scarp15

On 16/10/2023 at 17:27, Mr H in Yorkshire said:

In respect of the the original thread, for the uninitiated, here is a heather burn. The smoke tail is about 2 miles long and the air stinks.

Reported that the Moorland Association Director has been convicted today at Skipton Magistrates Court. Three counts of burning on deep peat on Middlesmoor Estate grouse moor, Nidderdale.  

Moorland Association Director Ben Ramsden convicted for burning on deep peat on Middlesmoor Estate grouse moor, Nidderdale – Raptor Persecution UK

Great report and descriptive insight into encountering looking through a desirable selection of large aperture dobs. Personally that's probably the best solution, particularly if you have a smaller vehicle. Combined with set up time etc, perhaps something like a 10" dob conveniently transported across the backseat, with an ease of set-up is a good way to become incentivised to venture to darker skies and that will still, in that circumstance, reveal a lot.    

11 minutes ago, jjohnson3803 said:

I've not lost a whole night, but I have wasted observing time trying to decide which scope to use.  Makes me wonder at times if I should pick one scope and sell the rest.  🤔   I won't be able to waste time deciding on what to use if there's only one option.

That's an interesting conundrum. Of course no reason, if you have the time n' patience to dismiss indecision and set up two or three side by side for some observational comparison. That would make the most of a snatched opportunity - in-between our succession of named storm systems that is. 

It can feel like that and not just with astronomy equipment. On Saturday night it all seemed to come together, cannot even recall the last time out. A clear crisp night, Jupiter was the primary focus and a very late engaging shadow transit. No commitments, no distractions, illness, no work the next morning etc, setting up was great. Regrettably I sold my 14" dob recently but practically it was time to let it go, however following Saturday night; no you don't have too many scopes (or eyepieces...) because a good or great night maybe just around the corner.

Good to hear of your time and succession of targets observed at Kielder Star Camp and that the two core nights were on the whole agreeable for stargazing. Yes hospitality around there is great.  

4 hours ago, Gfamily said:

The RSPB are looking to know more about the practice, and have set up a website where you can let them know about where there have been heather burns.

 

https://upland-burning-rspb.hub.arcgis.com/pages/report-a-burn

The RSPB quite correctly are actively making a case for strengthening licencing regulation concerning the practice of Muirburn; the burning of heather on peat moors on UK commercial grouse moors. I will not go hiking on these nature depleted almost desert like landscapes and would certainly not set up a telescope near to one around this time of year.

 https://community.rspb.org.uk/ourwork/b/nature-s-advocates/posts/licensing-driven-grouse-shooting-the-case-for-change

Having  patiently been waiting for a  view from my backyard,  also currently observing the Io shadow transit. A  crisp  profile through an 18.2mm DeLite, set up  with VX8L.

1 hour ago, Concretedan said:

Anyone else feel like this?  If so, what did you do to rekindle the passion (for astronomy that is!)

Completely, having other activity interests such as cycling n' hiking, which logically is a day time pursuit and not so weather dependent, has entirely overshadowed any notion for getting out stargazing (the weather being typically poor in the evenings or usually when preceding a non work day). However I am not entirely sure that it is necessarily about rekindling a passion, as so much about pursuing an aspiration. Therefore this approaching winter, there are certain objectives that I shall endeavour to pursue and that retains if not a resounding passion, then at the very least an interest. 

18 hours ago, Thalestris24 said:

Thanks but I don't know of any and I only have a few (very busy!) weeks to sort it out. If I have to I'll take the items with me and deal with them later though I still have the same problem of finding someone who wants them and can collect. It will all work out, I suppose.

Louise

All the best for your new move, appreciate that it will be hectic. 

I would expect that some folk in the Glasgow area would travel south to the Galloway astronomy centre and that following the autumn equinox there will be a lot of newbies, perhaps students etc looking to join societies for at least a taster in amateur astronomy. Understand though that time may require for boxing your equipment for now, whilst pursuing the best means to move this on.

Perhaps contact local astronomy societies and inquire if they would circulate a list of items (via email) you have for sale next time they have their club meets. That way people within your area will be able to arrange to collect.

You have answered it yourself really; to image the horsehead nebula. Just plan to do this later in the year. If you are not inclined to do much else in the meantime then no loss, but plan to undertake this task, when the time comes, would be something to look forward to and in turn could reignite your enthusiasm. Then if your back garden is a problem for trees, consider where else you could maybe go to set up, it can be refreshing to get out beyond the comforts of your home environment in pursuit of your goal. 

Visual astronomy is, whilst there are of course thriving astronomical societies, a solitary pursuit. This may appeal more to older 'hobbyists', than demographically younger, whom are likely on the whole to be more gregarious and will seek activities that engage in more social interaction. 

Also as is often conveyed in topics in the Lounge, quite a few have emerged from other activities such as angling / fishing, which again can be a quite solitary as well as companionable pursuit and of course involves being stationary for hours outdoors. 

Perhaps it is more so the 'baby boomers' generation that embrace hobbies in the traditional sense, whereby many things are in our digital enhanced contemporary society, considered more so as a 'taster', rather than developing into a dedicated pursuit.    

Yet visual astronomy will continue, to in some context, attract, excite and feed the imagination, as it has since human curiosity first formed. The challenge is detrimental continual relaxation and deregulation of sensitive land to favour house builders and their like. As our relatively 'fledgling' status for increasing areas of dark sky parks emerges into public awareness and conservation measures aimed to protect dark sky as well as biodiversity against known hostile threats, the future could yet be desirable for enjoyment of what a true dark sky has to offer.

