Toronto Photography Meetup Group

Details:

What: Meteor shower and star trail
When: Saturday August 15th 2009
Time: 3 PM
Where: Torrance Barrens Dark Sky Reserve
Bring: -- Blanket, maybe a pillow, lawn chair
-- bug repellant
-- camera capable of taking time exposures
-- cable release
-- tripod
-- extra batteries
-- binoculars for stargazing, if you have 'em
-- red flashlight (if you have a white flashlight, put some red plastic over it. A Skittles wrapper works reasonably well)
-- Bug Repellant
-- Toilet paper
-- Food for a supper time picnic
-- snacks for star gazing

Some information and directions are available here
http://www.rasc.ca/lpa/torrancebarrens.shtml

A group of us did this 2 years ago and had a good time.
Thought I would start a little earlier as there is lots to
shoot here even in the day time and there are some marked
hiking trails around some small lakes.

For your convenience I have arranged for...

1 -- The sun to set at 8:23 PM
2 -- A meteor shower Called the Perseid during the night
3 -- A cresent moon to rise at 1:26 AM Aug 16th

Tim

p.s. Rain date can be August 22nd.

Link to some photos from Torrance Barrens
http://www.flickr.com/photos/timras/sets/72157621650808428/

I was hoping to do this, but unfortunately I am busy the weekend of Aug. 15-16. If we have to use the rain date, I might be able to do it, but likely wouldn't be able to leave Toronto until 5:00-6:00 pm.

I would love to do this, but would need a ride. Does anyone have room?
I have been to Torence Barrens Dark Sky Observatory before, so could navigate for someone who hasn't been there. Also will share gas expenses. You can call me at 416-720-9745.

Thanks for creating this, Tim!

I was thinking I might create an "urban" version of the event in mid-week, around the (inconvenient) peak of the meteor shower.

BTW, the Pinery star party will be happening that night (the 15th) -- that's on the shore of Lake Huron, north of London.

(Technical note: Probably not a crescent if it's rising at 1:30-ish a.m.)

I'm going to try my best to make this but will know next week. If i do, I can offer rides from downtown.

Eddie

Hi Dan

By "cresent" I meant not a full moon.
I think it is less than 30 %.
Will know for sure at 1:30 am Aug 16th

Tim

I will either be asking for a ride or be offering a ride.

The catch is that I'm half-way from Toronto to Barrie.

Output from "pom 2009081601":

Sun 2009 Aug 16 01:00:00 (EDT): The Moon will be Waning Crescent (24% of Full)

Sounds very interesting...but you guys are camping out or coming back later at night?

Hi Marcos

Probably shoot until 2 or 3 am. After that the dew gets
too heavy and starts condensing on your lens.
We can always hit a Tim Hortons near Barrie on the way home.
There is camping allowed if you want to stay.
Just check the link in the first post for details.

Tim

anyone has room left for a small me ? gas expenses will be contributed

This sounds awesome, if i can make it i think i'm going to camp out there until sunday. I maybe bringing a friend or two if i do.
I have to get away from the city for a bit.
Also a good time to bust out those telescopes.

I think camping could be an interesting idea.

I found other shots from the area:
http://rowellphoto.com/camping-torrence ... s-ontario/

I will be driving. Who else is interested in camping and coming back on Sunday?

A couple of useful links....

http://www.danheller.com/star-trails

http://www.weatherscapes.com/techniques.php?cat=astronomy&page=startrails

http://www.naturescapes.net/112006/ej1106.htm

Most of all .... lie back, relax and enjoy

Tim

This is cool. It tracks and predicts cloud cover over the Barrens. And other relevant conditions.

http://cleardarksky.com/c/TrrcBrrnsDSPONkey.html

Daryl

And for those planning to be there around 3:00 PM who may want to hike a bit, there is a PDF trail map you can download and print here;

http://www.township.muskokalakes.on.ca/ ... -10-09.pdf

Daryl

I sure wish I could go to this event but I am on vacation and out of town for this event. Maybe next time

I'll have some room in my car if anyone wants to share a ride.
I'll bring my tent just in case I decide to camp overnight.

Sounds like August 12th might be the best night though:

POSSIBLE PERSEID OUTBURST: This year's Perseid meteor shower could be even better than usual. "A filament of comet dust has drifted across Earth's path and when Earth passes through it, sometime between 0800 and 0900 UT (1 - 2 am PDT) on August 12th, the Perseid meteor rate could surge to twice its normal value," says Bill Cooke of NASA's Meteoroid Environment Office. The following profile is based on the debris stream models of veteran forecasters Jeremie Vaubaillon and Mikhail Maslov:

http://www.spaceweather.com/archive.php ... &year=2009

Update from NASA, tonight might be the best...

http://www.nasa.gov/topics/solarsystem/ ... _2009.html

<i>A good time to see Perseids this year is before dawn on Wednesday morning, Aug. 12, when Earth's front windshield is overhead.

...

This year, evening Earthgrazers on Aug. 11 could be the best part of the show, because the Moon and its interfering glare will be below the horizon in early evening. Dark skies = good meteor watching. Later, when Earth's "front windshield" rises, the Moon will rise with it, reducing the number of Perseids you'll be able to see before sunrise on Aug. 12.</i>

anyone else planning to camp there for the night?
I'm thinking of heading there a little earlier on sat. to scope around and setup camp as well.
Just wondering about the parking situation, will we be able to drive pretty close to the star rock gazing area? I'm planning to bring up a telescope and don't want to lug it around too far.
I've never been there before, are we meeting up at the entrance?

Hello
When you get there you will see some parking right at the road.
Then there is a road leading to the next section where most
people with telescopes set up near the lake or camp in the grassy
area away from the lake.

Tim

is camping permitted?

On the site it says that there are no official campsites
but limited camping is allowed.




http://www.rasc.ca/lpa/torrancebarrens.shtml

I'll probably see you all there. I was planning on heading up there with my wife and some friends.

Seen a couple last night in the span of about 10 minutes.

I was debating on this but finally found the location on google maps so decided to drive up.

time to buy some bug repellents and a foldable lawn chair!

Anyone have the coords I can type into my GPS?

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