SRAA - Scenic Rim Astronomy Association

10/10/2026

The cloud forecast is looking fairly grim, with models predicting a 75% chance of cloud in the early evening. There is a large cloud bank that may clear by 8 - 9 pm (or may not).

We have decided that it's not worth the risk, so we will regretfully cancel the viewing. The next public viewing is on Saturday, Nov 28, so we can hope for better conditions then. Thank you for your interest.

30/09/2026

****** Saturday, Oct 10, is a public viewing night at Laravale. ******

Due to many members being away on the long weekend, we have decided to postpone the Sat, Oct 3 public viewing to Sat, Oct 10.

We'll post again to confirm one way or the other (depending on cloud) on the Saturday morning.

Here's the plan:
• Come to 77 Christmas Creek Rd, Laravale. Full directions here.
• Please arrive by sunset (5.50 pm) so you can park easily in the light.
• Observing from about 1 hour after sunset (6.50 pm) until 9.00 or 10.00 pm, leave anytime. When leaving, please try to minimise headlight use until you are well away from the telescopes.
• Bring plenty of warm clothes, any binos or telescopes you have.
• BYO BBQ / dinner from 5.50 pm.
• You may prefer to bring sandwiches or something quick to eat, or buy something like pizza or Subway in Beaudesert. A thermos of something hot to drink is a good idea.
• We ask a $5 donation per person over 12 years.

What's in the Sky...
• Sunset 5.52 pm. Alignment stars visible 6.32 pm. Dark by 7.13 pm. A 0% Moon sets at 5.30pm.

• Venus sets at 7.31 pm, it's just 7% illuminated and will show a fine crescent very low in the west.

• Mercury sets at 7.48pm. It's 6.5° above (northeast of) Venus, shining at magnitude 0. It's 65% illuminated, 6.5" in diameter. A chance to glimpse this elusive planet.

• Saturn rises at 5.17 pm, observable by about 7.00pm low in the east.

• Neptune rises at 4.40 pm, observable low in the east.

• Uranus rises at 9.28 pm, observable by 11.00pm low in the east. Will be easier to see in the early evening by December.

• Scorpius, Sagittarius, Capricornus, Aquarius and Pisces, plus Lyra, Cygnus, Aquila, Pegasus, and Grus will be well displayed. The Southern Cross is low in the SW.

• Come and see the Ring, Dumbbell, Saturn, Helix, and Witches Broom nebulas, the Wild Duck and Spectre clusters, globular clusters Pavo and 47 Tucane, and the Silver Coin and Andromeda galaxies .

19/09/2026

The Scenic Rim Astronomy Association (SRAA) invites you to join us for International Observe the Moon Night. The details are below.

** Saturday night, Sep 19 **

is International Observe the Moon Night (IOTMN),

Jubilee Park, Beaudesert
We'll have a 55% illuminated moon visible. We'll set up in Jubilee Park, near the bandstand (see map below) in Beaudesert for public outreach from 6.30 - 8.30pm. Visitors are welcome to join us at the park. This is always a fun evening.

Come along with your scope, or just come to look through our scopes. Please email me if you plan to come.

I'll send a go/no go email on Saturday morning. The cloud forecast looks very promising.

Here's the plan:

Enter the park at the gate in Telemon St, opposite the Ampol service station, about 80m SW of the intersection with Brisbane St, for the best parking. The closest address for your navigator is 3 Telemon St (the Ampol station).
See map below.

SRAA members arrive to set up around 5.30 - 6.00pm.

Observe from about 6.30 pm to 8.30pm, weather permitting.
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Sunset 1742. Dark by 1900. 55% Moon sets around 1 am. The Moon is around 8.3 days old. The maps and guide below give some ideas on what to look for.

Venus sets 2041, 25% illuminated

Saturn rises 1847, should be observable in the east.

