Stargazing in Mpumalanga
Jun 21st 2005, 10:56 am
#1
Guest
Posts: n/a
Stargazing in Mpumalanga
I was up in Mpumalanga this long weekend at a small lodge called Malapo
(www.malapo.co.za)
They have a 14 inch telescope set up in an open boma. Guest are allowed
to view directly thru the 'scope.
Saturn had enough detail so one could see the cassini gap in the rings.
I did not manage to see the spot on Jupiter (I think out timing was
wrong and the spot was on the far side of Jupiter during our viewings),
but the bands as well as four of it's moons were clearly visible.
We tried our luck and trained the scope on Neptune. I was quite amazed
that we were able to resolve the disk and it was clearly blue in color.
As war as deep space object go, M57 (The Ring Nebula) was brilliant.
It was damn cold outside at night, but they did supply blankets and
beanies to all the guests and there was an urn and coffee/tea available.
My sailing jacket kept most of my body warm, but next time I go there I
will make sure and take some warmer pants. Demins arn't all that good
at keeping the chill out.
Well worth the trip, I'll be going back there.
--
Swap user and host in the email address if you want to contact me.
(www.malapo.co.za)
They have a 14 inch telescope set up in an open boma. Guest are allowed
to view directly thru the 'scope.
Saturn had enough detail so one could see the cassini gap in the rings.
I did not manage to see the spot on Jupiter (I think out timing was
wrong and the spot was on the far side of Jupiter during our viewings),
but the bands as well as four of it's moons were clearly visible.
We tried our luck and trained the scope on Neptune. I was quite amazed
that we were able to resolve the disk and it was clearly blue in color.
As war as deep space object go, M57 (The Ring Nebula) was brilliant.
It was damn cold outside at night, but they did supply blankets and
beanies to all the guests and there was an urn and coffee/tea available.
My sailing jacket kept most of my body warm, but next time I go there I
will make sure and take some warmer pants. Demins arn't all that good
at keeping the chill out.
Well worth the trip, I'll be going back there.
--
Swap user and host in the email address if you want to contact me.
Jun 21st 2005, 9:40 pm
#2
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: Stargazing in Mpumalanga
On 21 Jun 2005 06:56:09 -0400, "Nick Roux"
<sundown.homeip.net@njr-nntp> wrote:
>I was up in Mpumalanga this long weekend at a small lodge called Malapo
>(www.malapo.co.za)
>They have a 14 inch telescope set up in an open boma. Guest are allowed
>to view directly thru the 'scope.
>Saturn had enough detail so one could see the cassini gap in the rings.
>I did not manage to see the spot on Jupiter (I think out timing was
>wrong and the spot was on the far side of Jupiter during our viewings),
>but the bands as well as four of it's moons were clearly visible.
>We tried our luck and trained the scope on Neptune. I was quite amazed
>that we were able to resolve the disk and it was clearly blue in color.
>As war as deep space object go, M57 (The Ring Nebula) was brilliant.
>It was damn cold outside at night, but they did supply blankets and
>beanies to all the guests and there was an urn and coffee/tea available.
>My sailing jacket kept most of my body warm, but next time I go there I
>will make sure and take some warmer pants. Demins arn't all that good
>at keeping the chill out.
>Well worth the trip, I'll be going back there.
Wow, sounds cool. The best stargazing I've ever done was on Rarotonga,
Cook Islands. It is so far from any interfering light sources that I
could see literally millions of stars (no scope either).
So, whereabouts is Mpumalanga?
TIA.
<sundown.homeip.net@njr-nntp> wrote:
>I was up in Mpumalanga this long weekend at a small lodge called Malapo
>(www.malapo.co.za)
>They have a 14 inch telescope set up in an open boma. Guest are allowed
>to view directly thru the 'scope.
>Saturn had enough detail so one could see the cassini gap in the rings.
>I did not manage to see the spot on Jupiter (I think out timing was
>wrong and the spot was on the far side of Jupiter during our viewings),
>but the bands as well as four of it's moons were clearly visible.
>We tried our luck and trained the scope on Neptune. I was quite amazed
>that we were able to resolve the disk and it was clearly blue in color.
>As war as deep space object go, M57 (The Ring Nebula) was brilliant.
>It was damn cold outside at night, but they did supply blankets and
>beanies to all the guests and there was an urn and coffee/tea available.
