The Winter Astro Camp

Winter Astrocamp, 2008, 31^st May – 2^nd June

Queens Birthday Weekend so it’s a long weekend.

Website

http://www.astronomynz.org.nz/winter-astrocamp-2007/winter-astrocamp-detail-2.html

Registration form

http://www.astronomynz.org.nz/winter-astrocamp-2007/registration-form-3.html

The Night Sky

The timing of Winter Astrocamp to take advantage of the wonderful winter night skies when the most brilliant region of the Milky Way is overhead in the early morning.

This year we are again at the Carterton R.S.A. Talks and workshops will be held at the R.S.A. between 10:00am and 4:00pm (exact times to be confirmed) Saturday and Sunday.  The RSA is a large and comfortable venue and the bar will be open. Observing will take place at the Observatory site at Ahiaruhe.

Coffee and tea are part of the registration. Lunch will be soup and a roll or something very similar. The evening meals will be smorgasboard style, and a range of dishes will be provided.

Anyone with an interest in astronomy and space is invited to join us at a mid-winter getaway with a difference. Come and meet with other amateur astronomers, share ideas and friendship, listen to good speakers, and observe the magnificent winter night sky from Stonehenge Aotearoa and through a variety of telescopes from a dark sky site.

Observing

The Milky Way is at its best at this time of year and, weather permitting, we plan to make the most of it. Observing will take place at the Phoenix Observatory which houses the 6" (15cm) Peter Read refractor, a 10" (25cm) Schmidt- Cassegrain, a 12” and a 23" (58cm) Dobsonian. At each observing session these telescopes will have their individual programmes that will take you on a grand tour of the universe. In addition participants are encouraged to bring their own binoculars and telescopes and put them through their paces at this magnificent dark sky site. We also have a drive unit for astrophotography so bring along your camera and take the Milky Way home with you.

Be sure to bring warm clothing such as thermal underwear, woollen or polypropylene hats, socks and gloves - winter observing can be magnificent if it's a clear night but frosts are not unusual in the Wairarapa in winter. However, if you do get cold you can take a break in our clubrooms and make yourself a warm drink.

Presentations

 
Once all the abstracts have been received, the programme (Topics and speakers) will appear as a link on the webpage.
We can vouch for the fact that Winter Astrocamp speakers are interesting and stimulating speakers and we are aiming for a varied programme with something hopefully for everyone.

The Event

Held from Friday until Monday Lunch, the focus of the Winter Astrocamp is observational astronomy and astrophotography. Depending on the weather, one morning, participants will have the opportunity to tour Stonehenge Aotearoa and observe the Sun. In the evenings we have the wonders of the winter Milky Way and beyond viewed from our dark sky site. In addition to observing we have, during the day, a programme of talks plus opportunities to exchange ideas and socialise.