Neptune rises 1806, also observable in the east

20/08/2026

Before-and-after view of the crater formed after a Falcon 9 upper stage struck the Moon’s surface on Aug. 5, 2026.

https://science.nasa.gov/solar-system/moon/nasas-lro-images-falcon-9-crater-on-moon-learns-new-details/

NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter shares before-and-after view of the crater formed after a Falcon 9 upper stage struck the Moon’s surface on Aug. 5, 2026.

08/08/2026

Good crowd tonight, patiently waiting for dark.

08/08/2026

Finally, a great night for viewing (8 August 2026). Bring an extra jumper.

08/08/2026

Tonight's viewing at Laravale is on. The cloud forecast looks pretty good. See you there!

04/08/2026

This Saturday, Aug 8, is a public viewing night at Laravale.

We'll post again to confirm that it’s on or cancelled (depending on the cloud forecast) on the Saturday morning. The forecast is better than a 50/50 chance of clear skies at present.

Comment to confirm you plan to come.

Here's the plan:
• Come to 77 Christmas Creek Rd, Laravale. Full directions athttps://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/hxmi7vtde0ejb4h3roz9o/SRAA-Visitor-Viewing-night-information.pdf .
• Please arrive by sunset (5.20 pm) so you can park easily in the light.
• Observing from about 1 hour after sunset (6.20 pm) until 9.00 or 10.00 pm, leave anytime. When leaving, please try to minimise headlight use until you are well away from the telescopes.
• Bring plenty of warm clothes, any binos or telescopes you have.
• BYO BBQ / dinner from 5.20 pm.
• You may prefer to bring sandwiches or something quick to eat, or buy something like pizza or Subway in Beaudesert. A thermos of something hot to drink is a good idea.

What's in the Sky...
• Sunset 5.22 pm. Alignment stars visible 6.05 pm. Dark by 6.42 pm. A 25% Moon rises around 3.00am.
• Venus sets at 8.50pm, it's 52% illuminated and will be visible low in the west.
• Saturn rises at 9.42pm, observable by about 11.00pm low in the east.. We'll have to wait until October to see it in the early evening.
• Neptune rises at 8.55 pm, observable by about 10.30pm. We'll have to wait until October for it as well.
• Comet Tempel 2 is at mag 6.9. It rises at 5.35pm, and may be visible in binos or scope by about 7.30pm low in the east in Piscis Austrinus.
• Virgo, Libra, Scorpius and Sagittarius, plus Ophiuchus, Corvus, Hercules, the Southern Cross, and Carina will be well displayed.
• Come and see the Blue Planetary, and Keyhole nebulas, the Jewel Box, Gem and Southern Pleiades clusters, globular clusters Hercules and Omega Centauri, the Hamburger galaxy, plus Markarian's chain in Virgo.

18/07/2026

Check this out.
His page has some awesome videos and images, and he includes the camera settings he used.

https://www.facebook.com/share/1BbiM9YQ3T/?mibextid=wwXIfr

THE RED SAIL - Another incredible image I am proud to unveil from my trip to Namibia. Following last year’s steps to produce an RGB-Ha+Oiii image of that area of the southern hemisphere sky, I tried again this year with another backdrop.

Vela, or the sail, is an extremely large emission nebula that features loads of hydrogen alpha and oxygen III emissions, remnants of exploding stars 🤩 I particularly love this region of the sky because of how large it is, how uncommon it is and how many different colors there are, especially when paired with the Magellanic clouds (bottom left).

Panorama of 9 tiles, 3 for the foreground and 6 for the sky. Both sky and foreground were taken at the same time, with same gear, same orientation and position was respected.

SKY:

RGB: Canon 6Da + Sigma 40mm f1.4. 6 tiles of 5 tracked, tracked, stacked exposures of 60 seconds each, f2.2, ISO 3200 (+ LP filter).

Dual band data: Canon Ra + IDAS NB12 filter, 6 tiles of 40 stacked exposures of 90 seconds each, f2, ISO 6400.

Foreground: Canon 6Da + Sigma 40mm f1.4. 3 tiles of 1 exposure at 60 seconds each, f2.5, ISO 3200

Full image in comments

16/07/2026

SRAA Viewing Calendar for 2026