The First Annual South Pacific Star Party
|
| Attendance: | Over 200 people |
| Telescopes: | More than 100 Telescopes ranging in size from 60mm up to 20" |
| Guest Speakers: | Richard Berry: CCD Cameras |
| Thane Bopp: Boppian Telescopes | |
| Dave Kriege: Obsession Telescopes | |
| Other Activities: | A successful radio link up with the Texas Star Party was maintained during the Star Party, allowing local amateurs to communicate "live" with other amateurs in Texas, as well as sending and receiving images. |
The Second Annual South Pacific Star Party
|
| Attendance: | Over 170 people |
| Telescopes: | More than 90 Telescopes ranging in size from 60mm up to 20" |
| Guest Speakers: | Steve Lee (AAO): Life at the AAO |
| Greg Bryant (ASNSW): Expectations for the [then] upcoming comet crash | |
| Graham Loftus (NZ): Large, thin mirrors as well as 129ft focal length solar telescope | |
| Other Activities: | A successful radio link up with Texas Star Party was established and maintained |
| An on-site FM "Radio Wiruna" broadcast had interviews of some of the SPSP Attendees | |
| The first sacrificial burning of a telescope as an offering to the rain gods - yielded 5 clear nights |
The Third Annual South Pacific Star Party
|
| Attendance: | Over 200 people |
| Telescopes: | More than 115 Telescopes ranging in size from 60mm up to 20" |
| Guest Speakers: | Jeff Fell (HAA): |
| David Malin (AAO): AstroPhotography | |
| Mark Suchting (ASNSW & CSIRO): | |
| ATM Winners: | Peter Skye - "Antares" - 13.1" Dobsonian Telescope |
| Scott Mellish - "The Coffin" - 16" f/4.7 Dobsonian Telescope | |
| Other Activities: | The first attempt at a launch of an amateur space telescope |
| Rocket Exhibition, by Mike Smith | |
| Once again, a sacrificial offering to the rain God was made |
The Fourth Annual South Pacific Star Party
|
| Attendance: | Over 190 people |
| Telescopes: | More than 80 Telescopes ranging in size from 60mm up to 20" |
| Guest Speakers: | Tracy Getts (AT): Galaxies |
| Greg Bryant (ASNSW): Comet Hyakutake, Comet Hale-Bopp, etc... | |
| Ron Ravneberg (USA): Life, The Universe, and Everything - USA Style | |
| Other Activities: | Amateur Telescope Makers (ATM) Awards |
| Collimation and Mirror Cleaning Demonstrations | |
| Sky Tours with 17.5" and 20" Telescopes. |
The Fifth Annual South Pacific Star Party
|
| Attendance: | Over 265 people |
| Telescopes: | More than 100 Telescopes ranging in size from 60mm up to 20" |
| Guest Speakers: | Peter Williams: Variable Stars |
| Greg Bryant (ASNSW): Tonight's Comets | |
| Bill Bradfield: Noted Comet Hunter, speaking on Comet Searching | |
| Andrew Murrell (ASNSW): Interesting objects to observe at the Star Party | |
| Rev. Robert Evans (ASNSW): Noted Supernova Hunter, speaking on Supernova Searching | |
| ASNSW Awards: | The McNiven Medal: Bob Evans - For His Excellent and Successful Work in Supernova Hunting |
| The Southern Cross Award: Greg Bryant - For His Work in the Society since the late 1980's | |
| The Crago Award: Lachlan MacDonald - For His Work on the Society's Web Site | |
| ATM Awards: | Bob Parsons (ASV) - For His 12" f/5 Dobsonian Telescope |
| Brett White (WSAAG) - For His Binocular Mount | |
| Ken Charlwood (HAS) - For His Optimised GEM Newtonian | |
| Norm Pappis (SEQAS) - For His 25" f/4 Dob on Poncet Platform | |
| David Hall (ASNSW) - For His Innovations and Construction of his 12.5" Dobsonian Telescope | |
| Chris Ross (ASNSW) - For Extensive Modifications to a commercial telescope (8" Meade SCT) | |
| Other Activities: | Radio Contact and Image Transfers with the Texas Star Party |
| Fiery Telescope Sacrifice | |
| Sky Tours with 17.5" and 20" Dobsonian Telescopes | |
| Comet Hale-Bopp Visible | |
| Vendor Displays and Swap Meet | |
| Trivia Quiz | |
| The Great Spit Roast |
The Sixth Annual South Pacific Star Party
|
| Attendance: | Over 280 people |
| Telescopes: | More than 85 Telescopes ranging in size from 60mm up to 20" |
| Guest Speakers: | Greg Bryant (ASNSW): Tonight's Comets |
| John Morieson: The Night Sky of the Boorong | |
| Andrew Murrell (ASNSW): Tonight's Observing Suggestions | |
| Dr. Vince Ford: The History of the Great Melbourne Telescope | |
| Rob McNaught (AAO): The coming of the Leonid Meteor Showers of 1998 / 1999 | |
| ATM Awards: | Ken Charlwood - Innovative Use of Recycled Materials |
| Greg Nielson - Home-Made Crayford Design focusser | |
