The VicSouth Desert Spring Star Party has been running since 2003 as an annual weekend of astronomy, held at the Little Desert Nature Lodge about 16km south of the town of Nhill in western Victoria (Australia). The location is about halfway between Adelaide and Melbourne so VicSouth attracts large numbers of amateur astronomers from both cities.
VicSouth offers a great weekend of social and astronomical activity as well as some nice observing targets. Begin your night of astronomy in the massed starfields of Sagittarius, Ara, and Scutum. Then journey into the intergalactic realms of Grus, Pavo, Sculptor, Fornax, Eridanus, Aquarius, and the billions of Magellanic suns. Take a peek north at the galaxies of Andromeda and Triangulum too.
Then as the night continues, sweep through Orion, Puppis, Canis Major, Vela, Carina and Crux. And, in the hours before dawn, Hydra and Leo.
VicSouth occurs during spring time (to avoid the worst of the cold winter wind & rains), but before the commencement of grain harvesting (to avoid neighbouring farmers' floodlights & clouds of dust). We book the entire Lodge for our use during VicSouth and we implement various measures to keep the observing area dark.
Bookings: https://vicsouth.info/bookings.htm
More information: https://vicsouth.info/vicsouth.htm
