AstroCamp 2008.

Myself and Anthony arrived at Camp on Wednesday 27th.  On a usual cloudy day, we set ourself's up, then checked the forecast for the week, it wasn't looking good for the week probably the best night being Friday.

That evening, everybody was invited to a curry night which was very good, highly recommendable, value for money, excellant. That night was cloudy.

Onto Thursday night, didn't think we'd have any chance of  seeing anything, solid cloud bank from horizon to horizon all of a sudden it was clear seeing was great the Milky Way stood out, proudly presenting itself 'what a view'. In our brief moment of approximately an hour we had some nice view's of the Andromeda galaxy M31, by accident I stumbled upon what I believe to have been Trumpler 1, north east of Ruchbah in Cassiopeia, The Ring nebula was also viewed. Someone viewed what they discribed as a diamond necklace through a pair of bins and they asked if they could view it through the scope, I found it in the nick of time through the finder realising it to be the Coathanger (Collinder 399) was viewed briefly just as the cloud bank came pouring over us.

Friday checked the forecast, not good, night came and not one star showed it's self all night, a group of us sat around a radio talking and awaiting but to no avail. Forecasting for saturday was clear all day also hot, 28.

The last Saturday is also bar-b-que night. everybody was eating and waiting for the first stars to appear and what a great night it was not a cloud  in sight.. that was it, all man the scope's David was, I think, the first to be up and running with his Orion f6.3,

Ursa Minor         
IC.3568           
Polaris
 
Ursa Major
M101
M97 (Owl)
Mizar
 
Perseus
M76
NGC.869 & 884
Mirphak
Alglo
M34
 
Andromeda
M110
M32
NGC.7672 (Blue Snowball)
 
Canes Venatici
M3
Cor Caroli
M51 (Whirlpool)
 
Hercules
M13
M92
 
Vulpecula
M27 NGC.6853 (Dumbbell)
Cr399 (Brocchis Cluster)
 
Lyra
M57 (Ring)
M56
                                                                                                                                     This is most of what David viewed before the scope dewed up (as we were in dew valley). I had a wander around the site, everyone was saying that it was definately worth coming down.. We saw quite a few bright shooter's and satilites one of which was really bright an then dim as it rotated.. the evening didn't last allnight I think everybody was packed up by 0130hrs

(I will edit as soon as I'm updated with what people saw that saturday night..)