I looked at a few of the lodges west of the preserve, this one hosts weddings and by the looks of some of the pics might have enough open sky areas to setup scopes. If I were to take my trailer and scope I'd much rather observe from where I am camped!!! Might be worth a trip to see if any of the campgrounds between North Frontenac and Nirvana are amenable to a star party of sorts! Sorry for me and a few others the dark sky preserve is a no go because of the no camping stipulation.
Mike
On Wed, Aug 17, 2022 at 9:45 AM Dave Anderson < canddstt@...> wrote: There are local campgrounds within 15 minutes of the site . Cabins rentals maybe go as a group .?
My thoughts exactly! A 2 hour drive from Ottawa, set up, tear down in the middle of the night, and a 2 hour drive home? Not a great ¡°party¡±! However, if there were a place to set up a tent or small camper, this could be a good star party! ? OK finally a star party in a DARK sky! But I'm confused this is a 3 night event but there is still no camping on site? Do they expect you to leave all your stuff setup go camp somewhere and then come back the next day.....
Mike
On Tue, Aug 16, 2022 at 9:26 PM Attilla Danko < danko@...> wrote: More details on Frontenac's star party on Sept 23 here:
<>
On Tue, Aug 16, 2022 at 9:12 PM Dave Anderson <canddstt@...> wrote:
>
> check out North Frontanac Dark sky? Facebook page for details
> Sept 23rd weekend
>
|
Yes there is security for when you leave to get rest or eat . Not sure how they will know who's equiptment it is .will? heck into that?
Thanks Dave! Will there be security to protect our equipment while we¡¯re at a campground? Thanks and Cheers! On Aug 17, 2022, at 9:45 AM, Dave Anderson <canddstt@...> wrote:
? There are local campgrounds within 15 minutes of the site . Cabins rentals maybe go as a group .? My thoughts exactly! A 2 hour drive from Ottawa, set up, tear down in the middle of the night, and a 2 hour drive home? Not a great ¡°party¡±! However, if there were a place to set up a tent or small camper, this could be a good star party! ? OK finally a star party in a DARK sky! But I'm confused this is a 3 night event but there is still no camping on site? Do they expect you to leave all your stuff setup go camp somewhere and then come back the next day.....
Mike
On Tue, Aug 16, 2022 at 9:26 PM Attilla Danko < danko@...> wrote: More details on Frontenac's star party on Sept 23 here:
<>
On Tue, Aug 16, 2022 at 9:12 PM Dave Anderson <canddstt@...> wrote:
>
> check out North Frontanac Dark sky? Facebook page for details
> Sept 23rd weekend
>
|
Thanks Dave! Will there be security to protect our equipment while we¡¯re at a campground?
toggle quoted message
Show quoted text
On Aug 17, 2022, at 9:45 AM, Dave Anderson <canddstt@...> wrote:
? There are local campgrounds within 15 minutes of the site . Cabins rentals maybe go as a group .? My thoughts exactly! A 2 hour drive from Ottawa, set up, tear down in the middle of the night, and a 2 hour drive home? Not a great ¡°party¡±! However, if there were a place to set up a tent or small camper, this could be a good star party! ? OK finally a star party in a DARK sky! But I'm confused this is a 3 night event but there is still no camping on site? Do they expect you to leave all your stuff setup go camp somewhere and then come back the next day.....
Mike
On Tue, Aug 16, 2022 at 9:26 PM Attilla Danko < danko@...> wrote: More details on Frontenac's star party on Sept 23 here:
<>
On Tue, Aug 16, 2022 at 9:12 PM Dave Anderson <canddstt@...> wrote:
>
> check out North Frontanac Dark sky? Facebook page for details
> Sept 23rd weekend
>
|
There are local campgrounds within 15 minutes of the site . Cabins rentals maybe go as a group .?
My thoughts exactly! A 2 hour drive from Ottawa, set up, tear down in the middle of the night, and a 2 hour drive home? Not a great ¡°party¡±! However, if there were a place to set up a tent or small camper, this could be a good star party! ? OK finally a star party in a DARK sky! But I'm confused this is a 3 night event but there is still no camping on site? Do they expect you to leave all your stuff setup go camp somewhere and then come back the next day.....