Good point. What I am most looking forward to, for the return of the autumn winter skies, is to get back to a particular remote place on the England, Scotland border that is truly dark. It will involve some hiking and wild camping. As I have only done once before, the refractor; convenient and ideal in this scenario, for capitalising on wide-field and encountering some of the delights to had. After which, rather than facing a tired journey home, which I am much less in recent times inclined to do, I can simply crawl into the tent, for literally a night under the stars. 

The mechanics of visual astronomy is attractive and appealing, yet it is quite understandable that the younger emerging generation do not necessarily embrace this, since any inclination and interest in astronomy will be facilitated by a phone app with perhaps some naked eye observing (such as the ISS passing over, a lunar eclipse, planetary alignment etc). It is also rather tragic and slightly pathetic when for example watching the local weather forecast on TV, the weather presenter may enthusiastically announce that there is a strong possibility of an aurora event this evening or that the Perseids meteor shower are to reach their peak, when almost all of their viewers live in a consistent environment awash with light pollution and will dismiss these remarks as something exotic that happens elsewhere - such is our conditioning to urban acceptance.  

Yet perhaps many visual observers are fairly solitary in this pursuit; enjoy the calm simplicity that visual astronomy can provide and do not give a fig about whether it has a future or not. 

Could be interesting, channel 5 t'night (Tue 1 Aug) starting at 9.00pm.

"Difficult but not impossible"; well maybe.

Not exactly consistent but,

31mm Nagler

21mm Ethos

10mm Delos

6mm Ethos

4mm DeLite

1 hour ago, Paz said:

I think the single best thing anyone can do to enjoy this hobby is retire!... and the next best thing is to relocate somewhere with good skies!

I do the same thing with binoculars if I am short of time - take them out for very short sessions looking at easy objects or scouting out places I will be star hopping around the next time I am out with a scope.

Oh yes good plan! Then perhaps the next best thing is to just work a little less.  Since the pandemic, I'd had to re-organise my work pattern, which being self employed is varied and transient. However by circumstance rather than intent; I no longer work on a Friday, therefore only between a Monday and Thursday count as potential work days (and not every Monday either), which definitely helps a bit.  This being markedly so if planning for a dark sky trip. 

A good pertinent topic, relatable to all in some capacity. 

Becoming inspired, perhaps motivated by a certain celestial event, planetary alignment, good weather forecast over a new moon phase, by which you are able to perhaps plan, organise and participate. Conversely a spontaneous leap outdoors for a good optimized crisp lunar phase.

Yet as clearly mentioned; personal health, sleep patterns, work, social / family engagement, besides weather, lunar phases, general mood motivation and engaging in other aspiring pursuits, compound any notion for stargazing. 

Therefore keeping in touch on the forum does assist, as does nipping outside from time to time just to look up, maybe catch the ISS. The interest could lie dormant for some time and then rebound; ebbs and flows. Certainly I too am someone conditioned to require an 8 hour sleep; if at all possible and work several days each week and often will prioritize other interests and pursuits n' obligations over stargazing opportunities, which gets over shadowed (so to speak). 

Yet its always there and who else except folk on this forum, relish the return for darker long nights and (perhaps) colder conditions, relishing a list of extraordinary familiar and new seasonal objects to glimpse or image, setting up valued equipment to facilitate this, surpassing for a time all of life's relatively mundane circumstances. 

Interesting, what I saw was definitely dim and of the correct trajectory, quite certain that it was not a satellite, yet a little before that mentioned photographed time 22.58. I did not take particular regard to log the actual time, only accounting for the approximate tip off on Go Stargazing, yet would had been 5-10min earlier (than 22.58) at my more northerly latitude. Quite accustomed to seeing the ISS, which I believe had traversed across a little earlier? Was clear skies here (certainly Arcturus was) and ISS usually easy to spot as being bright. However did I just stumble across a dim ISS (slight haze in sky?) I am now not entirely sure and was it (ISS) on the very same trajectory.  So that would be both me and @Paul Min a bit of a conundrum. 

Just to add it was quite faint. 

Yes watched live stream via Go Stargazing on Facebook, with a heads up as to when best seen (following ISS) over UK. Therefore lucky to see this from backyard Newcastle at around 10. 40pm S/W to S/E on its low Earth orbit trajectory towards and below Arcturus. 

California Nebula responds very well to a H-Beta filter, at low power, dark transparent skies etc. Personally I like to use 2" filters. 

Good news.

Rum bidding for Dark Sky Island status to boost astro-tourism - BBC News

Observing from home, this past year has been the Baader Neodymium. Only other filter I might consider using from home is my (older version) Lumicon UHC. Pays to have a set of good visual filters if able to get occasionally to darker skies, thus an older Lumicon O-III and H-beta will receive use and the O-III being a favourite. Each in 2" format for versatility. 

At between that focal length and something that is relaxed and immersive; 18.2mm DeLite is lovely and engaging. Formally for a shortish period, owned a 19mm Pan, cannot recall to compare but suspect that I would not swop my 18.2mm DeLite for it. 

Alternatively as Piero has indicated maybe also look at something in around 24mm and yet I do enjoy using the DeLite 18.2 in my F/7 TV-85.