Date: Mon, 21 Jan 2008 11:26:10 -0800
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Thanks Marek! So that's what "Godzone" means. I heard it a few times but
didn't get an explanation.
It wasn't my first time across the equator with a scope -- I saw a few of
the same objects from Fiji in 2001. My reports are in the archives. But the
weather was bad and the LMC and SMC were way low on that trip.
What really impressed me astronomically in NZed was how dark the skies are
close to and in the urban areas. Dunedin was almost as good as Te Anau.
Though I didn't see the LMC from downtown Wellington.
Andrew Pierce
-----Original Message-----
From: sf-bay-tac-bounces@No-Spam [mailto:sf-bay-tac-bounces@No-Spam] On
Behalf Of Marek Cichanski
Sent: Monday, January 21, 2008 10:58 AM
To: sf-bay-tac@No-Spam
Subject: [TAC] Great NZ observing report! (was Re: New Zealand
ObservingReport, Part II)
Andrew, that was an awesome observing report from down under!
I haven't enjoyed an observing report that much since David Kingsley's
Moorea OR. I was waving my arms around and grinning like a fool while
reading your tales of observing from places like Christchurch, Queenstown
and Te Anau.
I loved every minute of that report, because my first southern-sky
experience was on the South Island, back in 1996. Having been to the same
places that you visited, I can visualize them in detail, and I remember how
wonderfully dark the sky was, on those rare clear nights.
Folks, Andrew just pulled off a heckuva coup. He had a fun family trip to
Godzone (local name for 'God's Own Country'), AND he took binos, charts, and
a 10" dob, AND he saw the southern sky from some incredibly beautiful and
magnificent locations. Seeing that sky - Eta Carinae, southern MW, Canopus,
Achernar, Magellanic Clouds - over those mountain landscapes, it's just
indescribable. Well, actually, our Mr. Pierce just took a pretty darn good
shot at describing it.
Reading about someone's first southern-sky experience is a GREAT way to
spend a rainy full-moon day.
Thanks for vicariously taking me there! That rocked! I, too, must return.
Marek
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Received on Mon Jan 21 11:31:09 2008