Mike
On Tue, Aug 16, 2022 at 9:26 PM Attilla Danko < danko@...> wrote: More details on Frontenac's star party on Sept 23 here:
<>
On Tue, Aug 16, 2022 at 9:12 PM Dave Anderson <canddstt@...> wrote:
>
> check out North Frontanac Dark sky? Facebook page for details
> Sept 23rd weekend
>
|
My thoughts exactly! A 2 hour drive from Ottawa, set up, tear down in the middle of the night, and a 2 hour drive home? Not a great ¡°party¡±! However, if there were a place to set up a tent or small camper, this could be a good star party!
toggle quoted message
Show quoted text
On Aug 17, 2022, at 7:57 AM, Mike Wirths <mikewirths1@...> wrote:
? OK finally a star party in a DARK sky! But I'm confused this is a 3 night event but there is still no camping on site? Do they expect you to leave all your stuff setup go camp somewhere and then come back the next day.....
Mike
On Tue, Aug 16, 2022 at 9:26 PM Attilla Danko < danko@...> wrote: More details on Frontenac's star party on Sept 23 here:
<>
On Tue, Aug 16, 2022 at 9:12 PM Dave Anderson <canddstt@...> wrote:
>
> check out North Frontanac Dark sky? Facebook page for details
> Sept 23rd weekend
>
|
OK finally a star party in a DARK sky! But I'm confused this is a 3 night event but there is still no camping on site? Do they expect you to leave all your stuff setup go camp somewhere and then come back the next day.....
Mike
On Tue, Aug 16, 2022 at 9:26 PM Attilla Danko < danko@...> wrote: More details on Frontenac's star party on Sept 23 here:
<>
On Tue, Aug 16, 2022 at 9:12 PM Dave Anderson <canddstt@...> wrote:
>
> check out North Frontanac Dark sky? Facebook page for details
> Sept 23rd weekend
>
|
More details on Frontenac's star party on Sept 23 here:
<>
toggle quoted message
Show quoted text
On Tue, Aug 16, 2022 at 9:12 PM Dave Anderson <canddstt@...> wrote:
check out North Frontanac Dark sky Facebook page for details
Sept 23rd weekend
|
check out North Frontanac Dark sky? Facebook page for details
Sept 23rd weekend
|
I'm sadly reporting I only saw 2 at 10pm then nada at 11. Currently at a cottage on the Ottawa River across from Cobden so an ok dark site except for the damned Moon! Anyone else have any luck?
Cheers, Albert.?
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Re: Returning to the fold!
Hi Mike,
So, you're back in Canada!? Last I knew, you were running a B&B in middle of some Mexican desert (??), or was it an elderberry farm (Ni!)?.? Nice to see you back, and back in Perth no less. Between the potential rebirth of PPPP and Nirvana once again being accessible, its like the last couple decades didn't happen! Ha!
I'm looking forward to reliving old glories in the field!? I'd very much enjoy a trip out to Nirvana. Perhaps I can shake off this feeling of getting old.
Very nice to hear from you!
Let's hope for clear skies in Sept.
Matt
|
Re: Returning to the fold!
Hey Matt,
Wonderful to hear from you!!! Be great to observe with you again sometime, maybe a trip to Nirvana might be in the cards for Sept, according to Pierre Martin the road has been considerably repaired, in particular that last little run up to the strip itself! We bought a home on Long lake only a few km south of the original PPPP observatory. I don't have an observatory here yet, but its in the planning stage.
Ni!
Mike
On Thu, Aug 11, 2022 at 11:59 AM Attilla Danko < danko@...> wrote: Matt wrote:
>I am in the market for a 18 inch class dob
Talk to Mike. He bought a new 18" Starstructure when he donated his
18" Starmaster to the Ottawa RASC.? Mike says it's better than the 18"
Starmaster -- which is quite an accomplishment. (I've seen detail on
Ganymede with Mike's 18" Starmaster -- when it was still his.)
