Recent 3RF News Reports

Garma Festival of Aboriginal Culture - Astronomy Program
6 - 9 August, 2010 - Nhulunbuy (Gove), Arnhem Land, NT

3RF Australia was invited to attend the 2010 Garma Festival held at Gulkula, near Nhulunbuy (Gove) in north-east Arnhem Land in August 2010. This remote mining town, some 700km from the next nearest town, Katherine, in Australia's Northern Territory became the focal point of a week-long cultural event concerning indigenous culture in Australia.

The program included traditional tribal song and dance routines allowing groups normally remote from each other to share involvement, music and entertainment, and lectures and workshops on significant issues affecting the indigenous population. 3RF volunteers provided daytime viewing with solar telescopes displaying both sunspots and solar prominences, and night time observing with large telescopes up to 18 inches in diameter and were lucky to enjoy clear weather for these activities.

On the way back from the Garma Festival, a number of impromptu star parties were held for visitors to some of the more significant National Parks in the Outback, most notably at Litchfield and Kakadu National Parks in the Northern Territory, and the Bungle Bungles in Western Australia.

The format was to advertise each event as widely as possible to as many groups of visitors as possible with the designated observing site being at the foot of a bright green laser pointer aimed at the zenith. This beam was easy to spot in the clear darkness of parks remote from even the smallest towns. Around half the attendees were overseas tourists visiting the parks.

Coonabarabran Public Astronomy Night
26 June, 2010 - Armidale, NSW

This was held on the evening of Saturday 26 June 2010 in conjunction with the "Celebrating the AAO - Past, Present, and Future" open day at Siding Spring Observatory. 3RF Australia set up a number of telescopes in the car park of the Coonabarabran visitors Centre to show attendees the night sky and a Lunar Eclipse which was also occuring on the night. The session was well attended, with a large number of tourists adding to the group.

Armidale Astronomy Night
8 May, 2010 - Armidale, NSW

On saturday 8 May 2010, 3RF volunteers conducted a public observing night in Armidale which was attended by about 500 locals, together with a number of tourists who had extended their stay in the city by several days so as to participate. The massive 30" telescope and several other large dobsonians were the focus of eager lines of observers in cool, clear conditions.

Parramatta Park Solar Astronomy Program
12 September, 2010 - Parramatta, NSW

Parramatta Park Trust invited 3RF Australia to attend it's annual Open Day to provide Solar Astronomy Observing opportunities to those attending the open day. Several solar telescopes were set up in the park giving attendees the opportunity to observe both sunspots and solar prominences which were quite spectacular on the day. Well over 400 people were treated to views through the telescopes, however one or two did not believe the views they saw through the H-alpha PST telescope, insisting that we must have placed photos of the sun in front of the eyepiece.

Parramatta Park
24 April, 2010 - Parramatta, NSW

3RF Australia's Tony Buckley and Lachlan MacDonald attended the recent Parramatta Park Public Astronomy Night along with a few hardy members of local astronomy clubs around Sydney to introduce the wonders of the night sky to members of the public as a part of the International Year of Astronomy. Unfortunately, the weather did not co-operate with us for this event, and at one stage 3RF's Lachlan MacDonald had to retreat at short notice to the shelter of 3RF's massive 30" telescope to keep out of the rain. 3RF has provided support for this annual family-oriented event since its inception in 2009.

Cape Hawke Astronomy Night
15 April, 2010 - Cape Hawke (Forster), NSW

This small, impromptu Public Star Party was held at Cape Hawke lookout, attracting a number of tourists and locals alike to enjoy the night sky through 3RF's 18" Ultra Compact Obsession Teleascope.

Port Macquarie
13 & 14 April, 2010 - Port Macquarie, NSW

A small impromptu Public Star Party was held in the Observatory Park, Port Macquarie on the evening of 13 April, attracting dozens of tourists and locals alike. The following evening, 3RF Australia was asked by local identity and amateur astronomer Dave Reneke to assist with an Astronomy Presentation which he had organised for that evening. 3RF Australia provided it's 18" Ultra Compact Obsession Teleascope through which the participants enjoy stunning views of the night sky.

