ClownFish
Post Laureate
Reged: 04/26/05
Posts: 5600
Loc: Islamabad, Pakistan
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I just got off the phone with the staff of the S.A.L.T. (The Southern African Large Telescope) situated at the South African Astronomical Observatory (SAAO) in the southern part of the country. It lies at an altitude of 1459 meters (just under 5K feet) in some of the driest areas of South Africa with absolutely zero light pollution 360 degrees around. They say the skies there are like being on the Moon Bortle 1 on steroids.
The Southern African Large Telescope is the largest single mirror telescope in the Southern Hemisphere with a hexagonal mirror array 11m across.
http://www.astro.wisc.edu/salt/SALT-suth.jpg
The director has offered to give me a tour of the facilities!
I want to go down there and stay a couple of nights and bring my comparatively molecular sized LXD75 8 SN to do some dark-sky astrophotography using my last roll of Fuji 400F! No date yet - but sometime in early May would be the soonest I could go unfortunately it will be very cool to cold since that is late fall/early winter here. Its a 2 day drive one way but Im up for it!
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Learn all about POLAR ALIGNMENT with my Drift Method Tutorial and simulator!! Or visit my Foreign Service Blog!
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Nightfly
super member
Reged: 06/20/07
Posts: 199
Loc: Sullivan, Maine
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Clownfish,
I can't wait to see your work from this visit. I'm sure I speak for all of us here when I say I am green with envy.
Have a great time under the Bortle zero skies.
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Jim Cormier
Sullivan, Maine, USA
www.nightfly.zoomshare.com
Pentax 67 with 55, 105, 165, and 300mm lenses
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Hambone
sage
Reged: 10/10/05
Posts: 442
Loc: Martin, TN
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WOW! What a road trip! Not only a trip to a place with no light pollution but a tour of a major observatory and in the southern hemisphere too! I can't wate to see some of you work that comes out of this trip. How long do you think you will be staying? That sounds like a dream trip!
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8" Sky View Pro
60MM Meade (used very little now)
Golden Pond Kentucky
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ClownFish
Post Laureate
Reged: 04/26/05
Posts: 5600
Loc: Islamabad, Pakistan
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Just a day or two. It's a two day drive from my home (one way), and I do not have a whole lot of leave available.
CF
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Learn all about POLAR ALIGNMENT with my Drift Method Tutorial and simulator!! Or visit my Foreign Service Blog!
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nimthor
member
Reged: 02/10/08
Posts: 50
Loc: Durbanville, South Africa
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Clownfish,
My first post on CN! Enjoy Sutherland and pack the winter woolies. I live about 4hours drive from there (Cape Town) and visit not nearly enough. Will surely do so more that I am back into astronomy mode again! Where are you going to stay? At the SAAO site, in town or on one of the grat farms in the area?
On a side note, I am looking to get a Meade SN but are not sure if I should get the 6" (more suited to my pocket, telescopes here is not cheap :-( or the 8". I am a bit worried about size and portability. I will have to take it out each night. I am interrested in astrophotography of deep sky objects.
Kind regards
Charles
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Telescopes:
Meade LXD75 SN8, Orion 80mm Guide scope, Celestron 60mm Alt/Az
Camera's:
Pentax K1000, Canon A700
Binoculars:
Safeway 16x50, Tasco Lumina 10x25
"Never underestimate the predictability of stupidity"
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ClownFish
Post Laureate
Reged: 04/26/05
Posts: 5600
Loc: Islamabad, Pakistan
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Charles, welcome aboard!
First, I will be spending one night at the S.A.L.T. with the operations crew. Then the night after I will be imaging from my tiny 8" SN from the farm I am staying at.
Second - I may be leaving South Africa in July. If you know anyone in SA that want's to buy an LXD75 8" SN let me know. I know how hard it is to get one over here, so I may sell mine before I leave the country.
CF
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Learn all about POLAR ALIGNMENT with my Drift Method Tutorial and simulator!! Or visit my Foreign Service Blog!
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Hambone
sage
Reged: 10/10/05
Posts: 442
Loc: Martin, TN
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Where do you thing you will be going then? I will have to say you have lived in some pretty interesting places!
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8" Sky View Pro
60MM Meade (used very little now)
Golden Pond Kentucky
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ClownFish
Post Laureate
Reged: 04/26/05
Posts: 5600
Loc: Islamabad, Pakistan
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Never know. I have to go to Washington DC for a few months and then on to my next assignment. I still need to play in South America and the far east - but I would LOVE New Zealand!
Peter
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Learn all about POLAR ALIGNMENT with my Drift Method Tutorial and simulator!! Or visit my Foreign Service Blog!