-ad
On Thu, Aug 11, 2022 at 11:15 AM Matt Weeks <weeksmj@...> wrote:
>
> Hi Attilla!? Very nice to hear from you.? My best memories of observing were with fellow Oafs.? Endless Monty Python quips, Nirvana observing trips (the old Irvine lake airstrip) and pre-RASC meeting dinners.? Ah, the good old days.? I actually visited the old airstrip last year while on a camping trip to Bon Echo.? Nostalgia hit hard!! haha. It doesn't look much different, a little more overgrown (without Mike's mower the place has gotten out of hand).? ?The hill up to the strip itself is a little more rutted, and although my truck had no issues, I'm not sure a car could do it anymore..but I may be wrong. I would love to have a "reunion" of Oafs sometime out there, but recognize that may be a little on the optimistic side.
>
> Beat up?
>
> Ahem. Ingrid (my partner), I and a non-astronomer friend with an
> excellent wood-shop, refubished Mike's former 18". We repaired the
> woodwork, replaced the alt gearing, re-blackened the paint, and I
> drove the mirror to quebec to get it recoated. Since then Richard
> Harding, Rick Scholes and many others have worked on improving that
> scope. It's a good scope. The only bad part is that Mike should have
> sold it to me instead. :(
>
>
> Ha!? I'm glad to hear it and kudos to you, Ingrid and the others for getting the scope back in tip top shape.? I am happy to see it get a new life. And with Rick Singmaster's passing, it seems to take on more meaning, as there will be no more Starmasters made. I am in the market for a 18 inch class dob these days, though I promised my SO I'd wait at least a year to make sure I'm fully back into the hobby before spending that much money.
>
> Btw, some of us are going to starfest (comming real soon now).
> <>
>
> Unfortunately, I can't make Starfest this year, though it is an event I'd like to get to in future years.? We'll have to see what next year brings.
>
> I hope we have a chance to observe together sometime in the near future.? It would be nice to catch up, as redoing my math, I think it has been closer to the 20 year mark than the 15 (as you alluded to)...sheesh, where does the time go!!??
>
> Clear Skies, as always!!
>
> Matt
>
|
Re: Nirvana Report - 2022 July 30
Thank you! I integrated approximately 70 120s exposures at?f2.8, ISO1600 on my Canon T6s. I took around 150 exposures, but threw away most of the later ones due to sky brightness and focus drift.?
Stacked in SiriL, processed in Photoshop. No calibration frames because I got lazy, but it still turned out okay.?
Cheers, Richard?
Nice capture.? Care to share your times and settings?
|
Re: Nirvana Report - 2022 July 30
Nice capture.? Care to share your times and settings?
|
Re: Nirvana Report - 2022 July 30
Thanks Jim! It was shot at 200mm on an APS-C sensor.?
On Thu, Aug 11, 2022 at 1:14 PM James Sofia < drsofia@...> wrote:
Nice field of view on the Veil, Richard!
Jim?
On Thursday, August 11, 2022 at 12:12:10 p.m. EDT, Richard Hum < hum.richard@...> wrote:
Howdy OAFs,
I took an overnight trip to Nirvana on July 30th and I'm happy to report that the road is passable. There are a few trees down from the storm, but they have been trimmed so only half the road is blocked. It looks like they're doing some logging, so watch out for that. The road onto the airstrip has also been re-graded, and a second entrance has been added, so there shouldn't be any more issues there.
The mosquitos were absolutely horrible though, and my Thermacell only seemed to attract more. Thankfully no more blackflies due to the time of year.?
Despite some folks at the other end of the airstrip shooting off fireworks, I managed to squeeze out a few hours of imaging on the Veil Nebula:?
Clear Skies, Richard?
|
Re: Nirvana Report - 2022 July 30
Nice field of view on the Veil, Richard!
Jim?
On Thursday, August 11, 2022 at 12:12:10 p.m. EDT, Richard Hum <hum.richard@...> wrote:
Howdy OAFs,
I took an overnight trip to Nirvana on July 30th and I'm happy to report that the road is passable. There are a few trees down from the storm, but they have been trimmed so only half the road is blocked. It looks like they're doing some logging, so watch out for that. The road onto the airstrip has also been re-graded, and a second entrance has been added, so there shouldn't be any more issues there.
The mosquitos were absolutely horrible though, and my Thermacell only seemed to attract more. Thankfully no more blackflies due to the time of year.?
Despite some folks at the other end of the airstrip shooting off fireworks, I managed to squeeze out a few hours of imaging on the Veil Nebula:?