OzSky 2010: Deepest South Texas Star Safari
12-19 March 2010 - Coonabarabran, NSW

One of the main events coordinated by 3RF Australia is the popular OzSky / Deepest South Texas Star Safari (DSTSS), held each year near Coonabarabran, New South Wales - The Astronomy Capital of Australia.

The Deepest South Texas Star Safari, as the name suggests, is an event which is aimed at assisting amateur observers from the United States of America by providing them with the opportunity to experience the grandeur of the southern skies without the need to transport large telescopes.

Dozens of visitors from the USA attended the premium week-long event, with the majority planning their next return trip before the week was over.

For further details, including booking information, please visit: www.OzSky.org.

Kaputar Summit Star Party
23-24 January, 2010 - Mt Kaputar National Park, Narrabri, NSW

This event was held under crystal clear skies and warm weather despite being at an altitude of over 1,500 metres, in the National Park which is a series of extinct volcanic peaks and plugs 120km north of Coonabarabran. The site was very dark and capable of delivering superb seeing, as it did on this occaision. As well as quality 3RF telescopes, several participants brought their own telescopes, one being a new SCT (Schmidt-Cassegrain) and the owner was pleased to be able to get some practical lessons in getting the most out of his instrument.

New England Star Party
20 January, 2010 - Armidale, NSW

This small, impromptu Public Star Party was held at Armidale, attracting a number of tourists and locals alike to enjoy the night sky through 3RF's 18" Ultra Compact Obsession Teleascope.

Milparinka Gold Fields Star Party
19 September, 2009 - Milparinka, Outback NSW

This star party, held for the benefit of tourists and gold prospectors at the remote Mt Browne goldfields near Milparinka in the far north-western NSW border country was lucky to take place just ahead of the biggest dust storm on record. However, the lucky participants were able to enjoy views of the night sky from a spot where the nearest small town was over 100km away, and which was far enough north to be able to show such northern objects as the Ring Nebula (M57) at their best.

Sapphire Coast Star Party
16 May, 2009 - Batemans Bay, NSW

Beach goers near the NSW South Coast hamlet of Broulee Beach got the novel experience of observing through a large newtonian a few hundred yards from the sand at this popular resort on the coast 300km south of Sydney. We have found that such impromptu events reach an audience of those who would not normally think of attending a formal public night or star party in the same way that the Sidewalk Astronomers of Los Angeles and San Francisco have pioneered.

Lake Burrendong State Park Star Party
27 March, 2009 - Lake Burrendong, NSW

This park attracts Water-sports and other outdoor enthusiasts, and this was the latest of several successful one night events held at this popular resort. We have found that the outdoor fraternity readily relates to the astronomy experience and an appreciative audience is always easy to attract.

Cattai National Park
7 March, 2009 - Cattai, NSW

This star party was coordinated by the Astronomical Society of NSW, who asked 3RF Australia to assist them with the event. Around 100 people attended this event, where over a dozen telescopes were set up to stun the participants with amazing views of the night sky.

Glen Davis Lunar Star Party
7 February 2010, 2009 - , NSW

This small event attracted the hiking/birding/outdoor fraternity near Glen Davis on the Western boundary of the Wollemi National Park. Particularly for first time observers, the moon was a big attraction.

Golden Triangle Star Party
23-24 January 2009, 2009 - Golden Triangle, VIC

The famed Golden Triangle, encompassing the rich gold fields of Central Victoria, attracts large numbers of prospectors using the latest in metal detecting technology, and although looking up is a novelty for many of these folk, their technical expertise and interest in the natural world made them a keen and interested audience.

3RF supports "Space is Big" Astronomy Night at Western Sydney's Mamre Anglican School
28 August, 2009 - Erskine Park, NSW

3RF Australia regularly donates Door Prizes to major events such as the ASNSW's South Pacific Star Party, in the form of free Private Observing Sessions using one of it's monster telescopes. The 2009 SPSP's door Prize was won by an amateur astronomer who elected to claim his prize by having 3RF Australia provide one of it's monster telescopes at an astronomy night held at his son's primary school.  

Girl Guides See Stars
8 August, 2009 - Somersby, NSW

3RF Australia was invited by a Central Coast Girl Guides group to provide some telescopes and volunteers at one of it's regular Guide Camps.