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Hambone
sage
Reged: 10/10/05
Posts: 442
Loc: Martin, TN
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I wouldn't think Washington would be that much fun but the others would be blast. My hat is off to you, you have had access to the darkest skies in the world for months at a time! Im hoping to take a trip about this time next year to Ft Davis Texas for a week. I want to experience some of those skies! I have 2 rolls of Provia 400F and those will more than likely come with me. New Zealand does sound like a cool place to go. They should have some pretty dark skies there too. Why don't you get a job in Memphis that way you could tutor me a little.  
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8" Sky View Pro
60MM Meade (used very little now)
Golden Pond Kentucky
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ClownFish
Post Laureate
Reged: 04/26/05
Posts: 5600
Loc: Islamabad, Pakistan
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Actually, Washington DC is a great city, one of my favorites in the world.
However, you can always join the Foreign Service and follow me around the globe!
CF
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Learn all about POLAR ALIGNMENT with my Drift Method Tutorial and simulator!! Or visit my Foreign Service Blog!
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nimthor
member
Reged: 02/10/08
Posts: 50
Loc: Durbanville, South Africa
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Clownfish,
I keep my fingers crossed that you have clear skies while in Sutherland, the nightsky is truely amazing there. The obeservarory is quite impresive and the visitors centre quite informative. SALT is some piece of engineering, but there are quite a few other nice telescopes there as well.
As for your second point, I will be really interrested in taking over the SN8. I will e-mail you and we can take it from there.
Clear skies (not that means a lot in Pretoria!), I should rather say no light polution!
Charles
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Telescopes:
Meade LXD75 SN8, Orion 80mm Guide scope, Celestron 60mm Alt/Az
Camera's:
Pentax K1000, Canon A700
Binoculars:
Safeway 16x50, Tasco Lumina 10x25
"Never underestimate the predictability of stupidity"
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Hambone
sage
Reged: 10/10/05
Posts: 442
Loc: Martin, TN
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Sounds like a interesting, I might try and do join but I don't think I could pass their IQ test. 
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8" Sky View Pro
60MM Meade (used very little now)
Golden Pond Kentucky
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ClownFish
Post Laureate
Reged: 04/26/05
Posts: 5600
Loc: Islamabad, Pakistan
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Actually, we're the ones who live outside the USA in order to avoid all the rest of the US Federal Government employees!
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Learn all about POLAR ALIGNMENT with my Drift Method Tutorial and simulator!! Or visit my Foreign Service Blog!
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jrw11
professor emeritus
Reged: 06/09/07
Posts: 501
Loc: U.S.A.
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Clownfish, I've always wanted to move to New Zealand, myself!
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Celestron C6n -HD Reflector
dual axis drive motors added
Orion 80mm Short tube refractor
Skyscout
Early 70's Pentax 7x50
Garrett Optical 12x60
Garrett Optical 15x70
Oberwerk 20x80 Standards
Canon Rebel Ti (film)
4 Minolta Srt cameras
Mamiya RB67 Pro-s with 180 lens
127mm KL lens for RB, Bellows hood for RB67
120 and 220 film backs
Cambo SCII 4x5 view camera
over 50 other film cameras
several eyepieces
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ZachK
professor emeritus
Reged: 08/21/05
Posts: 667
Loc: Israel
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If they send you to Israel by chance I will be happy to "drag' you to my observing spot in the Negev. Only about 2-3 hours from Tel Aviv.
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Zach Kessin
Yesha Israel
Meade ETX 127 Mak-Cass
15x70 Celestron Skymaster Binoculars
Sinar F 4x5 view camera
Rolliflex Camera 80mm F2.8
Pentax K-1000 Camera 35,50 and 60--300mm zoom
3 kids, Large cat, small dog
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calder
member
Reged: 12/13/05
Posts: 81
Loc: Schuylkill County, PA
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What good fortune Clownfish. I can't think of a better place to use that last roll of Fuji 400F. I'll be looking forward to seeing the results of your visit.
I wish you clear skies and good luck.
Robert
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Meade 295 (dust collector)
B&L Criterion 4000 (grab & go)
Celestron 9.25 CGE (work in progress)
Stellarview 102ED FT focuser (sweet)
Stellarview 70ED (Waiting for first light)
Canon F1
Mamiya 645
Stiletto
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ClownFish
Post Laureate
Reged: 04/26/05
Posts: 5600
Loc: Islamabad, Pakistan
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I'm back!
Full trip report is HERE..
Enjoy!
CF
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Learn all about POLAR ALIGNMENT with my Drift Method Tutorial and simulator!! Or visit my Foreign Service Blog!
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Hambone
sage
Reged: 10/10/05
Posts: 442
Loc: Martin, TN
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I bet it was still a trip of a lifetime although you didn't get to view! I hate to hear that part though.
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8" Sky View Pro
60MM Meade (used very little now)
Golden Pond Kentucky
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