Adrian Condon

Hi Stu, I agree with your comments, Galloway for most of SGLers south of the Birmingham is definitely out of reach for a weekend. Most of the people attending Galloway come from Newcastle, Manchester, Preston, Glasgow, Perth and places in Scotland. The majority attend for 6 to 12 days, most coming for a weekend extend it to 3 nights if not 4 nights (Thursday to Monday). Usually find that half the nights at Galloway are clear. The others are cloudy and present a great opportunity for Whiskey Tasting sessions. This February we had about 3 nights in a row that were miserable, the other nights were reasonable, not quite as brillant as some of the nights in previous years. The November 2017 event had to be cancelled because there was so much rain in the previous 2 months. I am thinking of going to SGL Lucksall this coming October, there are plans for a September SP on the Isle of Man (currently being agreed with the local astronomical society) and of course Galloway in November. It would be enjoyable to meet up again!!!! Cheers Adrian

Hi Mark, Great as usual to hear from you. I hope I was not giving the impression that Lucksall was poor for dark skies. It is considerably better than the area around here with its light pollution from Watford and London. I have enjoyed all my trips to Lucksall and have managed to make some good friends. I hope to visit again but given the really dark skies at the Galloway SP on a clear night, well...... I had last summer the good fortune to meet up with two of the SGLers who had come all the down from Shieldaig (north west Scotland) to Lucksall, it took them 2 days of driving. Importantly, they brought those wonderful cakes with the constellations on them to celebrate the 10th Anniversary if you remember. I know Jim from Scotland personally and it would not be fair to let him drive hundreds of miles to Lucksall, thinking of getting the skies we get in Galloway. The big advantage of SGL SP at Lucksall for me is.... it is relatively close to me, chance to meet SGLers and learn from some knowledgeable people. Anyway, wishing everybody clear skies for October. Cheers Adrian

Hi Jim, I have been to a number go SGL Star Parties at Lucksall campsite near Hereford. It is a friendly event, with classes on various astronomical subjects, with a decent Hog Roast on the Saturday evening. The site does wonderful breakfasts and serves drinks in the evenings in the Cafe. For people living within 200 miles of the site it is a great place to go. About 150+ people attend. Are the skies dark there? .... No .... nothing like Kirkinner. The light pollution from Hereford and Ross-on-Wye just don't help. Why do I travel 800 mile round trip to the Galloway Star Party instead of 260 mile round trip to Lucksall, simple answer dark unpolluted sky! Why do three other SGL Lucksall regulars make the trip to Kirkinner? Friendly clear dark skies..... So Jim, if I lived 60 miles from Kirkinner, I would go there often. (the whiskey tasting sessions at Kirkinner are better as well.....) Cheers Adrian

Hi James, A big Thank You to yourself and Steve for getting the life saving cable to me... now on the mount and it rained 3 hours later! Some campers have air-cushioning under their tent (with the wind ) but I now have water-cushioning under mine, luckily none has entered the tent so far! Incidentally, looking through your website I cannot find where you are selling fine weather and clear skies? All the best from a very windy and wet Scotland. Thanks Adrian

Hi Carole, It is a shame you live around 450+ miles away. It is a friendly event just like the SGL Party at Lucsall. It took me this time about seven and half hours, average speed of around 55 to 60mph. I only stop for toilet breaks and fuel. Hadyn does it from the Island of Man and has an overnight break on the way. Trust you get some clear nights, we are preparing for a really great night here, the Sun is sinking slowly in the west, the wind is a light cool breeze, going for dinner and still in my shorts, will change before 19:30. Clear Skies.... Adrian

Hi Carole and Jim, I agree, the weather could be better, it is lovely and sunny here in Scotland at the moment, if it was not for the icy cold wind, I would have spent the morning sunbathing! The geese are flying in great numbers around the Nature Reserve. Carole, as Jim already knows, if you want dark skies, quite a lot darker than SGL in Lucsall, Drumroamin campsite in Kirkinner near Newton Stewart will take some beating! Some of us who were regulars at Lucsall now travel 800 to 900 miles round trip to see the Milky Way etc in all its splendour, gaze delightfully here. We have had two clear nights out of two (3 to 4 hours so far each night with odd clouds moving speedily across the dark Scottish Sky) and to boot it was clear from 04:00am this morning. So not a failure. Tonight, Monday will be brilliant if the Scope Nights app on my iPhone is correct, clear skies from 18:00 till 06:00am Tuesday, with the temperature from +4c to -2c at 03:00am and the wind dropping to 4mph...... life could not get better! Hope meet up again. Cheers Adrian