Clear Skies, Richard?
|
Nirvana Report - 2022 July 30
Howdy OAFs,
I took an overnight trip to Nirvana on July 30th and I'm happy to report that the road is passable. There are a few trees down from the storm, but they have been trimmed so only half the road is blocked. It looks like they're doing some logging, so watch out for that. The road onto the airstrip has also been re-graded, and a second entrance has been added, so there shouldn't be any more issues there.
The mosquitos were absolutely horrible though, and my Thermacell only seemed to attract more. Thankfully no more blackflies due to the time of year.?
Despite some folks at the other end of the airstrip shooting off fireworks, I managed to squeeze out a few hours of imaging on the Veil Nebula:?
Clear Skies, Richard?
|
Re: Returning to the fold!
Matt wrote: I am in the market for a 18 inch class dob Talk to Mike. He bought a new 18" Starstructure when he donated his 18" Starmaster to the Ottawa RASC. Mike says it's better than the 18" Starmaster -- which is quite an accomplishment. (I've seen detail on Ganymede with Mike's 18" Starmaster -- when it was still his.) -ad On Thu, Aug 11, 2022 at 11:15 AM Matt Weeks <weeksmj@...> wrote:
Hi Attilla! Very nice to hear from you. My best memories of observing were with fellow Oafs. Endless Monty Python quips, Nirvana observing trips (the old Irvine lake airstrip) and pre-RASC meeting dinners. Ah, the good old days. I actually visited the old airstrip last year while on a camping trip to Bon Echo. Nostalgia hit hard!! haha. It doesn't look much different, a little more overgrown (without Mike's mower the place has gotten out of hand). The hill up to the strip itself is a little more rutted, and although my truck had no issues, I'm not sure a car could do it anymore..but I may be wrong. I would love to have a "reunion" of Oafs sometime out there, but recognize that may be a little on the optimistic side.
Beat up?
Ahem. Ingrid (my partner), I and a non-astronomer friend with an
excellent wood-shop, refubished Mike's former 18". We repaired the
woodwork, replaced the alt gearing, re-blackened the paint, and I
drove the mirror to quebec to get it recoated. Since then Richard
Harding, Rick Scholes and many others have worked on improving that
scope. It's a good scope. The only bad part is that Mike should have
sold it to me instead. :(
Ha! I'm glad to hear it and kudos to you, Ingrid and the others for getting the scope back in tip top shape. I am happy to see it get a new life. And with Rick Singmaster's passing, it seems to take on more meaning, as there will be no more Starmasters made. I am in the market for a 18 inch class dob these days, though I promised my SO I'd wait at least a year to make sure I'm fully back into the hobby before spending that much money.
Btw, some of us are going to starfest (comming real soon now).
<>
Unfortunately, I can't make Starfest this year, though it is an event I'd like to get to in future years. We'll have to see what next year brings.
I hope we have a chance to observe together sometime in the near future. It would be nice to catch up, as redoing my math, I think it has been closer to the 20 year mark than the 15 (as you alluded to)...sheesh, where does the time go!!??
Clear Skies, as always!!
Matt
|
Re: Returning to the fold!
Hi Attilla!? Very nice to hear from you.? My best memories of observing were with fellow Oafs.? Endless Monty Python quips, Nirvana observing trips (the old Irvine lake airstrip) and pre-RASC meeting dinners.? Ah, the good old days.? I actually visited the old airstrip last year while on a camping trip to Bon Echo.? Nostalgia hit hard!! haha. It doesn't look much different, a little more overgrown (without Mike's mower the place has gotten out of hand).? ?The hill up to the strip itself is a little more rutted, and although my truck had no issues, I'm not sure a car could do it anymore..but I may be wrong. I would love to have a "reunion" of Oafs sometime out there, but recognize that may be a little on the optimistic side.?
Beat up?