>My sailing jacket kept most of my body warm, but next time I go there I
>will make sure and take some warmer pants. Demins arn't all that good
>at keeping the chill out.
>Well worth the trip, I'll be going back there.
Wow, sounds cool. The best stargazing I've ever done was on Rarotonga,
Cook Islands. It is so far from any interfering light sources that I
could see literally millions of stars (no scope either).
So, whereabouts is Mpumalanga?
TIA.
Jun 22nd 2005, 7:44 am
#3
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: Stargazing in Mpumalanga
[email protected] wrote:
> From: [email protected]
> Subject: Re: Stargazing in Mpumalanga
> Date: Tue, 21 Jun 2005 21:40:50 GMT
> Message-ID: <[email protected]>
> Lines: 38
>
> On 21 Jun 2005 06:56:09 -0400, "Nick Roux"
> <sundown.homeip.net@njr-nntp> wrote:
>
> >
> >
> > I was up in Mpumalanga this long weekend at a small lodge called
> > Malapo (www.malapo.co.za)
> >
> > They have a 14 inch telescope set up in an open boma. Guest are
> > allowed to view directly thru the 'scope.
> >
> > Saturn had enough detail so one could see the cassini gap in the
> > rings.
> >
> > I did not manage to see the spot on Jupiter (I think out timing was
> > wrong and the spot was on the far side of Jupiter during our
> > viewings), but the bands as well as four of it's moons were clearly
> > visible.
> >
> > We tried our luck and trained the scope on Neptune. I was quite
> > amazed that we were able to resolve the disk and it was clearly
> > blue in color.
> >
> > As war as deep space object go, M57 (The Ring Nebula) was brilliant.
> >
> > It was damn cold outside at night, but they did supply blankets and
> > beanies to all the guests and there was an urn and coffee/tea
> > available. My sailing jacket kept most of my body warm, but next
> > time I go there I will make sure and take some warmer pants. Demins
> > arn't all that good at keeping the chill out.
> >
> > Well worth the trip, I'll be going back there.
>
> Wow, sounds cool. The best stargazing I've ever done was on Rarotonga,
> Cook Islands. It is so far from any interfering light sources that I
> could see literally millions of stars (no scope either).
>
> So, whereabouts is Mpumalanga?
>
> TIA.
About halfway between Johannesburg and the Kruger Park in South Africa.
--
Swap user and host in the email address if you want to contact me.
> From: [email protected]
> Subject: Re: Stargazing in Mpumalanga
> Date: Tue, 21 Jun 2005 21:40:50 GMT
> Message-ID: <[email protected]>
> Lines: 38
>
> On 21 Jun 2005 06:56:09 -0400, "Nick Roux"
> <sundown.homeip.net@njr-nntp> wrote:
>
> >
> >
> > I was up in Mpumalanga this long weekend at a small lodge called
> > Malapo (www.malapo.co.za)
> >
> > They have a 14 inch telescope set up in an open boma. Guest are
> > allowed to view directly thru the 'scope.
> >
> > Saturn had enough detail so one could see the cassini gap in the
> > rings.
> >
> > I did not manage to see the spot on Jupiter (I think out timing was
> > wrong and the spot was on the far side of Jupiter during our
> > viewings), but the bands as well as four of it's moons were clearly
> > visible.
> >
> > We tried our luck and trained the scope on Neptune. I was quite
> > amazed that we were able to resolve the disk and it was clearly
> > blue in color.
> >
> > As war as deep space object go, M57 (The Ring Nebula) was brilliant.
> >
> > It was damn cold outside at night, but they did supply blankets and
> > beanies to all the guests and there was an urn and coffee/tea
> > available. My sailing jacket kept most of my body warm, but next
> > time I go there I will make sure and take some warmer pants. Demins
> > arn't all that good at keeping the chill out.
> >
> > Well worth the trip, I'll be going back there.
>
> Wow, sounds cool. The best stargazing I've ever done was on Rarotonga,
> Cook Islands. It is so far from any interfering light sources that I
> could see literally millions of stars (no scope either).
>
> So, whereabouts is Mpumalanga?
>
> TIA.
About halfway between Johannesburg and the Kruger Park in South Africa.
--
Swap user and host in the email address if you want to contact me.
