or longer if you wish)
Post by: Fay on May 15, 2015, 09:54:54
Yes mike
Title: Re: DSC May 15 - 17 (or longer if you wish)
Post by: julian on May 15, 2015, 10:19:53
Already packed, but I'm at work😭
But have gone to work in the tin tent😀
Title: Re: DSC May 15 - 17 (or longer if you wish)
Post by: Carole on May 15, 2015, 10:50:52
3/4 packed, will be on the way within next couple of hours.

Carole
Title: Re: DSC May 15 - 17 (or longer if you wish)
Post by: Mike on May 15, 2015, 11:42:27
Haven't even started yet as I had a report to type up.

Will be starting in about 2 hours then i'll be on my way. Aim to be there by 5pm.
Title: Re: DSC May 15 - 17 (or longer if you wish)
Post by: ApophisAstros on May 15, 2015, 12:33:56
Arrived just after Kay, ground nice and firm fairly mild and no wind...me neither...lol😁😁😁😁
Title: Re: DSC May 15 - 17 (or longer if you wish)
Post by: Mike on May 15, 2015, 14:56:52
Leaving now. ETA 5.10pm
Title: Re: DSC May 15 - 17 (or longer if you wish)
Post by: Mike on May 15, 2015, 18:51:03
 :)

(http://i.imgur.com/H50sCsE.jpg)

Title: Re: DSC May 15 - 17 (or longer if you wish)
Post by: JohnP on May 15, 2015, 20:35:21
looks nice - fingers crossed for clear skies... is that Fay on her Pod surveying all her land...?
Title: Re: DSC May 15 - 17 (or longer if you wish)
Post by: Kenny on May 16, 2015, 14:10:06
You could have borrowed the Coronado scope and HEQ5 this weekend.
Title: Re: DSC May 15 - 17 (or longer if you wish)
Post by: Mike on May 16, 2015, 14:41:35
Glorious down here at DSC.

(http://i.imgur.com/fo4VprA.jpg)
Title: Re: DSC May 15 - 17 (or longer if you wish)
Post by: Mike on May 16, 2015, 14:42:42
Quote from: Kenny on May 16, 2015, 14:10:06
You could have borrowed the Coronado scope and HEQ5 this weekend.

Yeah we could have. However, Mark has his Lunt and we are doing spectroscopy experiments right now (long tube on the left).

(http://i.imgur.com/QE5r56w.jpg)
Title: Re: DSC May 15 - 17 (or longer if you wish)
Post by: The Thing on May 16, 2015, 14:49:10
It all looks like jolly good fun in the sun! WIWT
Title: Re: DSC May 15 - 17 (or longer if you wish)
Post by: Mike on May 16, 2015, 14:55:10
The spectrum of the Sun.

(http://i.imgur.com/62rnpCP.jpg)
Title: Re: DSC May 15 - 17 (or longer if you wish)
Post by: MarkH on May 16, 2015, 20:51:14
Weather is looking good for you guys have fun. :D
Title: Re: DSC May 15 - 17 (or longer if you wish)
Post by: Kenny on May 16, 2015, 23:00:11
What's the seeing like?
Title: Re: DSC May 15 - 17 (or longer if you wish)
Post by: RobertM on May 17, 2015, 08:29:32
Hope it was as good as it was here in Devon last night.  Beautiful Milky Way and the Scorpio as clear as a bell.
Title: Re: DSC May 15 - 17 (or longer if you wish)
Post by: Carole on May 17, 2015, 16:01:30
Friday night was cloudy, but the evening greatly helped by Amaretto and the French stuff, so we still had a good time.

Spectroscopy was amazing with the different filters, especially Ha. 

QuoteScorpio as clear as a bell.
We had mostly clear skies last night, but Scorpio which I had been planning to image (I started Antares region last year), was low in the murk until much later, by which time I had started another target.  It clouded up for about half an hour in the early hours, but some of us sat it out and it cleared again after about 1/2 hour, I think Mark went to bed at 3am and Julian and I finished at around 4.15am.  Feeling somewhat bleary eyed ATM.

I'm going to start another thread for feedback and DSC in general, would appreciate those who went putting in their happuth, even those who already spoke to me.

Thanks

Carole
Title: Re: DSC May 15 - 17 (or longer if you wish)
Post by: ApophisAstros on May 17, 2015, 19:33:17
Quote from: Carole on May 17, 2015, 16:01:30
Friday night was cloudy, but the evening greatly helped by Amaretto and the French stuff, so we still had a good time.

French !*?!.....lol :beer: :beer: :beer: :beer: :beer: :beer:

rog