Hi Folks, Well the wind has dropped to a mere 20mph from the 44mph of Sunday morning. Secondly, the temperature will get up to 7 c today, so I am wearing my shorts again! When Dai from snowy South Wales arrived, I volunteered (as one does! ) to erect his tent. We managed to get the tent half up when there was an almighty gust of wind, which lifted the tent and carried it across the campsite, over the little middle hedge, over the bigger boundary hedge and across the field to the stone wall a distance of some 300 yards..... Dai being considerably quicker than me, got there first and did a beautiful Welsh rugby tackle on his tent and prevented it from getting over the wall! (glad he was not playing for Wales when Ireland were scoring tries...) Well we carried the tent back across the field and on putting it down we noticed that one of the poles was missing........as Derek would say "argh......." . We fetched Julian who is an expert in fixing tents etc to help.....I went looking for the missing pole sections and found 10 pieces scattered across the site. The three of us then managed to get the tent up. A task that should have taken 20 to 30 minutes, finally took over 2 hours, who says daytime can be dull at Scotland's Premier Star Party!!!! We had good views of the skies once it got dark, with odd clouds moving at speed across, Orion looked absolutely brilliant, but it clouded over around 22:00 and had not cleared up by 23:00 so Mike and myself spent the next hour in his static van practicing focusing and drinking the Pogues Irish Whiskey.... Those coming are strongly advised to bring warm clothing, a heater, wind breaks, a bottle or two of whiskey and if you have room some astro gear! Cheers Adrian

Hi Folks It has been an eventful day Will do a bigger explanation tomorrow We have had about 3 hours viewing night both clear and partial Completely cloud cover at the moment Planning an early night must find the Highland Park for a wee refreshing dram Cheers Adrian

Hi Jim and Dawn, I was sorry to hear that you have been ill. Whilst we miss you for the odd quiet drink, this weather is not appropriate for people recovering from a chest infection. I am thinking of recording the wind noise, the tent movement and entering the recording to the Tate Gallery as an inspirational piece.... could even win the Turner Prize! Hope see both of you fit and well in the Autumn. Cheers from sunny Drumroanin. Cheers Adrian

Hi Stuart, Glad you are alive and kicking, are you camping in the suburbs of Hereford? Trust Tracey is bearing up are the humiliation of yesterday!!!!!! Yes, the weather here is very cold and windy, with traces of white rain. It is meant to lead into better weather later tonight and tomorrow, the skies last night were great, odd clouds for a few minutes, but too windy with gusts of 40mph to attempt to put our scopes up. I will look at meeting up in October. Best wishes to both of you. Cheers Adrian

Hi Folks Morning has broken...... Well it was very windy overnight The ground is frozen with a light frost Julian has informed me that : the water tap is frozen, being smart I filled the kettle last night, he will sort it out his morning; the wind is due drop back a bit; snow predicted for 10:00am this Sunday morning; and most importantly Monday night will be by and large clear and the wind will be dying away. Taken Lesley’s dog Bud for a walk in the local woods at 09:00 am. I am not wearing my shorts! Just in case any of you thought I was stupid enough Don’t forget to bring heater, plenty of warm clothing and that bottle of Live (whiskey to you) Cheers Adrian

Hi Dai, Ian and Phil Mike and myself have spent the best part of 2 hours enjoying the views The sky is very clear when the clouds disappear It is starting to snow while the stars are still shining. Never seen that before The strong wind and cold are a deadly combination, keeping a camera tripod steady is entertaining I am feeling very tired so heating my tent up before retiring for thre night Left my bottle of Irish Whiskey with Mike so it’s time to revert to a bottle of Highland Park........ Life is wonderful🌎! All the Best Cheers Adrian

Hi Folks, The skies are lovely and clear The wind is blowing right thorough us Think Julian has gone to bed he was on the road by 03:15am this morning I am going to try a few shots before I freeze to death Cheers Adrian

Hi Folks Have arrived safe and sound after leaving Watford at the crack of dawn. The conditions here are at present are: Partially cloudy with good views to the South and West. Sirius and Orion Very windy and cooooold A bite too windy to put the scope up Planning on setting up a small scope if the wind dies down a bit later Finished dinner with Mike in the static van Given that Ireland won the Grand Slam today, some Irish Whiskey later will be in order Its a bottle of Pogues (the Irish pop group) will keep a share for Ian...... Mike has just returned to the van with a big smile on his face, there is an explosion of stars to the South at present. I am on my way out to see the beautiful clear cold windy skies I maybe a little time!!!!!! Cheers Adrian

Hi Lee and Mark, It will be great to meet up with you. Not being a whiskey drinker is not a sin as long as you can pour the stuff!! It's not Damian we need to beat at the Pie Eating Competition, it's Ian he has won it too often......😇😇😇😇😇😇 Have a safe trip. Adrian