June 2023 Monthly Meeting

When: Tuesday 6th June at 7:30 pm.
Where: Space Place / Carter Observatory, 40 Salamanca Road, Kelburn
Or you can join the meeting via Zoom
Meeting ID: 898 5793 4315
Passcode: 12345

Speaker:  Matt Balkham

The Making of the Cretney Observatory

Thanks to a generous bequest from a member, Syd Cretney, WAS has been able to build a fully remote observatory at Star Field in the southern Wairarapa (now within the new Dark Sky Reserve). Last year we also received a grant from Trust House in Masterton to cover additional set-up costs. A team of members led by Matt Balkham has built the physical observatory and installed the telescope, computer, and monitoring equipment. The telescope has been extensively tested over the last six months and is nearly ready for members to use. What can it do? How will it work? How will we learn to use it?

WAS Curator of Instruments Matt Balkham has masterminded and project-managed the Cretney project. Matt is a keen astrophotographer and more of his work can be found on Astrobin.

M83, photographed by Matt Balkham in April using the Cretney OTA, from 9h45m of HaRGB. This image has been nominated for a Top Pick on Astrobin.
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