Ahem. Ingrid (my partner), I and a non-astronomer friend with an
excellent wood-shop, refubished Mike's former 18". We repaired the
woodwork, replaced the alt gearing, re-blackened the paint, and I
drove the mirror to quebec to get it recoated. Since then Richard
Harding, Rick Scholes and many others have worked on improving that
scope. It's a good scope. The only bad part is that Mike should have
sold it to me instead. :(
Ha!? I'm glad to hear it and kudos to you, Ingrid and the others for getting the scope back in tip top shape.? I am happy to see it get a new life. And with Rick Singmaster's passing, it seems to take on more meaning, as there will be no more Starmasters made. I am in the market for a 18 inch class dob these days, though I promised my SO I'd wait at least a year to make sure I'm fully back into the hobby before spending that much money.
Btw, some of us are going to starfest (comming real soon now).
<>
Unfortunately, I can't make Starfest this year, though it is an event I'd like to get to in future years.? We'll have to see what next year brings. I hope we have a chance to observe together sometime in the near future.? It would be nice to catch up, as redoing my math, I think it has been closer to the 20 year mark than the 15 (as you alluded to)...sheesh, where does the time go!!?? Clear Skies, as always!! Matt
|
Re: Returning to the fold!
Thanks Jim! I appreciate the welcome!
FLO is a nice site.? They have trimmed the trees there and installed some telescopes. A darker sky too.??
Glad to hear it! I noticed, when looking at Attilla's Clear Sky Clock, that the dark sky rating seemed to have improved for FLO, but I don't trust my memory.? Could it be that Pat Browne's efforts to get full cut off lighting in the area had a measurable effect? Good luck with your imaging! Matt
|
Re: Returning to the fold!
Hey Matt Only 15 years? Feels like 20. I had given up hope of observing with you again. (I to have fond memories of such.) Welcome back. Btw, some of us are going to starfest (comming real soon now). <> Mike's old beat up 18in Starmaster Beat up? Ahem. Ingrid (my partner), I and a non-astronomer friend with an excellent wood-shop, refubished Mike's former 18". We repaired the woodwork, replaced the alt gearing, re-blackened the paint, and I drove the mirror to quebec to get it recoated. Since then Richard Harding, Rick Scholes and many others have worked on improving that scope. It's a good scope. The only bad part is that Mike should have sold it to me instead. :( clear skies. On Wed, Aug 10, 2022 at 7:23 PM Matt Weeks <weeksmj@...> wrote:
Well, well, well. Its been at least 10 (15!?) years since I've poked my nose in around here, glad to see most of the riff raff are still active (and alive!). I was recently lamenting the fact that I used to be an "amateur astronomer" and was wishing I could return to a once loved hobby when it occurred to me that I might actually be able to. The "reasons" that made it near impossible to be an active observer have now grown up a bit and I think I can actually take some time for myself!!
Though I sold off most of my gear many years ago, including my workhorse C-11, I had the foresight to at least hang on to my old reliable C-8, so I dragged it out of storage from deep under my basement stairs and started to examine it for damage. Luckily, I had stored it with desiccant packs so the optics look like they did a decade ago. I did, however, discover my first problem. No eyepieces. I was smart enough to keep the scope but had lacked the wisdom to keep at least one eyepiece. This is when I sadly learned that Focus Scientific had gone out of business and I would need to navigate online telescope stores that were mostly new to me. Long story short, I picked up a new eyepiece online, which arrived in two days. A good start, as far as I was concerned. I was expecting the skies to cloud over for at least a month with such a purchase, but, to my great delight they did not. In fact, the first light on the new eyepiece occurred that same day under a night a excellent seeing. The moon was fantastic, and I managed find a few Messiers from memory. However, I did run into my second problem. Age. My eyesight is not what it was years ago and although the views through my new eyepiece and old scope were as good as I recall them ever being, I could not read a star chart under red light to save my life! I have been putting off a visit to the optometrist for far too many years because my arms are still long enough to allow me to read most fine print, but it'll be a return to astronomy that finally gets me in there to get it all sorted out.
So, all that to say "Hello"! I plan to sink my teeth back into observing. I've renewed my Ottawa RASC membership and plan to contact the FLO administrator to ask for access to the site again (which seems to have grown since I last looked: two observing mounds!, Mike's old beat up 18in Starmaster??). I'm hoping to pick up where I left off, chasing down the last half of the H400 and hopefully finding some opportunities to observe with other OAFs, including sidewalk events, sometime soon.
Hope to hear from some of you!!
Matt
|
Richard Harding
yeldahtron