Scott Alder has this
viewing night report for 7th June 2008.
Saturday 3rd May 2008 Viewing
Due to exceptional rain this year, the viewing site has
been unused for months. The grass was knee high in
places and desperately in need of a mowing. Graeme Auld
started by widening the entrance road, which was
overgrown with grass and blackberry vines. Thanks to
Chris Bond, Alan Meehan, Sarah Bulmer, Mitchell Neal and
David Roberts the grass was eventually tamed. That
evening saw 13 car loads of around 20 amateur
astronomers arrive for very clear, moonless skies.
We introduced several first-timers to the beauty of the
heavens with good views of Mars, Saturn, and Jupiter
rising much later in the evening. We showed them several
open and globular clusters, nebulae, a couple of
galaxies and more. A few members stayed until around
midnight. This was the first time the club’s 12 inch
Lightbridge telescope was used at a regular viewing and
it impressed everyone there.
Dave Roberts