[ASC-list] Southern Sydney astronomy nights Fri 24 & Sat 25 August

[Ian]

If you would like to spend cold nights looking through telescopes, with a
few hundred other people, Sutherland Astronomical Society is having two Open
Nights for the public:

Friday 24th August and Saturday 25th August;  6 to 11 pm.

The Observatory has two permanent telescopes (16 inch and 14 inch
diameters).  For the Open Nights, there are usually a dozen or more portable
telescopes set up on the nearby netball court.  Talks are also held in the
adjacent Scout Hall.

Saturn and Mars will be in fairly good positions early in the night, but
approach the horizon later.  The Moon should also be in a good position
early in the night.  The Milky Way will be almost directly overhead (better
later as the Moon approaches the horizon).

The weather forecast looks good.

Entry fees:  adult $10, family $20, child/concession $5.

The Observatory is in Green Point Reserve, Green Point Road, Green Point.
N.B. this is not the Far South Coast's "Green Point";  it is on the southern
side of the Georges River.  Your map may show this area as Caravan Head or
Oyster Bay.  It is a short drive from the Princes Highway, via Bates Drive
etc..

The entry to the Reserve is at the top of the hill, (i.e. the southern end),
of Green Point Road on the western side;  near the intersection with Caravan
Head Road.

The entry gate is between the child care centre and the play equipment in
the park, and you have to walk down the concrete path, past the netball
court, and Scout Hall to the Observatory.

There are usually a few hundred visitors each night, so you may have to
queue early in the night for the Observatory telescopes (this eases off
later, when the younger kids have gone home).

If you come, bring lots of warm clothes as it can get very cold outside at
night.

www.sasi.net.au