3RF's John Bambury, Andrew Murrell, Tony Buckley and Lachlan MacDonald attended the event with various large telescopes, kindling interest in science and astronomy amongst the Girl Guide attendees.

3RF visits Pymble Ladies' College
26 August, 2009 - Pymble, NSW

3RF's Tony Buckley, Lachlan MacDonald, Gary Kopff and Mai Tran recently visited Pymble Ladies College to promote interest and education in astronomy by presenting a Public Astronomy Night to the teachers and students of Pymble Ladies College as well as their families, friends and neighbours, introduce the wonders of the night sky to members of the public as a part of the International Year of Astronomy.

Over one hundred students, teachers, family members, friends and neighbours attended this highly successful event, most of whom had never had an opportuity to look through a telescope before.

3RF Serves 1,500 people Parramatta Park Astronomy Night
2 May, 2009 - Parramatta, NSW

3RF's Tony Buckley and Lachlan MacDonald attended the recent Parramatta Park Public Astronomy Night along with members of many of the local astronomy clubs around Sydney to introduce the wonders of the night sky to members of the public as a part of the International Year of Astronomy.

Well over two thousand people from the Greater Sydney area attended this popular event, both as individuals and family groups, with many of theose people never having had the opportuity to look through a telescope before.

Highlights of the evening's observing list included the Moon and Saturn as well as a number of bright double stars and star clusters.

3RF's support for this event included providing two large telescopes for Sky Tours which treated over 1,500 members of the public to views of the night skies.

2009 Border StarGaze Public Sky Tours
19 - 23 August 2009 - Wymah (Albury), NSW

The Border StarGaze is a star party hosted by the Astronomical Society of Albury-Wodonga and proudly supported by 3RF. The 2009 event was held from 19-23 August 2009 at the 120 hectare (300 acre) Wymah Valley Retreat, 32km north of Albury, New South Wales.

3RF offered its support for Border StarGaze by providing a number of large telescopes for the Public Astronomy Sky Tours on the Friday and Saturday nights. Telescopes included high quality 18" and 30" telescopes as well as a 12½" binocular telescope, provided for the benefit of those attending this event.

Inclement weather experienced throughout most of Friday caused the organisers to cancel the public Sky Tours scheduled for that evening so as to avoid crowds of people flocking to the facility in the extreme wet weather with very little chance of observing. Fortunately for some, the skies opened up for a few hours on the Friday evening, treating those who braved the trip to Border StarGaze to the experience of a lifetime through the 18" telescope and a 12½" binocular telescopes provided for the public by 3RF Australia.

Saturday did not see that same luck however, with constant heavy rain plaguing all efforts to hold any further public sky tours for those attending on the Saturday evening.

2009 South Pacific Star Party
22 - 24 May 2009 - Ilford, NSW

The annual South Pacific Star Party (SPSP) is a major star party hosted by the Astronomical Society of New South Wales and is one which 3RF has supported for a number of years. For the past several years, 3RF has supported the SPSP by providing large telescopes for the public Sky Tours on the Friday and Saturday nights. We have also donated door prizes of free private observing sessions using some of 3RF's largest telescopes.

The 17th annual SPSP was a complete wash-out event in 2009, with rain and cloud preventing any observing. Spirits were kept high, however, with a number of daytime and evening activities planned to keep the hordes busy.

The 2010 SPSP will be held over the weekend of 14 - 16 May 2010.

OzSky 2009: Deepest South Texas Star Safari
20 - 28 May 2009 - Coonabarabran, NSW

In May, the 2009 “Deepest South Texas Star Safari” (DSTSS) was held near Coonabarabran, New South Wales. This exclusive event, now in it’s sixth year, is aimed at providing amateur astronomers from the US and Canada with not only an Australian cultural experience, but more importantly the unique opportunity to experience the grandeur of the southern night skies through large, high quality instruments without the need for them to transport large telescopes across the South Pacific themselves.

With over 30 participants regularly attending this event, we are able to book the entire 25-acre Warrumbungles Mountain Motel complex allowing us to have full control of the venue's on-site lighting to ensure that our visitors are treated to the best southern dark-sky experience possible.

Two New Telescopes
3RF’s two newest instruments saw “first light” at this year’s Deepest South Texas Star Safari: