BAS Observer September 2017

10 BAS OBSERVER 2017 Queensland Astrofest by Peter Allison M id-August saw the 2017 edition of Queensland Astrofest in operation at Camp Duckadang, north-west of Kilkoy ( http://www.qldastrofest.org.au/) . I managed to squeeze in two nights on Tuesday the 22nd and Wednesday the 23rd and was rewarded with some great observing – and some terrible attempts at astrophotography, when the clouds cleared. Although there are many people heavily involved in the planning and delivery of Astrofest each year, I’d like to say a special thank-you to Tony and Anne-Louise Suma-Hawes, as well as Ken Wishaw and BAS members who played major roles in making 2017 such a success. The organising committee must be congratulated for the depth of planning and commitment to detail in the operation of the 10-day event. Everything was so well organised, and every facility an observer or astrophotographer might need was provided for – including some gaps in the clouds! Whether you are a seasoned astro-veteran or new to the hobby, I recommend attending Astrofest for at least a night or two in 2018. Astrofest is a great opportunity to learn about the wide array of instruments and equipment you’ve looked at in Sky & Telescope or retailers. Everyone is keen to share their knowledge and let you look through their telescope or watch an image build on their computer screen. This is a great way to evaluate your next equipment purchase without actually taking the plunge. I was able to get some photographs of the amazing equipment and proud owners on the two evenings I was there (see the next few pages), but it wasn’t easy. The telescopes tend to only get uncovered as the Sun sets, and then all too quickly it is too dark to get good photos. Also, as soon as I appeared with my camera, most telescope owners seemed to slink away – leaving their amazing equipment to ‘do the talking’. You might find your perfect equipment setup amongst these photos – but you’ll have to attend in 2018 to meet the proud owner and learn more. See you at Astrofest 2018!  ■