| Geoff Zenner - Excellent Construction of his Dobsonian | |
| Jeff Dudley - Exceptional Workmanship of his First Telescope | |
| Kevin Dixon - Exceptional Workmanship of his First Telescope | |
| Ben Coutts & David Hall - Good Construction of their Telescope | |
| George Livanos - For Building a Dobsonian in the "True" Dobsonian Fashion | |
| Other Activities: | Fiery Telescope Sacrifice |
| Sky Tours with 17.5" and 20" Dobsonian Telescopes | |
| Vendor Displays and Swap Meet | |
| Trivia Quiz | |
| The Great Spit Roast | |
| Local Winery Tours | |
| Wollemi National Park Tours |
The Seventh Annual South Pacific Star Party
|
| Attendance: | Over 300 people |
| Telescopes: | More than 100 Telescopes ranging in size from 60mm up to 22" |
| Guest Speakers: | Mati Morel: Magellanic Cloud Observing Charts |
| Ron Ravneberg (USA): | |
| Greg Bryant (ASNSW): Tonight's Comets, and the Solar System | |
| Andrew Murrell (ASNSW): Challenging Deep-Sky Objects to Observe at SPSP | |
| Prof. Jeremy Mould: How fast is the Universe Expanding? | |
| ATM Winners: | Zoran Strugar - For Scientific Detail |
| Dave Gault - For Workmanship and Creative Design | |
| Michael Davidson - For Best Use of Recycled Components | |
| Jos Roberts - For Workmanship and Detail | |
| Mick McCullagh - For Total Conception and Refinement of Construction | |
| Alan Giles - For Conception and Refinement of Construction | |
| Yasuke Katayama - For Unusual Adaption of a Binocular Finder | |
| Other Activities: | Fiery Telescope Sacrifice |
| Sky Tours with 17.5" and 20" Dobsonian Telescopes | |
| Vendor Displays and Swap Meet | |
| Trivia Quiz | |
| The Great Spit Roast | |
| Local Winery Tours | |
| Wollemi National Park Tours |
The Eighth Annual South Pacific Star Party
|
| Attendance: | Over 400 people |
| Telescopes: | More than 120 Telescopes ranging in size from 60mm up to 20" |
| Guest Speakers: | Jane Houston Jones (ASNSW): |
| Greg Bryant (ASNSW): Tonight's Comets | |
| George Greaney (USA): Astro Photography | |
| Dr. Vince Ford (AAO): | |
| Morris Jones (ASNSW): | |
| Door Prizes: | Debbie Whitford - Optrex 6" f/8 Telescope, donated by Tasco Sales in Sydney ($1,000) |
| Catrina England - Scanner 7x50 wide field 8° binoculars, donated by the Binocular and Telescope Service Centre in Melbourne ($350) | |
| Marylou Wright - Skypro 6.0 Astronomical Software ($160) | |
| Karen England - Sky Atlas Field Edition, donated by the Binocular and Telescope Shop in Sydney ($110) | |
| Steven Kind - $100 Shopping Voucher, donated by York Optical in Sydney ($100) | |
| Amanda Nelson - Herald-Bobroff AstroAtlas, donated by Peter Bobroff ($80) | |
| Racquel Graha - Annual subscription to both Sky & Space Magazine and Southern Astrononmy Magazine, donated by Sky & Space Shop in Bondi Junction ($45) | |
| Allesandro Spina - Framed David Malin Colour Photo, donated by Sky & Space Shop in Bondi Jnctn ($40) | |
| Guy Courreges - Scientific American Space Visions Diary, donated by BinTel in Sydney ($20) | |
| Other Activities: | |
The Ninth Annual South Pacific Star Party
|
| Attendance: | Over 380 people |
| Telescopes: | More than 100 Telescopes ranging in size from 60mm up to 20" |
| Guest Speakers: | |
| Other Activities: | |
| Door Prizes: | |
The Tenth Annual South Pacific Star Party
|
| Attendance: | Over 400 people |
| Telescopes: | More than 130 Telescopes ranging in size from 60mm up to 36" |
| Guest Speakers: | |
| Other Activities: |
The Eleventh Annual South Pacific Star Party
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| Attendance: | Over 400 people |
| Telescopes: | More than 130 Telescopes ranging in size from 60mm up to 25" |
| Guest Speakers: | |
| Other Activities: |
The Twelfth Annual South Pacific Star Party
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| Attendance: | 305 people (316 Registered) |
| Telescopes: | 60mm Refractors - 36" Dobsonian |
| Temperature Range: | 11°C - 26°C |
| Guest Speakers: | |
| Other Activities: | |
| Door Prizes: |
The Thirteenth Annual South Pacific Star Party
|
| Attendance: | 317 people (325 Registered) |
| Telescopes: | 115 in total ranging in size from 2.3"(60mm) refractors up to 32"(812mm) Dobsonians |
| Temperature Range: | 7°C - 28°C |
| Guest Speakers: | |
| Other Activities: | |
| Door Prizes: |
For more information, please contact us by E-Mail or in writing to: The Astronomical Society of NSW GPO Box 1123 SYDNEY, NSW 2001 A U S T R A L I A |